Reasonable Price for Developmental Editing

Development editors worth their salt cost a lot of money. They are probably the most expensive of editors. I'm talking at least a couple thousand. If you are going the trade route this time you don't need an editor. If you want, you could get some editing software and do some good self-editing and then send off the work. You'll be wasting money getting an editor at this stage because the publisher (if a decent one) is going to edit the hell out the work so any edits your personal editor does won't even exist by the time the book comes out.

Also, you might have to do tons of rewriting while subbing to publishers (at their request or suggestion) so save your money and do the best self-editing you can.

Noizchild, I work as an intern for a small editing company, so I'll give you my perspective. Hopefully it helps!

I'm honestly not sure if you want a developmental editor at this point. If you're looking to expand the plot significantly, that's something a developmental editor *can* help you with, but it is going to be pretty expensive, considering that you're then going to write and revise a lot. So you'd be paying for 45k words to be edited, but depending on your editor's policies and how much you add, they might not edit the new stuff without additional costs.

It sounds to me more like you might want to find some new readers, or ask the people who've already read it, and find out what parts of the story could be fleshed out more. A good critique partner is usually willing to be a sounding board for that kind of thing.

As to how much developmental edits cost, it depends a little on what level of editor you go with. I know quite a few skilled, established writers who also do freelance editing, and their fees are based off hours/page count and the EFA's standard fees. As Maryn said, that's $45-55/hour for developmental editing. Many freelance editors offer different packages, so you might consider someone who does manuscript consultations instead. That's when you talk over plot issues, character arcs, or issues with other critiques you've had, that sort of thing. A paid sounding board, if you will.

If you go with an editing company, like the one I work for, that's going to run you more. It depends on the size of your manuscript, but I've seen costs ranging from $500-$2000. I work for Kate Foster Editing, so I can only tell you what our practices are, and assume other companies are probably similar. One (or more, which doesn't cost you extra, we just sometimes like to get more than 1 opinion on a MS) of the pro editors on staff will do a thorough edit. We make line edits and copy edits as we go, because we're all obsessive and don't want your work to have errors, as well as providing feedback on scenes and overall arcs. You'll get in-line edits in the manuscript and an edit letter, which goes over pacing, characters, arcs, formatting, audience, genre suitability, word count, and anything else we think you might need. We give our authors resources on how to fix any problems we find, or improve writing skills we think need some TLC. And we encourage our authors to keep in touch with us as they revise as much as they need and we'll read revised scenes. We're thorough, encouraging, and in it for the long run with your manuscript--and that's also why we cost more.

Investment-wise, I'd say you probably should consider finding a good critique partner to talk things over with or a freelance editor who does manuscript consultations. If you want names of freelancers, I can share some I personally know and would vouch for. Good luck with the novel!

Just to throw a wrench out there - I was recently quoted $25,000 for a developmental edit! Granted, my MS is 180k - main reason why my agent is recommending outside eyes on it before he shops it around - and granted this woman is a primo New York editor who has worked with MAJOR writers but still....! Even my agent was shocked. Two other quotes we received were $7500 and $4500. Again, top New York freelance editors who are both previous acquisition editors at Big 5 and who only work via referral. After the $25k number $4500 seems like a bargain!

Versailles said:

I was recently quoted $25,000 for a developmental edit!

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Good grief, someone is proud of their work. Or they may specialize in celebrity authors. Twenty-five grand is nothing to an A-list celeb who wants to write. Few pro writers earn that kind of money, and if they do, they generally have their own small army of beta readers to keep them on course.

Speaking from a cynical point of view, I will put in that the high price was intended to discourage. There have been times when I did not want to work on a book, so I quoted what to me was an outrageous price to get the writer to go elsewhere. Thankfully, he did. I edited his first book and still have nightmares about it.

Now I am questioning why an agent is willing to represent a book that apparently still needs developmental editing. That's like saying yes to a serving of raw chicken. He doesn't know if the cooked result will be edible or not.

I can't see my agent taking on a book from a debut writer that hasn't already been polished to the best of the writer's craft. Heck, she didn't take me on as a client until she'd read the books I'd already sold. Most agents will offer suggestions on how to improve a MS and leave it to the writer to work them in. To me, a developmental edit needs to take place after the first draft and long before subbing it to an agent.

Not knowing who your agent is, I am also cynical enough to wonder if there are any kickbacks going on with the other quotes. There are a few "agents" in our Bewares forum who cheerfully steer writers to "editors" and "book doctors" they know and then split the fees. Hoping I am wrong.

Everyone's situation is different. I'm not a debut author and he (my agent) sold my first trilogy to Big 5 for a six-figure deal. When I first queried him, he liked the MS but felt it needed too much work before it was sellable (in the serving of that raw chicken he saw glimpses of an excellent meal). He gave me pages of good advice and also recommended an editor I could work with, then invited me to resubmit. I felt I had a foot in the door – interested agent is a top agent at one of the top literary agencies in the world – and I was prepared to invest. Best $$ I ever spent and based on the reworked MS he signed me.

Fast forward a few years and he is excited about my new MS – part of the reason it has ballooned so big is that he wants to see more, more, more. But at 180k it’s unsellable and needs some major cutting and possibly restructuring. Again, too big of a job for him to handle and I respect that – he’s got a lot of clients and I am a tiny minnow in his pond.

I've got plenty of beta readers whose judgment I value but in addition I want the eyes of a professional on it. $4500 is a small price to pay to whip my baby into shape and make sure that it is sent out into the world with its best foot forward. Agent also routinely (like >50% of the time) sells at auction and so I’m also investing this money in the hopes of a big pay-off.

Noizchild said:

What is the average price that I should aim for a developmental editor?

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Lowest price I have seen is $45 an hour, have not seen anyone price by the job but many charge minimums of 100-200 hours. Prices go up from there. The few I know work on books by major Hollywood folks or politicians, where the books are getting advances in the seven figure range.

Jeff