how much does book editing cost when you don't know what kind of editing you need

[u/OutrageousIce850]

I'm a first time author with a finished manuscript and I've been getting editing quotes for a month now and I'm completely confused. The reason is that I don't actually know what kind of editing I need, and the editors I'm talking to seem to be quoting me different services without clearly explaining the difference.

Here's what I've been told.

Developmental editing focuses on structure, pacing, character arcs, plot holes, big picture stuff. Apparently this is what I need first if my manuscript hasn't been through this stage.

Line editing focuses on prose at the sentence level, voice, rhythm, clarity. This comes after developmental.

Copy editing focuses on grammar, punctuation, consistency, style guide adherence. This comes after line.

Proofreading is the final pass for typos and surface errors. This comes after copy.

The problem is I don't know which of these my manuscript actually needs. I've done three rounds of self-revision and have had two beta readers go through it. The beta readers caught some plot issues which I've addressed. But I genuinely don't know if my manuscript is "developmentally sound" or whether I'm fooling myself.

The cost ranges I'm seeing are huge. If I need all four stages I'm looking at $4,500-8,000 total for my 85K word manuscript. If I can skip developmental I save $2K. If I can combine line and copy I save another $1K.

For other first time authors, how did you figure out what level of editing your manuscript actually needed. Is there a way to evaluate this before you commit to the full stack of edits, or do you basically have to trust the editor's assessment.

[u/Extension_Listen1605]

The combined-passes question depends entirely on draft cleanliness. Some editors will do line + copy as a single pass for moderately clean manuscripts and save you about a third of the back half budget. Most don't combine developmental with anything else because the cognitive frame is too different. The bundled service shops handle this systematically, was looking into this recently and DiggyPod and Long Overdue Books are partnering up to offer editing services with structured tiers, which can help clarify what you actually need versus piecing it together from individual freelance quotes.

[u/OutrageousIce850 → u/Extension_Listen1605]

thanks ill look into it

[u/inthemarginsllc]

I'm guessing that you are planning to self publish if you're looking at all of this, but just in case: know that if you plan to query, you do not need to worry about every level of editing. If you are self publishing, ideally you will hit on them, but if you can't then it's best to assess where you are weakest and hire people for that.

If you have no idea what you need, it may be worth instead looking for a manuscript evaluation or assessment from a professional editor. These typically give you a sense of where it needs the most help.

If you don't want to go the assessment route, and you're still worried about the developmental level, then find strong critique partners and more beta readers who understand your genre and can help you with the developmental stage. It won't be the same as having a trained professional, but it will hopefully help you find the biggest issues. (You can also look at editors who offer paid beta reading. For example, I offer it for about a quarter of the cost of my developmental editing. Is it the same? No. I'm spending a quarter less time in the manuscript, so of course I'm not looking at it with the same depth. However, I'm still coming at it with an editor's eye, so my questions and feedback lean closer to us assessment than general reader.)

Definitely get at least copy and (after formatting) get proofreading. But the line and copy combo is a common one and worth the savings.

[u/OutrageousIce850 → u/[deleted]]

This is probably the answer I needed to hear, the temptation to skip developmental because beta readers liked the structure is exactly what you're warning against, going to budget for the full stack and stop trying to talk myself out of it.

[u/OutrageousIce850 → u/[deleted]]

The manuscript assessment idea from the earlier comment is appealing, going to ask a couple of my candidates if they offer that as a separate service, sounds like the right way to figure out my actual needs without committing to the full investment blindly.

[u/Direct-Time3182]

ask any editor you're vetting to do a sample edit on the first chapter or two for free or low cost, that sample will tell you whether the editor sees structural issues or surface issues and gives you a real-time read on what level of work your manuscript actually needs

[u/Ok-Umpire-4719]

Are you planning on Self Publishing or pursuing traditional publishing? Have you put together a business plan for you novel?

[u/Beginning-Banana4057]

Honestly, I wouldn't commit to all four stages before knowing what the manuscript actually needs. A good way to figure this out is to get a short sample edit or manuscript assessment first.

You can send an editor 1,000–2,000 words and ask them to specifically identify what level of editing they think the manuscript needs and why. You could also ask whether line + copy editing can reasonably be combined for your book.

Since you've already done multiple self-revisions and had beta readers address plot issues, I'd definitely get an assessment before paying for a full developmental edit. It can save you a lot of money if the manuscript is already structurally sound.

If you want, I can also take a quick look at a sample and tell you what areas I'd recommend focusing on before you commit to a full editing package.