Every book needs to be edited. It’s not optional.

Even the most famous and successful authors submit their manuscript to a book editor. In fact, I would argue that one reason these authors are successful is because they partner with an editor to maximize their story’s potential.

But how much will it cost to edit your novel?

Depending on the expertise of your editor, the type of editing your manuscript requires, and the length and quality of your manuscript, you can expect to pay between hundreds to thousands of dollars.

To help you calculate your budget, we’ll look at:

1. How book editors charge
2. Median editorial rates for fiction
   • The different types of editing
   • Example editing project costs
3. Is a professional edit worth the cost?
4. How to hire a book editor

How Book Editors Charge

Book editors tend to charge in one of 4 ways:

• Per word
• Per hour
• Per page
• Per project

Charging by word count is the most common method. Flat rates per project are usually only offered for smaller services like an opening chapter evaluation or a manuscript assessment.

So let’s look at how much it costs to hire a freelance book editor.

Median Editorial Rates for Fiction

The Editorial Freelancers Association conducts surveys among their members and reports the median rates charged for various editing services. These numbers represent the exact middle, meaning as many editors charge below these rates as above them. The EFA does not set or recommend rates – this data comes purely from self-reporting.

This chart represents the EFA’s median rates for fiction editing in 2024. Rates differ for nonfiction.

EDITING TYPE	PER WORD	PER HOUR	PER PAGE	PAGES/HR
Developmental Editing	3.0–4.0¢	$50.00–60.00	$7.50–10.00	5.0–10.0
Line Editing	2.5–4.0¢	$45.00–60.00	$6.25–10.00	5.0–8.0
Copyediting	2.0–3.0¢	$40.00–50.00	$5.00–7.50	5.0–10.0
Proofreading	1.2–2.0¢	$35.00–45.00	$3.00–5.00	8.0–14.0
Manuscript Assessment	1.5–1.5¢	$40.00–54.00	$855/project average	11.0–17.0

The different types of editing

Traditional publishers usually complete 4 stages of editing in the following order. As you can see, the earlier stages involve more significant changes, which is why the rates are higher.

1. Developmental editing – big picture feedback on plot, characterization, structure, pacing, and more
2. Line (or content) editing – edits to sentence structure, word economy, clarity, and style
3. Copyediting – grammar edits
4. Proofreading – a final read-through to catch errors

Manuscript assessment – a detailed editorial letter offering developmental feedback without in-line edits on the manuscript (this is optional, sometimes offered instead of a developmental edit)

Example Editing Project Costs

To estimate how much it would cost to edit your project, multiply your word count by the median per word rate. Here are some examples:

Type of project	Average word count	Developmental Editing Cost	Line Editing Cost	Copyediting Cost
Middle grade fantasy	50,000 words	$1,500-$2,000	$1,250-$2,000	$1,000-$1,500
Young adult fantasy	75,000 words	$2,250-$3,000	$1,875-$3,000	$1,500-$2,250
Adult fantasy	115,000 words	$3,450-$4,600	$2,875- $4,600	$2,300-$3,450

Remember that since this is the median rate, you will find many editors who charge less than this, and many who charge more. But if an editor charges far below these rates, you should wonder at their proficiency, and if they charge far above them, they better have an incredible portfolio.

Is a Professional Edit Worth the Cost?

These rates might sound pretty overwhelming, so let’s pause for a moment and consider whether it’s worth it. How long does it take you to complete one editorial pass on your story? A couple weeks? A couple months? How much is your time worth?

A professional editor will have trained in 1 or more of the following ways:

• A Bachelor’s and perhaps Master’s degree
• A certificate in editing from a reputable organization
• In-house training with a publisher or editing company

They should bring the following expertise to the table:

• Mastery of creative writing and grammar
• Understanding of industry and genre expectations
• Pulse on demand in the publishing marketplace
• Empathetic and clear communication

To have a successful career as an author, you need to think like a business owner – your book is your product. What business would put a product on the market without first investing the money to maximize its quality?

But will you be able to make this investment back through book sales? That’s a very important question, which deserves its own discussion. Check out my article: the most important marketing concept for authors to understand.

It is important to start thinking about your marketing strategy before you publish your novel, but one step at a time. My point is that investing in a professional edit is absolutely worth it. The better your core product is, the more success you’ll find down the road, even if it takes many years to build your readership.

How to hire a book editor

Trusted referrals are the best way to hire an editor – ask your author friends, writer groups, or local library. Some editors even offer a discount if you are referred through one of their previous clients.

There are also a number of online marketplaces where you can search for an editor:

• The Editorial Freelancer’s Association
• Reedsy Marketplace
• Christian Editor Connection

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association has an invaluable resource called Writer’s Beware, which flags scammers and other predatory industry behavior. I encourage you to vet any individuals before hiring them.

Always ask to see a sample of their work. Most editors will provide a free sample edit on a small portion of your story.

If you’re interested in working with our team, we offer editing services at the following rates:

• Manuscript Assessment: $0.006/word
• Developmental Editing: $0.02/word
• Line/Content Editing: $0.02/word

With 5 years of experience in the publishing industry, I set my rates somewhat below the industry median. I also offer payment plans to help make professional editing more attainable for indie authors.

Best of luck in your search! Feel free to reach out with any questions or to receive a free sample edit on the first 1,000 words of your story!

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