Editing is often the most expensive part of getting a book published. It can help to understand why editors seem so 'expensive.' This article might help!
Fees for full edits are based on a per-project basis, so it will depend on what kind of edits you need, the word count, and the quality of storytelling and line-level writing. Generally speaking, fees range between the industry standard of $0.018-$0.034 USD per word (with standard formatting*) depending on the type of edits being booked. Extensive, in-depth reviews are provided with thorough, actionable feedback. An intial round and a revision round are included in these fees. For more information on standard editing fees, see this article from Reedsy.
As an example, for an 80,000-word manuscript, you can expect fees to start at:
- * $2720 USD for structural/developmental edits
* $2000 USD for stylistic/line edits
* $2000 USD for copy edits (note: sometimes line and copy edits can be combined)
* $1920 USD for an assessment
* $1440 USD for proofreading
To avoid any confusion about what kind of editing is done in each stage, please have a look at the various types of editing and why each type is important by visiting Kathleen's website here.
For those seriously considering booking full edits, a complimentary sample edit is offered for your opening pages up to 1000 words to help Kathleen determine editing needs and provide an accurate quote, and to help you see if the editing and communication style meet your expectations.
Fees for for other services are listed with each service below. For the Retainer Service: Retainers are available in $1000 increments (about 8 hours of work), be it for edits, assessments, query and synopsis critiques, brainstorming, consulting, etc., with the understanding that it is a flexible working time.
Repeat full-edit clients receive 15% off future full-edit bookings as a thank you for your continued trust!
* Standard formatting is 12pt Times New Roman or similar font, double-spaced pages, and 1″ margins