The Cost to Have Your Book Edited

Several stages of editing are involved when writing a book or other manuscript. The three main stages of editing a self-published book are: (1) structural or developmental editing, (2) copy editing, and (3) proofreading. Structural and developmental editing can mean two different things. However, we combine the two into a broad category because many self-publishing authors are unable to hire a professional to review their manuscript for more than one or two rounds of editing. Structural or developmental editing involves looking at the “big picture” of the book manuscript. The structural or developmental book editor makes sure your voice is consistent throughout the manuscript and that the structure and flow make sense. Structural or developmental editing is generally the most costly stage of editing, ranging from $0.08 to $0.15 per word.

For self-publishing authors who can’t afford to pay for structural or developmental editing, the second stage of editing, or copy editing, is a good choice. A professional book editor who focuses on copy editing will take a more detailed view when editing the manuscript. The book editor will review the book for clarity and readability, focusing on the flow of each chapter as well as grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, consistency, and style. The editor corrects grammar or spelling errors, fixes punctuation, and makes suggestions as needed. The cost for a general edit, or copy edit, of a book is about $0.02 per word. For a book of about 50,000 words, the total cost would be $1,000.

The final stage of editing is proofreading. A book editor who reviews a manuscript makes many revisions and a few minor details can be missed, such as an extra space between words, a typo, or a letter that should be capitalized but isn’t. As you read a book that has been published by a major publishing house, you'll likely see an error from time to time. This is because editing and proofreading are completed by humans who can make the occasional mistake. A book proofreader will find and fix the last few issues in the book manuscript. The proofreader of your book makes sure that the spacing between sentences is consistent, typos are eliminated, and other remaining issues are resolved. The cost of proofreading is often lower than the cost of editing but can vary from company to company or from editor to editor. Editor World charges about $0.01 per word for proofreading, which equals about $500 for a 50,000-word book.

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