People often ask me whether publishers edit their books or not, and I always respond with “It depends.” If you choose the traditional publishing route, editors within your publishing house will not only edit your manuscript, but your literary agent will also make edits and note revisions for you to make. If you opt to self-publish your book, you will be responsible for having and paying for editing services for your manuscript.
In this post, we’ll explore how book editing works both when your book is traditionally published and when you self-publish your book.
How Book Editing Works When Your Book is Traditionally Published
Once you receive a publishing contract, an editor will collaborate with you to enhance your book’s quality. The editor will help you with a variety of editing tasks, including developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting.
During the developmental editing phase, your editor will help you to develop and refine the structure, content, and tone of your book. This process may involve suggesting changes to the overall plot, helping you to develop your characters more fully, or refining the pacing of your story. Once the developmental editing phase is complete, the editor will move your manuscript into line editing, which involves reviewing your manuscript line by line to ensure that the language is clear, concise, and effective.
Finally, during the copyediting phase, another editor will check your manuscript for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. This part of the editing process is important to polish and eliminate errors from your story before it is printed.
Does This Cost the Author Any Money?
If you traditionally publish your book, the publisher covers the cost of editing. However, the publisher will also take a cut of your book’s sales. This is how publishers make money, and it’s one of the main reasons why publishers are selective about the books they choose to publish.
How Book Editing Works When You Self-Publish Your Book
If you decide to self-publish your book, you’ll need to have it edited and cover the related expenses.
For instance, Xulon Press offers editorial services. Which is nice because you wouldn’t have to find an editor to work on your manuscript. Our editors offer developmental, line, and basic edits. Each level of editing does have a price per word associated with it. So, the overall investment in editing your manuscript will depend on your manuscript’s word count.
If you self-publish your book, the editing process may not be as extensive. In traditional publishing, the publisher’s editors would work on your manuscript and ensure that it is polished to perfection.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get the same level of editing for your self-published book. You can choose to purchase multiple rounds of editing at different levels to guarantee that your manuscript undergoes thorough editing and refinement. This will aid in producing a high-quality book that your readers will appreciate and that will stand out in the competitive self-publishing market.
How Much Will Editing Run for an Author Who Is Self-Publishing a Book?
Editing cost varies based on book length and required editing type. It’s important to keep in mind that the longer your book is, the more time it will take to edit.
If you decide to have your manuscript edited by a Xulon Press editor, you can expect to pay $0.035 to $0.125 per word depending on the level of editing you choose.
How to Get the Most Out of Editing When You’re Self-Publishing Your Book?
To ensure that your manuscript is in the best shape possible, take these three steps before sending it off to an editor.
- Take the time to revise and self-edit your work. This will help you catch any obvious errors or inconsistencies before someone else reads it.
- Share with beta readers. Once you feel confident in your manuscript, we recommend sharing it with beta readers to get their feedback. First readers typically provide valuable insights into areas of your manuscript that may need improvement or further development.
- Have a Manuscript Review or Critique completed first. We suggest having a Manuscript Review or Critique completed before you have a full edit done on your work. A professional editor performs these services and offers you additional revisions to improve your manuscript. Plus, you’ll get a personalized editing recommendation based on your manuscript.
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