Copy-editing books and fees

Copy-editing books, fiction or non-fiction, involves checking over your text for literacy and other essential elements and correcting them. These include:

• spelling
• punctuation
• grammar
• syntax
• accuracy (typing errors)
• clarity
• factual mistakes
• language (hyperbole, misuse of words, excessive adjectives/adverbs, complex vocabulary, repetitions, cliches and taboos, overlong sentences)
• pacing 
• show, don't tell
• dialogue weaknesses
• consistency (blue eyes Chapter 1, brown eyes Chapter 3)
• tenses

Options

Light copy-editing

• grammar
• punctuation
• spelling
• syntax
• typing mistakes
• consistency                                      £6.00 per 1,000 words

Copy-editing plus

• light copy editing, plus  
• pacing
• dialogue
• clarity
• factual mistakes
• show, don't tell  
• vocabulary/language
• inappropriate tense changes         £8.00 per 1,000 words

The fees are approximate, depending on the complexity of each work. The reasons for this are given below.

Reading and assessment

Reading and correcting or editing a novel can be time-consuming work. Some manuscripts are more complex than others and they all vary in length.

It may be that when I receive your manuscript, I will feel that it isn't ready for publication and that the amount of work I would need to do would exceed the fee quoted. In that case, I would suggest that more work is carried out on it before I would be prepared to copy-edit it.

So that I can assess your work, I suggest sending me the manuscript by mail. I will read through it and copy-edit the first chapter (up to 3,000 words) under the scheme you have chosen above and return it to you with a brief report. I will then be able to assess whether it is ready to go ahead, how much work will be involved and how long it might take me. The amounts quoted above are approximate figures.

Payment and terms

The fee for reading and assessment will be £55 payable in advance. If we then decide to go ahead with the full copy-editing, this amount will be deducted from your invoice. At this stage, I will be able to see more clearly how much work is likely to be involved. I can then give you a definite quote for the rest of the manuscript. If you accept my quote, 50% of the fee must be paid in advance and the rest when the work is finished.

The instructions for presenting and sending manuscripts are given on the Appraisals sub-page.

The terms and conditions given on the Appraisal page are applicable to submission of manuscripts for sub-editing.

Short stories

Copy-editing short stories up to 5,000 words      £35.00

 

diane@keywordeditorial.com