How much to pay editors is often an issue of contention for many of the self-published authors I speak to. They want to write a book that is worthy of being published,
It’s important for self-published authors to understand that no professional editor will ever work for a percentage of book sales. The reason is that you have no way of predicting whether any of your books will ever sell. Most authors interested in self-publishing believe that if they put the book on Amazon and link it to their Facebook page, the book will magically sell like hotcakes.
The truth is that most first-time self-published authors are lucky to sell $500 worth of books. How much of a percentage of that do you want to give to your editor? It is imperative that self-published authors educate themselves on how to build an audience that is interested in the kind of books they want to write, then be sure to pay your editors as part of your self-publishing team. Asking an editor to accept a percentage of book sales is just not logical.
What I find when speaking to authors who are interested in self-publishing is that they have no clue of what editing is. As a matter of fact, they often believe that editing is simply proofreading — meaning they fix a few errors in grammar and spelling. The truth is that proofreading is the last stop in the editing process.
What are the steps in the editing process and how much does it cost?
#1 The Self-Edit
The first step in the editing process is the self-edit. This is where the author, herself, takes her manuscript and reads it through several times answering the following questions:
- Does the book meet the needs of the reader?
- Is there consistency in the plot or story?
- Is there redundancy in language?
- Are my sentences clean and easy to read?
- Are there any blatant mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation?
I often suggest taking a break from the book once you declare the writing portion to be complete. Leave the manuscript alone for at least two weeks so you can look at it with fresh eyes.
Next, print the manuscript and review it with a pen in hand. Mark it up as much as possible. Interacting with your own text is another way to help you look at your work from a new angle. You want to be confident that you hand over the best manuscript possible to a professional editor.
The price for the self-edit is absolutely free aside from the investment of your own time.
#2 The Manuscript Evaluation
The second step in the editing process is a manuscript evaluation. This step is NOT mandatory, but may be beneficial to the success of your self-published book — especially if you are low on funds.
The purpose of the manuscript evaluation is to give the author a critique of some of the more obvious issues going on with your book. This may have to do with holes in the story, consistency in the plot, etc.
I have known self-published authors to get the manuscript evaluation done once the book is completely written, OR when you have hit a wall in your writing process and you need some assistance to keep going. A good manuscript evaluation can pose some great questions that will move you out of your writer’s block and back into finishing your book.
You should note that the editor performing the manuscript edit does not read your manuscript from cover to cover. She is simply skimming for the obvious issues that need to be brought to your attention. It will be your responsibility, as the author, to take her critique and make the adjustments on your own.
The price for the manuscript evaluation can be in the low range from $300 to $500 all the way through several thousands of dollars.
#3 The Developmental Edit
The third step in the editing process is a developmental edit. This is where you, the author, hire an editor that specializes in developmental editing. The developmental editor looks for consistency in your story. Have all the characters been addressed in the book, or did someone magically disappear? If you are a nonfiction author, you want to make sure that the process or story you tell is consistent. Did you satisfactorily tell your story about how you became a gluten-free living enthusiast, for example, or did you jump right into how to bake a gluten-free cake? You may also see other editors refer to this step in the editing process as the ‘structural edit’ or the ‘substantive edit.’
The price of a developmental edit varies. I’ve seen editors charge per word, by the page, or even by the hour (which I do not recommend). As a developmental editor, I charge by the page. A full page in a manuscript is read at about 300 words per page as an industry standard. That means that if you hand me a manuscript typed in Microsoft Word, then it will be about 400 to 500 words per page. I will ask you to arrange your manuscript so that it will have about 300 words per page. I charge a minimum of $1500 for a manuscript of 75 to 100 pages (depending upon the topic). I ask the author to invest in the manuscript evaluation first so that I can get a feel for how much work needs to be done, then I let them know the price for a full developmental edit.
#4 The Line Edit
The line edit ensures the fluidity of your language. Some items the line editor is looking for is run-on sentences, misuse or over-use of words, tightening of language, and more.
The price of the line edit varies. However, you can expect to pay a quality line editor at least $1000 for their work.
#5 The Copyedit
This stage of the editing process is more technical in nature. This is where we get into spelling, grammar, syntax, consistency in facts, etc.
The price of a good copyeditor will cost you at least $500 or more for a manuscript of about 100 pages.
#6 The Proofread
The final stage in the editing process is the proofread. At this point, your manuscript has gone through all the other stages in the editing process. If you want to ensure that your book has a professional layout, you can pay someone to do that for you. You can also get your cover done by a professional graphic artist or illustrator at this time.
The final proofread is where the editor goes through the manuscript to ensure that there are no lingering embarrassing mistakes. Once the proofread is over, the manuscript is sent to a printer or ebook provider to prepare for distribution to the public.
The cost of a proofreader can be about $300 to $500 for a book of about 100 pages.
What does this mean for authors who want to be self-published and are strapped for cash?
If you are an author who is strapped for cash, that means that you have to leave room for mistakes in the editing process. I’m not saying that your book will be riddled with obvious mistakes. However, if you want a book that looks just as great as a traditionally published book, but are not willing to invest the money into the process, then you will be frustrated with the results. If you pay attention, you will find that even traditionally published books have a few mistakes in the final printed book. So don’t fret over what you can or cannot do with your budget. Your focus should be on writing the best book possible, then sharing it with those who need to hear your message.
At the very least, invest in a manuscript edit and commit yourself to making the edits on your own. Try finding a student in the English department at a local university that may be interested in editing your book for a lower price.
Remember that editing a manuscript is a group process that takes several months to complete, at best. Be creative with your resources and I think you’ll be able to publish a book that is worthy of being read by your audience.
Halona Black
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