Guides • Understanding Publishing
Last updated on Feb 10, 2025
How Much Does an Editor Cost? What to Expect for Pro Services
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Dario Villirilli
Editor-in-Chief of the Reedsy blog, Dario is a graduate of Mälardalen University. As a freelance writer, he has written for many esteemed outlets aimed at writers. A traveler at heart, he can be found roaming the world and working from his laptop.
View profile →Before you hire an editor (or team of editors) to polish your book, you'll want a sense of how much each editor will cost and what you’ll get out of a paid editing collaboration. The good news is, with a bit of research and prep on your part, you can make the most of your budget and forge an excellent relationship with your editor(s), which is honestly priceless if you intend to publish multiple books!
So let’s dive right into what you can expect in terms of editing costs, then discuss the factors that can affect your final numbers.
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Average costs of professional editing
Based on marketplace data Reedsy collected in 2025, it costs between $2,000 and $4,720 to hire an editor for an 80,000-word book. Editing costs depend on a number of factors, including the editor’s experience level, the type of service, and the length and genre of the project. For example, a copy editor may charge $0.019 per word, whereas a proofreader’s rates may be lower at $0.012 per word.
Here’s a more detailed table of editing costs for your book, with a wider range for each service (including all genres, some of which are more costly than others):
| Editing Service | Cost per word |
| Editorial Assessment | $0.018–$0.030 |
| Developmental Editing | $0.028–$0.040 |
| Copy Editing | $0.019–$0.031 |
| Proofreading | $0.012–$0.024 |
To put these figures in context, editing costs for a generic 80,000-word book would be:
- $1,920 for an editorial assessment
- $2,720 for a developmental edit
- $2,000 for a copy edit
- $1,440 for a final proof
If it seems like the charges are racking up, don’t fret; you almost certainly won’t need all these types of editing for your book. And depending on a few other factors, your edits could end up costing much less. Here’s what to keep in mind as you begin this process.
Costs depends heavily on genre
One thing that impacts editing costs is your book's genre. Nonfiction, for example, costs more to edit than fiction, as it’s often denser and may require fact-checking. Likewise, “heavier” prose in genres like experimental literary fiction typically costs more to edit, while “lighter” prose in genres like romance typically costs less.
Another crucial genre consideration: while you might expect a children’s book editor to be less expensive because children’s books are relatively short, that also means every single sentence has to be perfectly tuned — which makes the editing cost per word actually higher! However, note that if you’ve written a picture book, you may not be charged by the word at all, but rather asked to pay a flat fee for editing (usually $300-$500).
Wondering where your book falls on the cost spectrum? Enter your genre and word count here to receive an estimate for each type of editing.
Pricing calculator
Calculate the average cost of editing services for your genre.
Editorial Assessment
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Proofreading
Note that while developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading are pretty consistent within each genre, editorial assessment costs are more variable, so read your calculations carefully to ensure there are no surprises later.
Q: Apart from the word count, what factors affect how much you quote for an editing project?
Suggested answer
Apart from word count, several factors influence how editors quote for an editing project.
One major consideration is the type of service being requested. For instance, line editing, which focuses on enhancing sentence structure, clarity, flow, and style, requires more detailed attention and time compared to basic proofreading, which is primarily about correcting last grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
The condition of the manuscript is another key factor; a polished draft may need fewer adjustments, while a manuscript requiring heavy edits will involve more in-depth work. Editors also factor in the number of rounds of edits included in the quote—some projects may require multiple rounds of feedback and refinement, which will impact costs.
Additionally, the turnaround time plays a role, as expedited projects often demand concentrated focus and dedicated scheduling to meet deadlines. Altogether, these variables ensure that quotes are fair, tailored to the project's unique needs, and reflect the scope of work needed.
Eilidh is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Word count and type of service (developmental edit, editorial assessment, copy edit, proofread) are my only metrics. (I used to also go by genre, but I decided to just streamline my process by sticking to word count and type of service.)
Brett is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
The shape of the manuscript also has a lot to do with the quote. A cleaner manuscript will usually take less time to read and won't require as many suggestions. Stopping to make corrections and/or suggestions is what takes the most time, so this time needed has to factor into the quote.
But word count plays the biggest role in the quote.
Melody is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Longer manuscripts are more expensive to edit
It might sound obvious, but when budgeting for editing services, authors often forget to account for the length of their book. Even knowing editors’ standard by-the-word costs, it’s easy to underestimate the charges — you may feel like your book is shorter than it is, or assume it’s polished enough not to require a “full” edit (alas, this is rarely the case).
This is why it’s useful to keep tabs on the length of your manuscript and cut as much as possible before hiring an editor. True, for some authors, there’s nothing to cut; if your book works perfectly at its current length, don’t prune it for the sake of lowering costs! But for other authors, losing a few superfluous scenes here and there could save hundreds of dollars down the line.
Q: Is there anything an author can do before hiring editors that could help manage their costs?
Suggested answer
Share your finished work with a range of trusted people, ideally those who are your target readership (not only people you know). These are called beta readers, test readers or advanced copy readers. Have a few questions prepared for your blindspots (Is character A convincing? Is there enough/too much cross-referencing to the glossary? Am I overusing any words? What do you think of the X, Y, Z? Is the dialogue in Chapter X convincing?). Rewrite your draft with brave attention to the feedback, but keeping true to your author's voice, and then send it to a professional editor.
Alex is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
There are several things authors can do to help manage editing costs before hiring a professional. First, thorough self-editing can make a big difference—addressing obvious typos, inconsistencies, and tightening your prose will reduce the amount of work needed later. Tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can be useful for catching basic errors and improving clarity. Involving beta readers is another great step; their feedback on character arcs, plot holes, and overall flow can help strengthen your manuscript before an editor even sees it. It's also important to know what kind of editing you need—whether it's line editing for style and clarity or just a final proofreading pass—so you're only paying for what truly benefits your work. Consistent formatting and sharing any specific style preferences can further streamline the process. By preparing your manuscript, you ensure that the editor’s focus remains on enhancing your story's impact, rather than errors you could've fixed on your end, ultimately saving time and money.
Eilidh is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Running your book through a spelling and grammar checker before submitting to an editor can definitely save money if you've asked for a copy edit or proofread.
Brett is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Great editors are worth the cost!
The thing about skilled, experienced editors is that they don’t come cheap — nor should they. We’ve given accurate estimates above based on Reedsy data, but if you’re seeking an editor with years or even decades of experience in your niche, they may indeed cost more.
Suppose you want the best possible editing job done on your book (we daresay most authors do). In that case, it’s worth shelling out a little extra — particularly for editing tasks that require a great deal of experience and genre familiarity to pull off, like a developmental edit or thoughtful editorial assessment. That doesn’t mean you can’t work with an amazing editor on a relatively low budget, only that you might have to look a little harder for the right person and/or figure out a payment plan over time.
Hire a professional editor on Reedsy
John B.
Available to hire
I specialize in children's books because kids will be your best critics and biggest fans -- next to a good editor.
Lee N.
Available to hire
I am comics. I am thematic storytelling. I am writing and editing with intention. I am the process that helps creators achieve their goals.
Liz W.
Available to hire
Copy Editor and Proofreader with a background in philosophy, art, and critical theory. Well versed in computer and technology editing.
Fortunately, if an editor is truly passionate about your project, they’re often willing to meet you halfway. Again, you can ask to pay in installments, or you may be able to arrange a discount — especially if you’ll be working with them on multiple books.
Be respectful and honest in your communications, and you’ll surely find a great professional who will work for you.
Head to the final part of this guide for tips to help you get the most out of your collaboration.
