Copyediting Rates

Welcome, Peter .

I haven't been anywhere near a Pulitzer and can't answer your specific question, but I suspect a really sloppy manuscript would be recognisable from the start and probably rejected and/or returned with a refund.

Hi Peter,

As Bufty said, a sloppy MS would (by many copy-editors) be turned down early. There is little benefit for author or editor in copy-editing a sloppy MS, as it is almost certainly a time sink that puts the cart before the horse (I've never seen a sloppy MS that isn't also in need of substantial structural edits, too). Therefore, assume quoted costs are on the understanding that a MS is ready for the copy-edit stage.

To add to Maryn's post, if you're looking at a UK-based freelancer, these are the current SfEP suggested rates: https://www.sfep.org.uk/resources/suggested-minimum-rates/

Remember that the time it takes to do a proper copy-edit isn't just dependent on the general state of the MS on a line by line basis... for example, a MS can be 'clean' but involve a substantial amount of labour-intensive fact-checking (more relevant to non-fiction, but it does crop up in fiction). Remember to think about these things in advance, so you can thoroughly brief your copy-editor as to the tasks you want tackled, and the depth of the copy-edit you require.

I charge by the word. I prefer to have my whole attention on the book and not have to keep track of a per/hour page count.

This always works out cheaper for the writer and removes any nagging suspicion that an editor might be padding the time spent on a work. (Or losing track of the time.)

I want to spend as long as needed to do a proper job for the writer, no distractions, no time clocks!

The other advantage to the writer is knowing exactly how much the job will be on a per word rate, not guesstimating based on hourly page count.

A clean MS means I am better able to spot problems, so I encourage writers to turn in as clean a final copy as they can manage.

PeterSacks said:

Having been traditionally published, I've never needed to hire a copyeditor until now, so I'm curious as to how the rate structure works. I often see editors charge per word. So, for example, a 100,000-word ms. at 2 cents per word would cost $2,000 to copy edit. As a former journalist and editor, I know that some manuscripts are clean and tight, while others are, shall we say, on the sloppy side. When charged per word, the sloppy ms would cost the same as the clean one to edit. And yet, the sloppy ms might take twice as long to edit. Does anybody know of free-lance copy editors who adjust their rates to account for these descrepencies? Or, are self-published writers who do work very hard to write clean copy expected to throw up their hands and concede defeat? Thanks for the feedback!

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Just because something is cleaner doesn't mean I'm not reading every word, thinking about it all, checking, etc. If something is really in need of tons of work, as above, it might not be ready for that type of edit. However, yes, some things take longer than others. Such is life; you just hope it balances out. Some haircuts might take longer, but the stylist charges what the stylist charges. It might take longer, and be a more taxing job, to, say, change the oil on one car vs. another, or do anything involving a rate-based service.

Hi Peter!

Many freelance copyeditors (myself included) have a range of rates depending on the extent of editing required. A copyeditor might, for instance, charge $0.02/word for relatively clean copy and $0.04/word for more problematic copy. You'll still usually see rates expressed in per-word terms--Gillhoughly touched on the main reasons many editors stick with those.

It's not uncommon for a copyeditor to review the manuscript before taking on a contract and to give the client a quote at that point.

Also, Inkling is correct in saying that sometimes grammatically clean copy has other issues that require attention during a copyedit. Fact-checking is one (the extent to which copyeditors offer this service varies); another is checking for consistency. If a character's hair color changes or she draws her gun in the warehouse in Chapter 3 after leaving it at home at the end of Chapter 2, a good copyeditor will catch that. And if your manuscript appears particularly problematic in one of these regards, that can drive up the price.

If your copy is in good shape, you'll be able to find a copyeditor who'll charge less than they would for something sloppy. Even so, professional copyediting will be expensive; reading a manuscript and putting together a style sheet take time regardless of how clean the copy is.

Best of luck!