Image shows a pencil hovering over a stack of papers to indicate how much a book editor charges.

To improve your book manuscript, you need professional editing. But like most people, you don’t have endless cash. So you need to know what to expect. How much does a book editor charge? The answer depends on a few things.

How Much Work Does Your Book Need?

If you’re a great writer who creates clean copy, that should lower the cost to edit your book. On the other hand, if you’re a new writer and this is your first shot at a book, expect your book editor to charge more. After all, your book will need more work. More work means more time. More time means a higher cost.

What Type of Editing Do You Need?

Book editing isn’t a single thing. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to book editing. Before a book editor figures out how much to charge, you have to explain what type of editing you want.

Different types of editing include:

  • Developmental editing
  • Content editing
  • Copyediting
  • Proofreading

Before finding how how much it will cost to edit your book, you need to know what type of editing you need.

How Experienced Is Your Editor?

Editors who are new to the game will cost less. At least they normally do. After all, new editors are still learning their craft. So, they should charge accordingly.

Over time, a book editor’s charge will increase. Get an editor who’s been at it for a decade or longer, and you’ll pay a premium. However, your book will benefit from that experienced editor’s touch.

How Much Does a Book Editor Charge?

As you can see, it’s not easy to say how much your book editor will charge. But if you need expert book editing services, I’d love to take a peek at your manuscript. Writing and editing since 2002, I’ve helped countless folks sound better, and I’m ready to help you do the same.