Editing Fees
Editing fees are negotiable according to the nature of the project and within the parameters of editorial industry fees. A 300 page document (75,000 words) can average anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000, depending on the type and combination of editing needed. For example, Content and Developmental Editing requires substantive revising of a manuscript and is more time consuming than copy editing which deals with mechanics of spelling, grammar and punctuation.
The following are standard editorial industry fees:
Per page: $7 to $10/page
Per word: 0.02¢ to 0.05/words
These fees include phone communications as needed to clarify editorial comments and track changes or to discuss content and organizational issues.
On book-length projects, I prefer to charge by the word. For both client and editor, this approach makes it easier to track dollars charged to actual job content. Following are standard cents per word charges for specific editing jobs:
Editorial Assessment (a first overview of the manuscript):
0.02¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $1,500
Proofreading (final reading of an already copyedited manuscript):
0.02¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $1,500
Copy/Line Editing (focuses on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and stylistic consistency):
0.03¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $2,250
Developmental/Substantive Editing (along with copyediting, evaluates and makes changes to content and organization):
0.05¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $3,750
The following are standard editorial industry fees:
Per page: $7 to $10/page
Per word: 0.02¢ to 0.05/words
These fees include phone communications as needed to clarify editorial comments and track changes or to discuss content and organizational issues.
On book-length projects, I prefer to charge by the word. For both client and editor, this approach makes it easier to track dollars charged to actual job content. Following are standard cents per word charges for specific editing jobs:
Editorial Assessment (a first overview of the manuscript):
0.02¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $1,500
Proofreading (final reading of an already copyedited manuscript):
0.02¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $1,500
Copy/Line Editing (focuses on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and stylistic consistency):
0.03¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $2,250
Developmental/Substantive Editing (along with copyediting, evaluates and makes changes to content and organization):
0.05¢/word Example: 75,000 words = $3,750
Editing Retainer Fee: $800 per Month
For long-term projects in which client and editor work together on writing and editing projects lasting 3 months or more, the monthly retainer fee is $800. There is an average of 20 working days per month, so at this rate the client is only paying $40 per working day (instead of $40 per hour). The advantage of an editing and coaching retainer fee for both client and editor is that it encourages a more flexible pace for writing and editing, as the editor is essentially on “stand-by” to serve the client as needed. Some weeks/months will be more intense than others.
The $800 fee includes:
The $800 fee includes:
- Unlimited monthly submissions of drafts per project for all levels of editing (developmental, content, line, copyediting, proofreading).
- Coaching/dialogue via phone or video conferencing on an as-needed-basis. Coaching involves discussing and developing ideas, planning the overall structure of the project, fleshing out the topic in logical steps, creating outlines, setting goals, clarifying the editor's changes, and discussing editorial comments. Coaching also involves help with mental blocks and dry spells, and taming gremlins hellbent on sabotaging your writing.
To get a project quote please send an initial email to cris10a@cristinaolsen.com and then we will set up a phone meeting.