Book editing: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What book editing is

A book editor reads your manuscript and gives feedback on plot or argument, structure, pacing and voice. They then edit line by line and check consistency before the book is published, which is why most authors hire one before they publish or submit.

Signs you need it

  • You have finished a draft but cannot tell whether the middle drags or the ending lands.
  • Early readers say the characters or the argument are unclear, but cannot say why.
  • Your chapters repeat points, shift tense or jump in time without a clear reason.
  • You are about to self publish or query agents, and want a clean, consistent manuscript first.
  • Names, dates, places or story facts change from one chapter to the next.
  • You have rewritten the opening many times and still do not know whether it works.

What the pro does

  • Reads the full manuscript and writes a report on structure, pacing, characters or argument, and voice.
  • Goes over the report with you to agree what to change and what to keep.
  • Edits line by line for clarity, rhythm, grammar and word choice, keeping your voice.
  • Tracks names, places, dates and story facts across the book and flags any conflict.
  • Returns the edited manuscript with tracked changes and comments, and checks your revisions if they are included.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of the manuscript.
  • Type of edit, such as a structural report only or a full line edit after it.
  • Genre and complexity, since a long series or a technical nonfiction book takes more checking.
  • Number of rounds, including whether the editor reviews your revisions.
  • Whether the editor checks facts or sources in nonfiction.
  • Deadline for the report and for the final edited file.

What a written quote should spell out

  • Which edit types are included, such as a developmental report, a line edit or a proofread.
  • The manuscript length the quote is based on, and how extra length is handled.
  • The format of the returned file and whether changes are tracked.
  • The number of review rounds and the deadline for each stage.
  • Whether the editor provides a consistency sheet, a style sheet or source checks.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What genres and book lengths have you edited, and can you describe two projects in my genre?
  • Will you give me a written report before the line edit, and what does the report cover?
  • Do you change my voice, or only tighten it?
  • How do you handle changes in tense, point of view or names across the book?
  • If my book is nonfiction, will you check facts or sources?
  • Can you edit a sample of a few pages before I commit to the full book?

Red flags

  • Rewrites the book into the editor's own voice.
  • Gives praise but no specific notes on what to change.
  • Promises that the book will sell well or be picked up by a publisher.
  • Asks for full payment before a sample or report is delivered.
  • Offers a full edit without reading the whole manuscript first.

What you can do yourself

You can read your manuscript aloud, write a chapter by chapter outline of what happens or what each section argues, and keep a list of names and facts as you write. Hire a book editor when you want a second reader for structure, when beta readers have given conflicting feedback, or before you submit or self publish.

Licenses and permits

Book editing is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with your state or local licensing agency about business rules that apply to you, and ask the editor for sample reports and references from authors in your genre as proof of skill.

Book editing questions

Will the editor rewrite my book?

A good book editor works on your text and suggests changes you can accept or reject. Ask before you hire how much rewriting the edit includes, since some types of editing change more than others.

What is a developmental edit?

It is a review of the big picture: plot or argument, structure, pacing and characters, with a written report on what to change. It comes before line editing, which works on sentences.

Do I still need an editor if I have a writing group?

A writing group can give you reactions, but its members often do not give structural notes or check consistency across a full manuscript. Many authors use both.

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