Editing may be the bane of most people’s existence and can be the most expensive part of the publishing process. This depends on what level of editing you need and on how long your book is. I often see people asking how much it will cost to edit a book. That’s like asking how long a piece of string is.

The answer is, it depends.

The most common forms of editing include developmental, line edits, and copy edits in order of comprehensiveness and expense. Proofreading is a final review of the book.

A developmental edit refers to the overall organization and structure of the book. This will vary, depending on if you’re working with fiction or nonfiction. Here, you are addressing the big picture and overall content of your book. Does the book flow and make sense?

A line or copy edit are not exactly the same, but the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Line editing includes minor rewrites and the clarification of awkward wording. Copy editing is what you typically think of when someone says “editing”: the correction of grammar, typos, spelling, and punctuation.

Proofreading can happen at several points along the publishing path but comes after editing and often after formatting to catch any errors in either the words or the formatting of the book. This is right before uploading.

You will typically need to pay and/or barter for these services. Yes, bartering is alive and well in the indie sphere!

Choosing an Editor

How do you choose an editor? Ask around for recommendations. You want someone competent in your genre who knows the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS as you’ll see it often) if you are in the US. That’s the acceptable style manual for published books. A retired English teacher may or may not have the skills necessary if they are not familiar with the most up-to-date CMoS rules.

Cost

The cost of editing generally depends on how much work your manuscript needs. Thus, I recommend first doing as much self and friend editing as possible. People sometimes want to skip editing due to the expense. I’ll do all that I can in order to send as clean a manuscript as possible to my editor. You should especially do this if you do not choose to hire a professional editor. However, I cannot recommend a professional edit enough, but I understand if it’s not possible.

How can you effectively polish your manuscript as much as possible?

Use tools, such as ProWritingAid. Grammarly is another option, but I don’t recommend it as my editor and many of her colleagues avoid it. The user must be very familiar with the rules of grammar, so it might not be effective for new authors who are unsure of these rules. Spell check in your word processor is also helpful.

Ask friends or other writers in your genre to do a beta read of your book. This is often before the pro editing step, as fresh eyes will help you identify weak points in your manuscript and find many typos. The best beta readers would be in your target audience for the book, those interested in your topic, or who typically read your genre.

My friend Katherine Walden wrote this book, which I also recommend: Insider Editing tips for Self-Publishers: Avoiding Embarrassing Typos and Grammatical Errors (https://books2read.com/u/b5kyz6). It will be an excellent resource for you.

Editing

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