Where to Find Affordable Book Editing & Proofreading Services

Many writers who have developed a book manuscript need help with revising, editing, and proofreading their book, but aren’t sure where to go for editing services. The large number of companies and individuals providing book editing services online can be overwhelming, so finding and choosing the best book editing service for you can be a bit stressful. Where to find affordable book editing services can depend on how you plan to publish your book manuscript. If your goal is to work with a traditional publishing house, you will need to have your book manuscript proofread (at a minimum) before submitting your proposal to a literary agent. You want the agent to view the book manuscript as professional and easily readable, which is less likely to be the case if there are misspellings, typos, and other errors. Every writer will have misspellings, typos, and errors in their work, and it’s nearly impossible to spot these issues in our own writing.

If you are looking to publish with a traditional publisher and your budget allows, you could also hire an affordable book editing service before having the manuscript proofread. A book editor can help with areas that need improvements in clarity or flow as well as with grammar or other issues. Those who want to work with a traditional publishing house can also expect to undergo revisions and editing with the agent (after the agent chooses to take on the project) as well as with the publisher’s editor or editing team. Authors who want to self-publish their book manuscript will likely need to go through more steps in the revision process prior to publication. These steps can involve substantive or developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

There are many book editing services available online, and the prices charged by each service vary. As of the time of this article, a search of affordable book editing services on Google leads to more than 7.5 million results. Some of the top providers of book editing services appear on the first page of the search results, but many of the top providers with a good reputation do not. This makes it challenging for authors in need of book editing services to find the best choice for them. However, the Internet also makes it easy to find information on the reputation and quality of various book editing services with a little persistence and time. Consumer economists always recommend comparison shopping when making an important purchase, and the purchase of book editing services is no different. The rule of thumb is to narrow down the comparison to 3-5 choices and more closely compare those choices in depth.

After listing three to five potential book editing services, you could record each service’s website, type of editing provided, prices (be sure to note prices in a way that equalizes the total cost given your book manuscript—some services charge per word, some charge per page with various estimates of the number of words per page, and others charge per project), turnaround time, editor qualifications, testimonials, and third-party reviews and ratings of the company. Third-party reviews and ratings include those provided through Google, the Better Business Bureau, Facebook, TrustPilot, and others. Contacting each of those companies is an important step in choosing an affordable book editing service. You want to make sure the company is responsive, and it can also be helpful to choose one that seems to be a good fit with your communication style and needs. This is the time to ask any questions you have about the service because it is a good indication of how the company will respond to your questions now and throughout the editing process.

After you have a detailed list of three to five companies that provide affordable book editing services, review the list to see which one is the best fit for you. At this stage, you could request a free sample edit of your book abstract (and this is recommended) to help give a better idea of the editing service you can expect from each company. Lastly, request a quote for your unique book manuscript and editing needs from each of the companies you’re considering to help you make a final decision. The quote should include information on the total cost for editing as well as the turnaround time, or when you can expect to have the edited book manuscript delivered to you.

About Editor World: Book Editing & Proofreading Services

Editor World: Writing, Editing, and Proofreading Services offers fast, affordable book writing, rewriting, and editing services. Authors choose their own professional book editor, with editors available 24/7, 365 days a year. Clients can communicate with their book editor throughout the editing process. Editor World’s prices for book editing services are based on one round of editing, with an additional round of proofreading offered at a discount (contact info@editorworld.com for more information).