How Much Does It Cost To Send A Book To An Editor

Gary Smailes | 2 November 2025

Editing Services You Might Pay For

Different levels serve different problems. Pick the one which fits your draft and your stage. The right match saves money and saves morale.

Developmental editing

Focus: the big picture. Structure, plot or argument, pacing, character arcs, chapter order.

What you receive:

• A long editorial letter with clear priorities.
• Margin comments in the manuscript.
• A plan for revision, often with examples.

What happens here:

• Reorder chapters for stronger logic.
• Combine or cut scenes which repeat a beat.
• Sharpen stakes and goals for main characters.
• Flag research gaps in non‑fiction.

Quick example:

• Problem: three opening chapters cover backstory before anything moves.
• Fix: open with the inciting event, fold backstory into short, well‑placed lines.

Best time to book this service: before polish, while structure still bends without snapping.

Line editing

Focus: sentence level. Voice, rhythm, imagery, clarity, flow. Your intent stays intact, the language gets sharper.

What you receive:

• Heavy tracked changes within the manuscript.
• Comments explaining choices and patterns to watch.
• A short style summary, sometimes a page or two.

What happens here:

• Trim wordy phrasing.
• Replace clichés with fresh language.
• Balance long and short sentences for pace.
• Fix clunky dialogue tags and awkward beats.

Before and after:

• Before: She started to slowly make her way across the room in a manner which suggested hesitation.
• After: She edged across the room.
• Before: The team were kind of unsure about the overall plan.
• After: The team doubted the plan.

Best time to book this service: after structure holds, before copy editing.

Copy editing

Focus: correctness and consistency. Grammar, punctuation, usage, hyphenation, capitalization, numerals, citations. House style alignment.

What you receive:

• Tracked changes on every technical fix.
• A style sheet listing decisions, for example -ise or -ize, single or double quotes, number rules, preferred spellings, names, and terms.
• Queries where wording feels ambiguous or facts need checking.

What happens here:

• Standardise dashes, quotes, and ellipses.
• Apply consistent hyphenation, for example long term versus long‑term.
• Align UK spelling and punctuation, including -ise endings if using Oxford style.
• Format references to a named style, for example Chicago or APA.

Tiny fixes which matter:

• Email, not e‑mail, if the style sheet says so.
• Towards, not toward, for UK usage.
• 1990s, not 1990’s.

Best time to book this service: once content stops moving around.

Proofreading

Focus: final quality control on pages after typesetting. Fresh eyes on layout and last typos.

What you receive:

• A marked PDF or print proof with annotations.
• A short report on recurring issues which show up during proof.

What happens here:

• Catch mis‑set italics, missing spaces, bad line breaks.
• Check running heads and folios against chapter titles.
• Flag widows and orphans, ladders, and awkward hyphenation at line ends.
• Compare cross‑references and page numbers to the table of contents.

Important boundary: proofreading does not replace copy editing. Proof works best when a clean, copyedited file goes to layout.

Best time to book this service: after design, before final files go to print or upload.

Manuscript assessment

Focus: diagnosis without full intervention. A lower‑cost way to test the health of the draft.

What you receive:

• A concise report, often 3 to 10 pages, covering strengths, weaknesses, and next steps.
• No line‑by‑line edits. No tracked changes.

What happens here:

• High‑level feedback on structure, voice, genre fit, and market position.
• Notes on pacing, point of view control, and clarity of stakes.
• Direction for revisions and a suggested order of attack.

Who benefits:

• First‑time authors seeking direction before heavy spend.
• Writers between drafts who want an external view.
• Non‑fiction authors testing argument flow before chasing interviews, data, or permissions.

How to pick the right level

A quick self‑test helps.

• If readers keep saying, “I lost the thread,” think developmental work.
• If readers say, “I felt confused line to line,” think line editing.
• If feedback reads, “Strong story, but comma chaos,” think copy editing.
• If the book is designed and you want peace of mind before release, think proofreading.
• If budget feels tight and you want a map before a full service, think manuscript assessment.

One more practical note

Most editors work in Word with Track Changes. Proofreading often happens on PDFs. A clear brief and tidy files help every level do better work in less time. You end up paying for judgement, not cleanup.

Pricing Models and Typical Ranges

Money talk helps you plan. Editors use a few models. You want a clear quote and no surprises.

How editors charge

• Per word or per 1,000 words. Best for copy editing, line editing, and proofreading. Transparent and easy to compare across quotes.
• Project fee. Common for developmental work. The fee reflects scope, word count, complexity, and deliverables such as an editorial letter and margin notes.
• Hourly or day rate. Ask for an expected pace. Convert to a per 1,000 words figure so every quote sits on the same shelf.

Quick conversions

• Formula: hourly rate divided by words per hour, multiplied by 1,000.
• Example 1, line edit: $60 per hour at 1,200 words per hour equals $50 per 1,000 words.
• Example 2, proofread: £32 per hour at 2,000 words per hour equals £16 per 1,000 words.
• Example 3, developmental: $90 per hour at 400 words per hour equals $225 per 1,000 words. Senior specialists often land higher than broad ranges.

Typical ranges

Numbers below are ballpark and shift with region and experience.

• Proofreading: £8 to £18 per 1,000 words, or $10 to $22 per 1,000 words.
• Copy editing: £16 to £40 per 1,000 words, or $20 to $50 per 1,000 words.
• Line editing: £30 to £70 per 1,000 words, or $40 to $90 per 1,000 words.
• Developmental editing: £35 to £90 per 1,000 words, or $45 to $120 per 1,000 words. Many quotes arrive as a project fee rather than a strict per 1,000 words rate.

Mini checks

• A 70,000 word novel at £30 per 1,000 words for line editing lands around £2,100.
• A 40,000 word memoir at $18 per 1,000 words for copy editing lands around $720.
• A 90,000 word history at $55 per 1,000 words for copy editing lands around $4,950.

Hourly pace in plain English

These ranges help you decode hourly quotes.

• Proofreading: 1,500 to 3,000 words per hour.
• Copy editing: 1,000 to 2,000 words per hour.
• Line editing: 500 to 1,200 words per hour.
• Developmental editing: 250 to 600 words per hour, which includes reading, analysis, and notes.

A quick reality check

• Faster pace lowers a per 1,000 words figure. Slower pace raises it.
• Dense citations, figures, heavy voice work, or many queries slow progress.

Business terms to expect

• Deposit. Many editors request 25 to 50 percent to book dates. Long projects often use staged payments.
• Taxes. VAT or sales tax applies based on the editor’s registration and your location.
• Rush work. Compressed timelines often add 10 to 50 percent.
• Minimum fees. Short pieces sometimes attract a floor price, even with per word quotes.
• Revisions. Confirm whether a light follow up check after your revisions sits inside the fee or starts a new bill.
• Payment method. Bank transfer, card, or PayPal. International projects may include transfer charges.
• Contract. Lock scope, dates, deliverables, and cancellation terms in writing.

Compare apples with apples

A simple worksheet keeps you honest.

• Write down word count.
• Note the service level, for example proofreading or line editing.
• Convert hourly or day quotes to a per 1,000 words figure using the pace supplied.
• List what the quote includes, for example editorial letter, tracked changes, style sheet, number of passes, and a brief follow up window.
• Add tax, rush surcharge, or transfer fees where relevant.

Two side by side examples

• Editor A quotes $1,900 for copy editing as a project fee on a 60,000 word book. That equals about $31.67 per 1,000 words. Includes a style sheet and two follow up questions by email.
• Editor B quotes $45 per hour at 1,500 words per hour. That equals $30 per 1,000 words. No style sheet listed. One pass only.

Price sits close, scope differs. Choose based on fit, inclusions, and timeline, not price alone.

One last sanity step

Ask for a brief sample edit of 500 to 1,000 words at the proposed level. A sample reveals pace and approach, which protects your budget more than any single number.

What Drives Your Quote

Editors don’t pull numbers from a hat. We do the math, look at the shape of your book, and estimate the time and skill required. If you know what affects that calculation, you can steer the cost.

Word count and condition

Word count sets the baseline. Condition moves the needle.

Two 80,000 word manuscripts do not cost the same. One arrives clean, with consistent spelling, clear headings, and a stable voice. The other has wandering tenses, double spaces, mixed UK/US spelling, smart quotes in some chapters and straight quotes in others, and a reference list that lives in three styles at once. Same length. Different hours.

What helps:

• Use a single dictionary choice, UK or US, and stick to it.
• Apply built‑in styles for headings and body, not manual bolding.
• Run basic checks before sending. Spellcheck. Find double spaces. Standardize quotation marks and dashes. Tidy ellipses.
• Accept or reject all tracked changes and comments from beta readers so the editor sees the true text.

Mini exercise: open your file, search for space space, tabs, and mixed quotation marks. Fix what you find. That small pass lowers your bill more than you think.

Scope and number of passes

Scope means what level of editing you want and how many rounds you expect.

A single line edit pass costs less than developmental plus line. A copy edit after heavy revisions is not the same job as a proofread. If you plan to revise after a developmental edit, ask whether a short follow‑up check sits in the fee. Some editors include a quick look. Others price a second pass as a new project.

Example:

• Option A. Developmental edit only on a 70,000 word novel. One editorial letter, margin notes on big moves. One pass.
• Option B. Developmental edit, then a line edit after you revise. Two passes, longer timeline, higher fee. You get structure plus sentence‑level polish.

Decide where you are in the process. Pay for the step that moves you forward, not the shiny one.

Genre and complexity

Complex manuscripts take longer. That raises cost.

Non‑fiction with footnotes, tables, figures, pull quotes, and a reference list needs checks on layout and consistency. Citations need to match a style guide. Sources need to be complete. Even if you provide an example style, the setup still takes time.

Fiction can be complex too. Multiple points of view, time shifts, invented languages, or a magic system with rules. These add continuity checks and timeline work.

Two equal lengths, different complexity:

• 60,000 word memoir with one narrator and simple chapter heads. Faster.
• 60,000 word history with 400 endnotes, 12 figures, and a bibliography. Slower.

Language and voice

If English is not your first language, or if you want to shift tone, expect extra line work. Idiom, prepositions, and rhythm take attention. Academic to trade tone needs recasting. Jargon gets translated for a wider audience. That is careful, sentence‑by‑sentence work.

A sample edit helps here. You will see the density of changes and the likely pace. If an editor quotes an hourly rate, ask for their expected words per hour for your pages. Then convert to a per 1,000 words figure so you can compare.

Schedule and availability

Time affects price. Short timelines push rates up. Evenings and weekends cost more. Peak seasons fill fast, especially before big book fairs and holidays.

If your budget is tight, book 6 to 12 weeks ahead and avoid rush. A simple example:

• Base fee for copy editing: £1,800.
• Rush surcharge of 25 percent for delivery in half the time: new total £2,250.

Plan backwards from your launch date. Add realistic buffers for your own revisions.

Deliverables and admin

Quotes reflect more than the edit itself. Deliverables and admin tasks count.

Check what is included:

• Style sheet. Records decisions on spelling, hyphenation, numbers, and special terms.
• Editorial letter. For developmental and line work, a letter outlines patterns, fixes, and next steps.
• Reference list formatting. Aligns your sources to an agreed style.
• Permissions checks. Confirms you have clearance for quoted material and images.
• Fact‑checking. Verifies names, dates, and claims.

Some editors price these inside the main fee. Others list them separately. Neither is wrong. You want clarity. If your book includes images, tables, or complex layout, confirm file handling. Embedded fonts, figure callouts, and alt text save time.

Quick estimator

A fast way to ballpark cost:

• Cost equals word count divided by 1,000, multiplied by the chosen rate.

Examples:

• 80,000 words at £30 per 1,000 words equals about £2,400.
• 50,000 words at $40 per 1,000 words equals about $2,000.
• 90,000 words at £55 per 1,000 words equals about £4,950.

Adjust for condition and complexity. If your draft has heavy math, citations, or translation issues, expect the rate to sit at the higher end for that service. If your draft is clean and the scope is tight, you might land at the lower end.

What you control

You cannot shrink your book overnight, and you should not try. You can control readiness and clarity.

Do this before you ask for quotes:

• Define the service. Developmental, line, copy edit, or proofread. Pick one.
• Share a clean word count from the final file, not a guess.
• Send a tidy sample chapter, not the prologue alone.
• State your timeline and any hard dates.
• List special features. Photos, tables, footnotes, foreign terms, math, or references.
• Note the audience and comps. A business book for founders reads different from a trade history for general readers.

These details help the editor model time. Better inputs, better price.

One last thought. Price reflects time, skill, and risk. Your choices affect all three. Clean the file. Pick the right level. Book early. Then the quote you get will match the work your book needs, and the bill will match the benefit you feel when the pages come back sharper and stronger.

Example Budgets for Common Manuscript Sizes

Numbers help you plan. Use these as ballparks for a typical English‑language manuscript. The low end assumes a clean draft and a straightforward brief. The high end reflects heavier work or senior expertise.

50,000 words

• Proofreading: about £400–£900 or $500–$1,100
• Copy editing: about £800–£2,000 or $1,000–$2,500
• Line editing: about £1,500–£3,500 or $2,000–$4,500
• Developmental: about £1,750–£4,500+ or $2,250–$6,000+

What pushes toward the low end:

• Clean sentences, stable voice, consistent UK or US spelling
• Few or no tables, figures, or notes
• Clear scope, one pass, reasonable schedule

What pushes higher:

• Heavy rephrasing at line level
• Structural issues that need detailed notes and examples
• References or citations that need formatting

Quick picture. A debut novelist with a tidy 50k draft might book a copy edit around £1,200 and a proofread around £500. Total near £1,700, plus any tax. A thought leader with 50k words and 250 citations might see copy editing closer to £1,800 and an added fee for reference checks.

80,000 words

• Proofreading: about £640–£1,440 or $800–$1,760
• Copy editing: about £1,280–£3,200 or $1,600–$4,000
• Line editing: about £2,400–£5,600 or $3,200–$7,200
• Developmental: about £2,800–£7,200+ or $3,600–$9,600+

Lower end indicators:

• Clean formatting, logical breaks, few layout features
• Scope limited to one pass
• Booked in advance with a normal turnaround

Higher end indicators:

• Multiple points of view or timelines
• Technical material, statistics, or specialist terms
• A second pass after revision

Typical path for a trade novel. Line edit near £3,200, then a light copy edit near £1,600, then a proofread near £900. Total around £5,700. A business book with charts and citations often lands closer to the upper bands.

What those fees include

Editors price for time and output, not only word count. Check your quote for:

• Tracked changes and comments in the file
• A style sheet for spelling, hyphenation, numbers, and names
• An editorial letter for higher‑level feedback
• One round of short follow‑up queries

Extras that sit outside many base quotes:

• Reference list formatting or source checks
• Permissions for quotes or images
• Fact‑checking of names, dates, and claims
• A second pass after author revision
• Rush delivery

Three fast scenarios

• Short memoir, 50,000 words, tidy draft, no notes
  • Copy edit at £1,100
  • Proofread at £450
  • Total near £1,550
  • Timeline, four to six weeks across both stages
• Trade non‑fiction, 80,000 words, with 200 endnotes and 12 figures
  • Copy edit at £2,600
  • Reference list tidy at £250
  • Proofread at £1,100
  • Total near £3,950
  • Timeline, six to eight weeks
• Fantasy novel, 80,000 words, three POVs, uneven line work
  • Developmental edit at £3,800 with letter and margin notes
  • Line edit at £3,000 after revision
  • Proofread at £900
  • Total near £7,700
  • Timeline, three to four months end to end

Swap pounds for dollars using the same bands if your editor quotes in USD.

Working with senior or niche editors

Some editors quote above these ranges. Reasons include decades of experience, a deep niche, or packed calendars. Higher fees often bring sharper diagnostics and fewer rounds. If the budget stretches, the time saved on revision often pays for itself.

Revisions and the true total

Edits trigger edits. After a copy edit, you will revise. New typos enter during that stage. Budget a short cleanup:

• Mini copy edit on changed pages, £150–£400 for a 50k book, £250–£600 for an 80k book
• Or a proofread at the end, within the ranges above

Skipping this step leaves small errors in print. Readers notice.

Deposits, schedules, and taxes

Expect a deposit of 25 to 50 percent to secure dates. Long projects often use milestones. VAT or sales tax applies when required in the editor’s jurisdiction. Rush work adds 10 to 50 percent, depending on how tight the window is.

A simple math check helps. Take your word count, divide by 1,000, then multiply by the editor’s rate for the service. Adjust upward for complexity, downward for simplicity. That keeps proposals honest.

How to use these budgets

Pick the stage you are in. If structure wobbles, start with a developmental edit or a manuscript assessment. If structure holds and sentences feel muddy, book a line edit. If your prose sings and you want correctness and consistency, book a copy edit, then a proofread on designed pages.

Plan for the full path, not one stop. A realistic stack for an 80k trade book often lands between £3,000 and £6,000 across stages. A tight, clean 50k book lands between £1,200 and £3,000. Strong prep lowers spend. Clear scope lowers risk. And a good editor earns back the fee in reader trust.

How to Get and Compare Quotes (Without Surprises)

Quotes vary. Clarity saves money. Here is how to ask, compare, and sign with confidence.

Send a clear brief

Give editors enough detail to price the real work.

• Word count, rounded to the nearest thousand
• Genre and audience, plus two or three comps
• Goal, such as agent submission, hybrid release, or in‑house launch
• Pain points, for example pacing in the middle, choppy prose, or wobbly citations
• Exact service needed, developmental, line, copy edit, or proofread
• Timeline, preferred start window and due date
• English variety, UK, US, or other
• Special features, footnotes, figures, tables, code, or front and back matter

Mini template you can paste into an email:

• Project: 80,000‑word crime novel for adult readers. Comps, Tana French, Jane Harper.
• Stage: fourth draft, structure holds, sentences need smoothing.
• Service: line edit, then copy edit.
• Goals: submit to agents this autumn.
• Timeline: start within 6 weeks, finish within 10 weeks after start.
• Notes: dual timeline, five police procedures, no citations. US English.

Request a sample edit

Ask for 500 to 1,000 words at the level you want. Pick a tricky passage, not your glossiest page. Include dialogue, exposition, or a paragraph with a pet sentence habit. You need to see how the editor handles voice, clarity, and rhythm.

What to look for:

• Respect for tone, your voice sounds like you, only cleaner
• Specific comments, short and useful, not vague
• Sensible changes, no rule dumping or random rewrites
• Pace, how many edits per page, how heavy, how light
• A style note or two, which hints at a thorough style sheet later

Some editors offer a free sample. Others offer a paid one which rolls into the project fee. Both are fine. The point is fit.

Normalize different quotes

Make every quote speak the same language. Convert hourly or day rates to a per 1,000 words figure.

Quick math:

• Take the hourly rate.
• Divide by the stated pace in words per hour.
• Multiply by 1,000.

Example:

• Editor B at $60 per hour, pace 1,500 words per hour.
• $60 divided by 1,500 gives $0.04 per word.
• Per 1,000 words, $40.

Do the same for day rates. Ask for a realistic daily pace. Then run the same steps.

Now list what each quote includes. You want apples to apples.

• Number of passes
• Tracked changes and comments
• Style sheet
• Editorial letter for higher level feedback, if relevant
• Follow‑up window for short questions
• File prep, references, figures, permissions

Lock down scope and terms

Get the deal in writing. A simple letter of agreement works.

Include:

• Start and delivery dates
• Exact service, one pass or two, and tools used, Word, Google Docs, PDF
• Word count used for pricing, plus the cut‑off for price changes if the text grows
• Response time for queries during the edit
• Revision policy, what happens if you make changes after delivery
• Rush fees, if you push dates forward
• Deposit, usually 25 to 50 percent, and payment schedule
• Tax position, VAT or sales tax if relevant
• Cancellation terms, including any kill fee
• Confidentiality and rights, your text stays yours

If anything feels vague, ask for a line in the contract. Vague terms cost money later.

File formats and “sending” your book

Editors work digital. Word with Track Changes is standard for line and copy edits. Google Docs suits some teams, ask first. Proofreading happens on designed pages, PDF, print proofs, or EPUB. No boxes to ship, no postage, no impact on price.

Send clean files to avoid admin fees.

• Use Word styles for headings and body
• One space between sentences
• Consistent quotation marks and dashes
• Figures and tables labeled and embedded or linked in a folder
• A reference list in one place, not scattered
• Note any house style, such as US spellings, Oxford comma, or number rules

Red flags to avoid

• No sample edit, no portfolio, and no references
• No contract
• Instant availability during peak months, paired with a rock‑bottom price
• Guaranteed outcomes, bestseller promises, or agent promises
• Vague pace, no words‑per‑hour estimate for hourly quotes
• Fees which balloon after you book, with no scope change

A quick comparison example

You want an 80,000‑word copy edit.

• Editor A, flat fee $1,800, includes one pass, tracked changes, style sheet, five days of follow‑up by email.
• Editor B, $40 per hour, pace 1,000 words per hour. That works out to $40 per 1,000 words, so $3,200 total. Includes two passes and a two‑page letter.

Which suits you depends on scope. If you need two passes, Editor B offers value. If you need one pass with a tighter budget, Editor A fits. The math removes guesswork.

How to trim a quote without gutting quality

• Narrow the brief. Pick one service for now, line edit or copy edit, not both.
• Reduce admin. Supply clean references and clear figure labels.
• Stretch the timeline. Flexible dates sometimes secure a better price.
• Ask for a sample plus a diagnostic letter first. Then schedule deeper work later.

A 5‑minute exercise

Write a three‑sentence brief. Then paste your trickiest 700 words into a new file. Send both to two editors you like. When replies arrive, normalize the quotes, list inclusions, and pick the best fit for this stage.

Good quotes feel clear and boring. No mystery, no pain later.

Ways to Reduce Cost Without Sacrificing Quality

Editors price time. Trim hours, trim the bill. Here is how to keep standards high without draining your budget.

Self‑edit first

Run smart passes before you ask for quotes. Not a marathon, a set of short sprints.

Structure pass, 45 minutes:

• Write a one‑line summary for each chapter.
• Note goal, conflict, outcome for every scene.
• Mark slow sections. Cut or combine repeats.
• Check order. Does tension rise? Do subplots vanish for long stretches?

Clarity pass, 45 minutes:

• Search for filler and hedges. Words like quite, rather, somewhat, perhaps. Delete or replace with a stronger verb.
• Kill “there is” and “there are” openings. Swap in a subject. “There are errors in the report” becomes “The report has errors.”
• Shorten long sentences. One message per line.
• For dialogue, prefer “said” most of the time. Keep adverbs rare.
• Replace vague verbs with precise ones. “Went” becomes “walked” or “raced.”

Mechanics pass, 45 minutes:

• Pick UK or US spelling and stick to it.
• Decide on the Oxford comma and keep it.
• Standardize numerals, dates, and times.
• Build a quick style sheet, the choices above plus names, places, tricky terms.
• Tidy references. One list, one format. Check links.

Small fix, big savings. Fewer rewrites mean fewer hours on the clock.

Mini exercise:

• Open your latest chapter.
• Highlight three sentences you love. Cut one. The leaner draft will read tighter. Your editor will thank you.

Choose the right level at the right time

Match the service to your stage.

• If chapters still move around, skip copy editing for now.
• If the story sings but sentences squeak, book line editing.
• If you need direction, try a manuscript assessment. You get a diagnostic letter and a plan. Cheaper than a full developmental round, quicker too.

A quick money example:

• You hire a copy edit at 80,000 words, then restructure and add 6,000 words. You will need a second pass to fix new seams.
• Better path, assessment first, revise once, then copy edit. One pass, one invoice.

Ask editors which level fits your draft. A five‑minute look often saves weeks.

Streamline complexity

Complex extras pull focus and time. Prep them well.

Citations:

• Pick a style, Chicago notes, APA, MLA, or a house flavor.
• Apply it across the board.
• Supply a complete bibliography file. No hunting in footnotes.

Figures and tables:

• Name files with clear numbers, 01_Map_SouthAfrica.tif.
• Embed low‑res versions in the doc. Provide a folder with originals.
• Add captions under each figure. Short and descriptive.

Alt text for accessibility:

• Formula, what the reader sees, why it matters.
• Example, “Line graph, monthly sales from Jan to Dec, steady rise, peak in Nov.”

Permissions:

• Anything not your own, secure rights early.
• Keep a permissions log, source, license, proof of permission.

House rules:

• List non‑negotiables, product names, legal wording, preferred terms.
• Flag sensitive facts to avoid silent edits.

Every prepared element lowers friction, which lowers cost.

Bundle and schedule

Ask about packages. Many editors price a line edit plus copy edit together at a friendlier rate than two separate bookings. Same for copy edit plus proofread.

Plan your dates early. Peak months fill fast. Early booking avoids rush surcharges and relieves pressure on both sides.

Payment helps too. Staged invoices spread the load. A typical plan, deposit to book, mid‑project payment, balance on delivery.

If budget is tight, try this sequence:

• Manuscript assessment now.
• Two months of revision.
• Line edit later.
• Copy edit last, only after content stops moving.

Use tools wisely

Use software to sweep crumbs off the table before the chef arrives.

• Run your word processor’s spellcheck.
• Use PerfectIt for consistency, hyphens, capitalization, lists, and headings.
• For references, try Zotero or EndNote to align formats.
• Use a text‑to‑speech read‑through. Your ear catches awkward spots faster than your eyes.
• Turn on Word’s Read Aloud and read along with a pen in hand.

Tools remove surface noise. Editors then spend time on judgement, tone, and nuance, which gives far more value.

Two quick checklists

Before you ask for quotes:

• Word count set
• UK or US choice set
• Style preferences listed
• References in one file
• Figures named and organized
• Problem areas noted

Before you send files to the editor you pick:

• Track Changes ready
• Single spacing after periods
• Heading styles applied
• Consistent quotation marks
• Clean pagination
• Style sheet attached

Professional results on a sensible budget come from one thing, preparation. Give your editor a tidy manuscript and a clear brief. You get a sharper edit, a calmer process, and a smaller bill.

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