Why is copyediting important?

While every author’s situation is different, most will find that after they’ve worked developmentally on their manuscript, alone and with other readers and/or editors, they’ll still need someone to double-check all the picky stuff: a copyeditor.

In addition to “correcting” your writing (while being sensitive to exceptions and alternatives intrinsic to the story), editors help ensure your language is clear, effective, and generally consistent with the publishing standards readers expect.

Syntax—the way words work together to form sentences and thoughts—is especially important to reader comprehension. It’s also something that’s easy to let go awry when you’ve been so deep in your writing you practically know it by heart.

Copyeditors help fill logical gaps and connect ideas together in the ways that best help the reader, so they have to work as minimally as possible to absorb your meaning, while letting your own voice and style of writing shine.

How do I know if I’m ready for a copyedit?

While every author is different, in general it might be time for copyediting if:

• you have a strong sense of how your piece flows from beginning to end
• you have already worked on developmental, structural, and topical concerns, both on your own and with a developmental editor, or at least several very reliable early readers
• the feedback from your early readers consists mostly of grammatical or typographical issues—things a copyeditor would take care of—and not concerns about the story itself.
• you are not looking for further developmental input or notes on story, pacing, characterization, or other issues beyond a standard copyedit
• you want me to make changes to achieve correct use, enhance sentence clarity, and follow standard spelling and grammar conventions.

Whatever your circumstance, copyediting generally has the most value when it is the final step in any editing process.

Can I estimate my own copyediting fee?

Yes. Each copyediting service has a starting rate, which you can use along with your manuscript’s word count to estimate your total payment.

For example, copyediting starts at 3¢/word. For an 80,000-word manuscript, that would come to a total of $2,400; a 120-word manuscript would total $3,600. For Copyediting Plus at 5¢/word, the total for the same manuscript would come to $4,000. There is a fee calculator on my editing services page.

Note that this calculation is an estimate only; final prices are determined on a project-by-project basis based on the specific needs of your manuscript. If I estimate that the manuscript will require more work than my base rate allows me to spend, I may suggest altering either the rate or the scope of the project.

Typically, for a full-length novel (70,000 to 120,000 words or so), I would ask for three to four weeks to complete a basic copyedit and four to six weeks for a copyedit plus.

My editing schedule is usually booked out at least a few weeks ahead, sometimes as far as a few months ahead. You don’t have to have a finished manuscript to contact me about it; while there’s always a chance I can sneak you in, let me know about your publication plans as early as you can to avoid delays.

Shorter manuscripts, like short stories or manuals, may fit in my schedule sooner and will have a faster turnaround time.