How Much Does Book Editing Cost? A Complete Breakdown By Type

Gary Smailes | 5 November 2025

What You’re Paying For: Editing Types and Deliverables

You are not buying vibes. You are buying outcomes. Know which problem you need solved before you pull out a card.

Editorial Assessment or Manuscript Critique

Scope

• High‑level read on structure, market fit, and big‑picture issues.
• No line fixes. Minimal or no in‑text edits.

Deliverables

• A written report, often 5 to 15 pages.
• Specific notes on premise strength, plot shape, character arcs, pacing, point of view, and genre promise.
• A priority list with next steps for revision.

Good for

• Early drafts. You want to know whether the bones hold.
• You plan another full rewrite.

Example

• A thriller opens with a day‑in‑the‑life scene. The report flags a soft hook and proposes a cold open tied to the central threat. Notes suggest where to seed the ticking clock by chapter three.

Developmental Editing

Scope

• Deep structural work on plot, character, pacing, worldbuilding, and theme.
• Scene order, stakes escalation, and point‑of‑view choices.
• Often a pass on chapter endings and openings.

Deliverables

• Edit letter, often 10 to 25 pages with concrete fixes.
• Margin comments throughout, using Track Changes or Google comments.
• Optional outline or scene map built from your draft.
• A follow‑up call to walk through solutions.

Good for

• You need a partner on story logic and emotional payoff.
• You want guidance on how to fix, not only what to fix.

Not included

• Full sentence polish. A dev edit targets structure first.

Mini exercise

• Summarize your plot in three sentences. If you struggle, you need assessment or dev work, not proofreading.

Line or Stylistic Editing

Scope

• Sentence‑level work for voice, flow, rhythm, imagery, and clarity.
• Trims repetition, tightens phrasing, and smooths transitions.
• Preserves author voice while refining delivery.

Deliverables

• Tracked revisions in the file.
• Comments explaining choices and querying intent.
• A short style note with patterns to apply across the book.

Good for

• The story lands, yet the pages feel heavy or flat.
• Beta readers say, Good idea, tough prose.

Example

Original: She quickly began to start running across the street, where there were a lot of cars driving fast.

Line edit: She sprinted across the street as traffic blurred past.

Copyediting

Scope

• Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage.
• Consistency for capitalization, hyphenation, numbers, and terms.
• Basic fact checks and timeline logic.

Deliverables

• Tracked changes, with comments for clarity questions.
• A detailed style sheet. Entries for names, places, invented terms, numbers, spelling choices, dialogue punctuation, and formatting rules.

Good for

• You want clean, consistent pages ready for layout.
• You have locked story and voice.

Example

Original: email, e-mail, E-mail all appear in one chapter.

Copyedit resolves to email per style sheet.

Proofreading

Scope

• Final check on typos and layout issues on designed pages or near‑final files.
• Focus on small misses, not revisions.

Deliverables

• Marked PDF or notes in a proofing tool.
• Flags for widows and orphans, page headers and footers, scene break glyphs, spacing, bad hyphen breaks, and cross‑reference errors.
• For ebooks, link and device checks.

Good for

• After copyedit and layout. Last mile.

Example

• A chapter header reads Chater Twelve. A page turns with a single word alone at the top. The proofnotes fix both.

How the levels differ on one paragraph

Draft

I look at Mom and I can’t breathe. “We should of left,” I say, and then I just stand there, sweating. The alley smells like old fish and garbage and I think about back then, when things were easier.

Line edit

I meet Mom’s eyes and my breath locks. “We should have left.” I freeze, sweat slick on my neck. The alley smells of fish and rot. I think about when life felt easy.

Copyedit

• Standardize Mom per style sheet.
• Correct should of to should have.
• Check comma use and verb tense.
• Query life felt easy for tone drift if prior page sets a darker mood.

Proofread on designed page

• Fix a missing closing quote if layout dropped it.
• Avoid a bad line break in Mom’s eyes.
• Ensure no extra space before the period.

Choose the right level

Use this quick test:

• Do readers ask where the story goes or why a character acts in a way that makes no sense. You need assessment or dev.
• Do readers follow the story but mark clunky lines and echoes. You need line work.
• Do readers love the read and only circle typos and style nits. You need copyediting and then proof.

What to expect from each service

• Assessment: report, no tracked edits, one follow‑up call on request.
• Developmental: letter, margin notes, plan for revision, call.
• Line: tracked changes with rewrites, comments, style note.
• Copyedit: tracked changes, comments, full style sheet.
• Proofread: marked PDF, error list, no rewrites.

Red flags

• One pass offered for story, line, copy, and proof in a single sprint.
• No style sheet with a copyedit.
• Proofreading offered on a Word draft, not designed pages.

Action

Decide which problem you need solved. Story. Sentences. Or surface errors. Scope correctly before you request quotes. Mis‑scoping burns money and time.

Pricing Models and Typical Cost Ranges (USD)

Rates look random until you know the model. Editors use three structures. Per word. Per hour. Flat project fees. Some bundle services at a blended rate. Taxes such as VAT or GST apply in some regions.

How editors price

Per word

• Easiest to budget. You know the bill before work starts.
• Fair when pages vary in difficulty. The rate already accounts for effort.

Per hour

• Useful for messy or uncertain scope.
• Ask for a not‑to‑exceed cap and a time estimate by level of edit.

Flat project fee

• One number tied to a defined scope and sample pages.
• Make sure the quote lists deliverables, number of passes, and a revision window.

Packages

• Common pairings include developmental plus line. One editor, one timeline, a blended rate.
• Read the scope. You want clear boundaries between story work and sentence work.

Payment terms

• Deposits run 25 to 50 percent. Milestones for long projects help cash flow.

Typical cost ranges

These are broad ranges in USD. Your quote shifts with scope, quality, timeline, and editor experience.

• Editorial Assessment or Manuscript Critique
  • Per word: 0.01 to 0.02
  • Flat for shorter works: 300 to 1,500
  • An 80,000‑word novel lands near 800 to 1,600
• Developmental Editing
  • Per word: 0.03 to 0.08
  • Hourly: 50 to 100
  • An 80,000‑word novel lands near 2,400 to 6,400
• Line or Stylistic Editing
  • Per word: 0.03 to 0.07
  • Hourly: 45 to 85
  • An 80,000‑word novel lands near 2,400 to 5,600
• Copyediting
  • Per word: 0.02 to 0.04
  • Hourly: 35 to 65
  • An 80,000‑word novel lands near 1,600 to 3,200
• Proofreading
  • Per word: 0.01 to 0.02
  • Hourly: 30 to 50
  • An 80,000‑word novel lands near 800 to 1,600

What shifts a quote upward

• Heavy rewrite needs at any level.
• Complex formatting, citations, or footnotes.
• Extensive queries and follow‑up calls.
• Rush timelines. Expect a 20 to 50 percent uplift.
• A second pass after big author revisions.
• Layout proofing for print and epub checks.

Quick math for budgeting

Use this simple formula:

Cost = word count x per‑word rate

Build three scenarios for your manuscript length.

Example, 80,000 words

• Low band
  • Developmental at 0.03: 2,400
  • Line at 0.03: 2,400
  • Copy at 0.02: 1,600
  • Proof at 0.01: 800
  • Stack total: 7,200
• Mid band
  • Developmental at 0.05: 4,000
  • Line at 0.05: 4,000
  • Copy at 0.03: 2,400
  • Proof at 0.015: 1,200
  • Stack total: 11,600
• High band
  • Developmental at 0.08: 6,400
  • Line at 0.07: 5,600
  • Copy at 0.04: 3,200
  • Proof at 0.02: 1,600
  • Stack total: 16,800

Add rush or extras if needed. A 30 percent rush on the mid band adds 3,480. New total, 15,080.

Hourly example

A copyeditor quotes 40 to 60 hours at 55 per hour for 80,000 words. Build a range.

• Low: 40 x 55 = 2,200
• High: 60 x 55 = 3,300

Ask for a cap at 60 hours and a midpoint check‑in at 30 hours.

Package example

Dev plus line on 90,000 words at a blended 0.075 per word:

• 90,000 x 0.075 = 6,750

Clarify scope. Edit letter length, number of margin notes, one follow‑up call, and whether the line pass follows after your dev revisions or in a single integrated pass.

Tips for clean comparisons

• Convert hourly or flat quotes to a per‑word equivalent.
• Match levels. Compare line edits to line edits, not line to copy.
• Note inclusions. Style sheet, letter length, calls, and second pass.
• Record timeline. Start date, weekly capacity, and due date.

Action

Estimate with the formula above. Price a low, mid, and high scenario for your word count. Set a budget band before you request quotes.

What Changes Your Quote: Manuscript and Market Factors

Quotes are not pulled from the sky. They follow your pages. Here is what moves numbers up or down, and how to steer the process in your favor.

Readiness level

Clean, well‑structured drafts cost less. Messy drafts require more hours.

Two thrillers, both at 85,000 words. The tidy one had clear scene goals, consistent point of view, and a stable timeline. Developmental work took three weeks. The other had drifting subplots, head‑hopping, and a timeline that slid two months during a weekend. Same word count, almost double the time.

Quick self‑check:

• Pick a chapter. Write a one‑line purpose for each scene. Missing purpose means revision before editing.
• Track one character’s arc across five chapters. Notes should show change, not loops.
• Run spellcheck and a find‑and‑replace for double spaces, ellipses abuse, and repeated pet words.

Length and density

Longer books cost more. Dense prose does too.

Density means how much intervention per 1,000 words. Jargon, lyrical tangles, and logic snags slow an editor. A tight chapter with clean syntax moves fast. A page where every sentence fights for breath drags.

Mini test:

• Time yourself reading 1,000 words aloud. Smooth pages take 6 to 8 minutes. Stumbles, stops, and rephrasing push to 12 or more.
• Count interventions per page. If every paragraph needs a rethink, expect a higher quote.

Genre and complexity

Some genres demand more tracking, research, and continuity work.

• Epic fantasy: maps, magic rules, calendars, clan names. Continuity checks pile up.
• Hard science fiction: equations, tech plausibility, internal logic.
• Historical: dates, social customs, idioms, period jobs, transport, currency.
• Research‑heavy nonfiction: citations, figures, tables, cross‑refs.

A contemporary romance in a simple setting trends lower. A dual‑timeline spy novel with footnotes and real events trends higher. Not because of taste. Because of hours.

Language and style

ESL authors or those switching English variants often need extra smoothing. UK vs US spelling, punctuation, and idiom choices ripple through every page. Mixed variants mean a heavier style sheet and more corrections.

Example:

• “Towards” vs “toward.”
• Single quotes vs double quotes.
• “Learnt” vs “learned.”

Align early on dictionary and style guide. Chicago with Merriam‑Webster is a common pairing in US trade. New Oxford Style Manual with Oxford English Dictionary suits UK work.

Voice choices also affect time. Staccato fragments, dialect, and heavy slang need careful handling to keep meaning clear without flattening voice.

Timeline

Faster turnarounds raise fees. Editors have weekly capacity, often 10,000 to 20,000 words depending on level. A rush job compresses other work and personal time. Expect a 20 to 50 percent uplift for rush.

Do the math:

• Copyedit at 0.03 per word on 70,000 words: 2,100.
• Add a 30 percent rush: 630.
• New total: 2,730.

Plan backwards from your pub date. Leave room for your own revisions between passes.

Scope and deliverables

Scope is the box around the job. Bigger box, bigger cost.

Levers that move price:

• Number of passes. One pass vs two.
• Deliverables. Edit letter length, margin notes, style sheet depth, and a follow‑up call.
• Sample edit included or paid.
• Post‑edit support. Some editors include a short question window. Others bill for follow‑up.

Example packages:

• Developmental only: edit letter plus margin notes across the full manuscript.
• Line edit plus light copyedit: a sentence pass, then a quick polish on usage and consistency.
• Copyedit with style sheet and one round of author queries.

Ask for clear boundaries. When does the line pass happen if paired with developmental work. After revisions, or integrated. Integrated passes feel efficient, but story shifts during revision often wipe out line work. Staged work helps protect your spend.

Editor experience

Experience influences rates and outcomes. Senior editors charge more. They spot structural risks early. They set up a thorough style sheet. They ask sharper questions. Speed and accuracy improve with time in the chair.

A newer editor might offer a lower rate. For some projects, that fits. For complex books or press‑ready files, a seasoned hand often saves money over the full path by reducing rework.

Check fit through sample pages and a short call. You want clear notes, steady judgment, and respect for your voice.

Small factors that still matter

• Formatting: wild fonts, tabs instead of indents, or PDF starts add prep time.
• Figures, tables, endnotes: each item adds touch points.
• Sensitivity reads, legal reads: separate line items, often by specialists.

Tame the easy stuff. Standardize headings. Use Word with Track Changes. Name files clearly.

Action

Send a representative sample: first chapter plus a tough scene. Include a synopsis or chapter outline. Share draft history, prior feedback, and goals for this round. Ask for scope notes based on those pages. Accurate scoping reduces surprise costs and protects your budget.

Build a Smart Editing Budget

Your budget is a strategy, not a wish. Spend where progress happens. Stage the work so each dollar pulls weight.

Prioritize ROI by stage

Structural issues eat money later. If plot holes exist, a spotless comma does nothing. Invest early where story, character, and pacing get fixed. Save proofreading for last, after layout or near‑final files.

A quick picture with an 80,000‑word novel:

• Skip structural help, run a line edit, then realize Chapter 12 belongs near the end. Half the line work gets tossed. You pay twice.
• Do a developmental pass first. Then a line edit touches sentences you plan to keep. You pay once.

Phase your spend

A simple sequence keeps you sane:

• Assessment, a high‑level report to check structure, voice, and market fit.
• Developmental, deep work on plot, character, pacing.
• Line, sentence rhythm and clarity.
• Copy, grammar and consistency with a style sheet.
• Proof, final typos on designed pages or near‑final files.

Tight budget options:

• Assessment plus Copy plus Proof. You get a map up front, a solid mechanical pass, and a final check.
• Targeted Line on key chapters. Openings, turning points, and the last chapter teach you how to revise the rest.

Spread costs over milestones. Book one stage at a time. Leave room for your own revision between passes.

Self‑edit to save

Editors love clean pages. You pay for judgment and time. Give them more time for judgment.

Try three quick passes before you ask for quotes:

• Craft pass. For each scene, write one line: purpose, stakes, and change. If a scene shows no change, cut or combine.
• Clarity pass. Search and kill filler and filter. Look for started to, began to, seemed, felt, saw, heard. Replace weak verbs with actions. Trim throat clearing.
• Consistency pass. Build a style sheet. Names, ages, spellings, place cues, timeline beats, capitalization choices. Note your chosen dictionary and style guide.

Small cleanups add up:

• Use Word with Track Changes.
• Standardize paragraph indents. No tabs.
• One space after periods. Consistent quotes and dashes.

Use scenarios

Set a budget band before you approach editors. Price low, mid, and high versions so surprises do not wreck your plan. Here are sample bands for an 80,000‑word novel, using mid‑range rates.

• Full editorial stack:
  • Assessment at 0.015 per word: 1,200
  • Developmental at 0.050 per word: 4,000
  • Line at 0.040 per word: 3,200
  • Copy at 0.030 per word: 2,400
  • Proof at 0.015 per word: 1,200
  • Approximate total: 12,000
• Targeted single service:
  • Copy at 0.030 per word: 2,400
  • Proof at 0.012 per word: 960
  • Approximate total: 3,360
• Two‑stage plan across drafts:
  • Assessment at 0.012 per word: 960
  • Light Developmental at 0.035 per word: 2,800
  • Targeted Line on first 12,000 words at 0.050 per word: 600
  • Copy at 0.025 per word: 2,000
  • Proof at 0.012 per word: 960
  • Approximate total: 7,320

Use a simple formula for your own book: cost equals word count times rate. Build a cushion for a rush fee or a heavier edit if your draft needs it.

Consider packages carefully

Blended developmental plus line rates work well when scope is clear. Ask how the work splits across time. Will the editor deliver a developmental letter first, you revise, then move to lines. Or is line work baked into early chapters while structure still shifts. Integrated passes feel efficient, but revision often wipes out line work. Staged work protects your spend.

Ask what deliverables you receive. Edit letter length. Margin notes. Follow‑up call. Style sheet depth. One round of author questions or more. Price depends on these boundaries.

Action

Request a paid 1,000‑word sample edit from two or three finalists. Send your opening and one knotty scene. Include a brief synopsis and your goals for this round. Ask for a short note on scope and level.

Judge the samples on:

• Specificity. Do comments point to clear fixes, not vague taste?
• Voice respect. Do suggestions keep your tone intact?
• Clarity. Are queries polite, direct, and easy to act on?

Choose the editor whose feedback lifts your pages. Not the lowest bid. Your future self, and your readers, will thank you.

How to Get and Compare Quotes Like a Pro

Quotes vary. Scope varies. Your job is to make apples-to-apples possible. A clear brief and a few sharp questions save weeks and hundreds of dollars.

Create an editorial brief

Send a one-page brief to each editor. Same info, same ask. You get cleaner quotes and fewer surprises.

Include:

• Project type, genre, subgenre. Thriller, cozy mystery, epic fantasy, business memoir.
• Target reader. Age range, niche, vibe. Who buys this book.
• Comps. Two or three recent titles, with a sentence on fit.
• Total word count. Round to the nearest 1,000.
• Draft state. First full draft, revised three times, beta feedback applied, etc.
• Services sought. Assessment, developmental, line, copy, proof.
• Timeline. Your ideal start and delivery windows, plus any immovable dates.
• Publishing path. Traditional query, small press, indie release, hybrid.

Strong example:

• 85,000-word romantic suspense. Target reader loves Tana French tension with Ali Hazelwood banter. Comps: The Bodyguard, The Paris Apartment. Third draft after a beta swap. Seeking developmental now, line later. Hoping for an October start, flexible by two weeks. Planning to query first, indie backup in spring.

You look prepared. Editors reply faster and with precise scopes.

Ask what’s included

Two editors might quote the same fee for very different work. Nail the deliverables.

Ask:

• How many passes. One thorough pass or two lighter passes.
• Edit letter length. A page range helps. Five pages, ten pages, more.
• Style guide used. Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster preferred for US trade books. Say if you want UK rules.
• Style sheet deliverable. Will you receive a detailed sheet with spelling, hyphenation, numbers, names, and timeline notes.
• Margin notes. Light or heavy. Examples help.
• Check-ins and calls. How many, and how long.
• Revision window. Time included for your follow-up questions once you review edits.

Request a sample document. One page from a past edit, with names redacted, shows approach and tone.

Clarify logistics

No one wants a format snafu on day one. Cover workflow early.

Confirm:

• File format. Word with Track Changes is standard. Ask if Google Docs works for them.
• Expected turnaround. Start date, weekly capacity, and a target handoff date.
• Rush options. Added fee and minimum lead time.
• How queries will be handled. Inline comments, summary notes, or both. Response time during the edit.
• Version control. File naming, backups, and how you exchange drafts.

If you write in Scrivener, ask about export settings. If your book uses many visuals, confirm how those will be handled.

Nail the business terms

A clear agreement protects both sides. Read it like a contract, because it is.

Cover:

• Total fee and what triggers changes.
• Payment schedule. Deposit common range is 25–50 percent, with one or two milestones after.
• Scope change policy. What counts as out-of-scope and how new work will be priced.
• Confidentiality or NDA if needed.
• Kill fee. What you owe if you pause or cancel mid-project.
• Refunds, if any, and conditions.
• Rights. Edits and style sheets belong to you once paid in full.

Request everything in writing. Email is fine if a formal agreement is not used. Save it.

Compare apples to apples

Lay the quotes side by side. Convert to per-word for a clean view, even if a flat fee was quoted.

Build a simple grid:

• Editor name and background.
• Level of edit.
• Per-word equivalent and total fee.
• Passes and deliverables, including letter length and style sheet.
• Timeline and availability.
• Revision window and support.
• Paid sample offered and cost.
• Notes on fit with your voice.

Do a quick test. Give each editor the same 1,000 words and pay for a sample. Choose the opening and one tricky scene. Ask for a brief note on scope and priorities. Then read your pages aloud after each sample. Which edit gives you clearer prose, stronger scenes, and fewer head tilts. You will feel the difference.

Price matters. Fit matters more. A precise, kind edit saves weeks of flailing.

Action

Build a comparison grid for two or three editors. Pick on value and rapport, not price alone.

Value looks like:

• Clear scope and deadlines.
• Edits that respect your voice.
• Comments that teach you how to improve the rest.

Reply, book dates, pay the deposit, and mark your calendar. Then go sharpen the manuscript while you wait. The better the draft, the better the edit, and the less you pay next time.

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