
Today’s post is by editor Katherine Pickett:
Finished that novel? Time to get it edited by a professional? For the uninitiated, it is not unusual to experience a bit of sticker shock upon receiving a cost estimate from a potential editor. As the author, you may wonder how this person came up with the astronomical figure you are now contemplating paying. It may seem mysterious, but it’s really a simple formula:
amount of work × rate of pay = the cost of editing
Different editors may charge by the hour, by the word, by the page, or a flat fee. However, all of these metrics translate into an estimate of how much work will be required of them. The other variable in the equation—rate of pay—is based on the service requested and the editor’s level of expertise. Continue Reading…