People often ask what the difference is between proofreading and copyediting. While different editors have different definitions of each level of editing, this is how I usually explain things to my clients. It’s also worth mentioning that each tier of editing gets more expensive as you go up (proofreading being the cheapest).
Developmental editing comes first. This examines the big picture and structure of a book. After this comes line editing, which deals with the style and refining of each line of text. I don’t offer developmental or line editing at this time, but if you’re looking for a recommendation, I would be happy to refer you to some editors who I trust.
Copyediting comes next. While not everyone needs every level of editing, it’s common for people who have never worked with an editor before to request a proofread when what they’re actually expecting is a copyedit. In addition to making revisions to text for clarity, a copyeditor checks for things such as grammar, punctuation, and usage; consistency in things such as point of view, tense, and narrative details; and follows an appropriate style guide.
Proofreading is done last and is the final check for anything that managed to slip through the cracks during previous rounds of editing. A proofreader checks for typos, incorrect spellings, formatting irregularities, missing or duplicated words, and any glaring errors that may inhibit a reader’s enjoyment of the text.
My rates are currently $.015 USD per word for copyediting and $.012 USD per word for proofreading. I typically ask for half of the payment before I begin and the other half after everything is finished. Both rates are below the median rates recommended by the Editorial Freelancers Association. If you’re curious about those median rates, you can learn more about them at the Editorial Freelancers Association website.
It’s always a good idea to make sure your editor is a good fit and for both parties to understand what level of editing is necessary before any money is exchanged and deadlines are established, and that’s why I offer a free sample edit prior to taking on your project. Please note that I’m typically booked a few months in advance.
Every manuscript I work on gets three passes, so an average-size manuscript typically takes me at least a month. I work to Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) standards, which is a publishing industry standard here in the US. I create a detailed style sheet as I go (which tracks everything from character details to your style preferences), and I give this to you upon completion of the work. If your manuscript is part of a series, we’ll be able to refer to this style sheet in the future so we can ensure consistency across multiple books. After I return your manuscript with all the markup and comments, we then collaborate back and forth until everything is resolved and you’re happy with the finished document. If you’ve never worked with Track Changes and comments in Microsoft Word before (which is how I perform my editing), I can teach you how =)