Self-Publishing Series: Editing

If you're anything like me ...

... or most new authors, you've wondered what kind of editing you should get for your novel, and if you actually need it.

Yes, you need editing.

That said, you do not have to go into debt to get your book ready to publish if that's something that makes you uncomfortable. Hiring a professional is always a good idea, but that doesn't mean everyone can afford it. I could not afford all the suggested editing, so I picked what worked for me. You can do that, too.

There are four types of editing, but two are usually combined, so having a manuscript edited three times is pretty common.

A glass globe on grass and clover

1. Developmental editing is first. A developmental editor will look at the big picture stuff and leave comments within the manuscript as well as create a document outlining what needs to be strengthened. This type of editing can be intense and may require massive rewrites to fix plot holes, improve character arcs, or rearrange scenes. This type of editing can be very helpful for the first-time author who perhaps struggles with plot. Writers who don't plot or pure pantsers may need this type of editing, especially, to ensure that all the story elements are well developed and wrapped up by the end.

2. Copy editing, often combined with line editing, fixes grammar mistakes, punctuation, and incorrect word choice.

3. Line editing works at the sentence level to improve flow and ease of reading.

4. Proofreading fixes typos and punctuation mistakes right before the manuscript is published. Note: I suggest having your formatted manuscript proofread so that any mistakes that may have been added during formatting are fixed before publication.

Speaking of money, let's take a look at what the market says qualified editors should be paid. Editors often charge per word instead of by the hour, which can be helpful because we will know exactly what we need to pay and won't be anxious about the cost fluctuating based on factors we can't see or measure.

Please note these are based on the industry standards, which I researched from various sources, including the editor I hired to line/copy edit Nirel. If you'd like a more in-depth look at costs from the Editorial Freelancers Association, click here.

The higher costs are associated with STEM and business editing. Most fiction should be in the lower cost range.

• Developmental editing, $0.03 to $0.06 per word

• Copy editing, $0.02 to $0.04 per word

• Line editing, $0.04 to $0.049 per word

• Proofreading, $0.02 to $0.04 per word

Let's take a look at what it would cost to have my 93k word book edited.

• Developmental: $2,700 to $5,580

• Copy: $1,860 to $3,720

• Line: $3,720 to $4,557

• Proofread: $1,860 to $3,720

I just threw scary numbers at you.

Do. Not. Panic.

I spent approximately $850 on editing for Nirel, and all of that for a line and copy edit. My editor has since raised her prices, and it will cost about $1,650 to get my second novel a line and copy edit, but you can see from the numbers above that is still less than the average cost. If you'd like to look at my editor's website, click here.

How did I save on developmental editing and proofreading? Did I skip them?

Nope. I just didn't go with a "professional."

I asked my critique partners to comb through my manuscript and look for plot holes, inconsistencies, characterization issues, and settings with descriptions. They had already read my rough draft and helped me improve my book, but they went back in with sharp eyes and pointed out the weak points, which I then fixed by revising or rewriting scenes.

Please note that critique partners are a give and take relationship, so I have provided feedback on their manuscripts as well.

Would a professional have been better? Maybe, but I was quoted $1,500 for a developmental edit, and even though that was less than the normal price, I just did not have it. I believe my alternative worked well at getting Nirel ready to publish while also saving funds.

For proofreading, I was quoted $400, which is low for a 93k manuscript, but I had already used up my publishing budget on cover art, the line & copy edit, and on formatting software. So I asked an author friend to proofread Nirel for me. She wouldn't let me pay her. (I'm in her debt. If she ever needs graphics or marketing stuff - I'll do as much for her as she'll allow.)

I could have easily spent an additional 2k on editing for Nirel, but by utilizing my support network of author peers, I stayed closer to my budget while still polishing my novel and putting out a high-quality book.

We are self-published authors. It's important that we do everything in our power to put out high quality books, but that doesn't mean we have to bankrupt ourselves if we don't have 3k-5k to get our books professionally edited multiple times. I have read several independent novels that were edited by that author's peers, and they were high-quality books.

I do suggest you have people help you with editing. Don't plug everything into ProWritingAid and then say it's done. That's extremely helpful for self-editing, but you do need a couple sets of eyes on your manuscript to help you catch things you won't see, especially for proofreading.

I hope my transparency with editing and the ways I navigated the costs is helpful to you. If you have any questions about editing, please reach out. I'll help if I know or point you in a direction for more information.

Next week, we'll look at getting cover art and interior art for your self-published book.

My Editing Plans Include

• Getting a professional developmental edit
• Getting a professional line & copy edit
• Hiring a professional proofreader
• Doing some professional and some with peers

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