Levels of Editing

When you go to hire an editor, it’s important to remember that there are different levels of editing. You don’t want to accidentally hire a proofreader and expect them to be a book coach! That kind of mismatch in expectations will just lead to frustration on both sides.
 
Below, I break down the various levels of editing and the typical cost per hour in 2024, as calculated by the Editorial Freelancers Association. Keep in mind that the range mainly accounts for the type of writing. Editing for academic, business, medical, and legal texts will usually be more expensive because it requires specific technical knowledge.

Coaching ($70-90 per hour)
While not limited to editing, book coaching always involves a ton of editing. A book coach guides an author through the entire project which means they perform all the editing levels outlined below on top of keeping the writer motivated and focused on the project.
 
Developmental Editing ($45-65)
This is the first kind of editing most professionally published books receive. A developmental editor will look at your text's overall content to see if you tell a cohesive story. Do scenes need to be switched around? Does this chapter need to be here? Did the author accidentally forget about a major plot point or drop a character’s arc? There will be a lot of back and forth between the editor and author, so expect to schedule plenty of meetings.
 
Copy Editing ($40-60)
This is typically the second round of editing for publishing houses. A copy editor often focuses on linguistic choices, flow, tonal changes, style, and overall quality of writing. For academic writers (including legal and medical), copy editors will usually ensure the chapter or paper adheres to the citation style you need.
 
Line Editing ($40-70)
Sometimes lumped in with copy editing services, line editing means literally going through your work line by line. They’re looking for grammatical errors, misspelled names, wonky sentence structures, overuse of the passive voice, cliches, and awkward phrasing.
 
Proofreading ($35-60)
The least expensive level of editing, proofreading, is typically the last step. A proofreader goes through and checks for additional grammar, punctuation, and formatting issues. It’s always a good idea to have someone make a final pass over your work before publishing to check for repeated words, run-on sentences, and typos.
 
Beta Reading ($31-45)
This is not editing. Many unsuspecting authors have hired beta readers expecting an edited manuscript back without realizing what they’d paid for. Beta readers do give feedback: plot holes, pacing, or things that may confuse the average reader. While very valuable as a second set of eyes, beta readers won’t be looking for typos or other kinds of errors.
 
Sensitivity/Authenticity Reading ($40-60)
Another example of extremely important consultants who are definitely not editors. Their primary purpose is to analyze how writers include characters from marginalized groups and how accurate their experiences are. These readers are fantastic resources for writers, including communities they aren’t familiar with, like
      -mental health
      -LGBT+
      -diverse races and cultures
      -disabilities
      -religions