Manuscript editing can range from very cheap to a premium if you use a premier editing service for proofreading and critiquing, when you could do the editing yourself.

1. How Much Should You Pay for Manuscript Editing
If you were to survey two hundred editors, you would come up with two hundred
different quotes for manuscript editing. Unfortunately, the industry standard for editing
isn't entirely reliable, and there are hundreds of factors that editors take into consideration
when generating a quote. Some editors have flat rates that they charge per word or per
page, while others prefer to create custom quotes based on specific manuscripts.
The bottom line, however, is that you need to know a reasonable price for manuscript
editing. How much should you actually pay? And how do you know when you're being
taken for a ride?
Level of Editing
The first thing that an editor will take into consideration when determining fees is the
level of editing required to make the manuscript presentable. Few editors can take a
manuscript that needs developmental editing and simply proofread the document; it isn't
in our nature. That said, you will need to find an editor who can work within your budget
for the level of editing required.
Word Count
In many cases, you'll pay less per word for a longer manuscript than you will for a short
one. Some editors work on sliding scales that benefit the client for book-length novels
and books. To discover if this is the case without asking directly, simply ask for two
quotes: One for a 3,000-word short story and one for an 80,000-word novel. From there,
you can divide the price by the word count and see whether length makes any difference.
Type of Material
A technologically-complex manuscript will usually cost more to edit than one without
any complicated jargon or explanations. Some editors won't even work on technical
projects, while others will do so for a price. Make sure to ask about the editor's technical
editing fees if your manuscript is technical in nature.
Editor's Experience
This is where your editing fees come with a Catch-22. You will probably save money by
hiring an inexperienced editor who has very few clients under his or her belt, but you
might be sacrificing quality for price. Paying more for an experienced, talented editor
will ensure that you don't have to repeat that process. It just depends on your budget and
your manuscript editing quality.
Rush Delivery

2. Most editors have a rush delivery service, which involves an additional fee for fast
editing. For example, I offer 24- and 48-hour rush delivery for an additional 10% of the
editing quote, though this will certainly vary by editor. If you're working on a deadline or
are simply impatient, you will probably pay more for an editing service.
Bottom Line
Now that I've outlined some of the factors that go into determining an editing quote, let's
talk about the bottom line. How much should you spend on editing services?
Proofreading. For a small editing job such as proofreading, the project will take your
editor the least amount of time and it will involve the least amount of effort. Some editors
charge as little as $0.02/word for proofreading, while others might charge around
$0.05/word. That comes out to between $5.00 and $12.00 per page.
Copy Editing. Since it's more involved and is more of a time commitment, copy editing
will be somewhat more expensive than proofreading. According to the Writer's Market,
the average copy editor charges between $0.12 and $0.40 per word, which comes out to
between $30.00 and $100.00 per page.
Developmental Editing. This is the most complex of all editing, and is sometimes
referred to as a Ghostwriting/Editing Blend. The editor will add and subtract entire
paragraphs (or even pages) to improve upon the manuscript. Since it's extremely
involved, most editors charge between $0.30 and $0.50 per word, which amounts to
between $100 and $125 per page.
You Get What You Pay For
As a final note, I want to remind you that you'll often get exactly what you pay for. If you
try and go the "stingy" route, you might want up with an editor who doesn't know what
he or she is doing, which is simply money down the drain.
© 2007 by Laura Thompson