01
Developmental editing
Structure, argument, scope, and sequence, while the draft can still change.
Book editing for nonfiction
Hire a book editor: developmental, line, copy, and proofreading for nonfiction
A book does not need every kind of editing at once. It needs the right reader at the right stage, with clear attention to the thinking, the sentences, and the final page.
The four stages
A manuscript can be met where it is.
02
Line editing
Rhythm, clarity, emphasis, and the sentence-level movement of the book.
03
Copy editing
Grammar, usage, consistency, and citations, so the style holds throughout.
04
Proofreading
Typos, dropped words, and format slips on the final pages.
What does a book editor do?
The plain answer for a first-time author.
A book editor reads for the work you are trying to make. That can mean seeing the architecture before worrying about a sentence, helping a paragraph carry its weight, making the style consistent, or catching the small errors that remain when the book is otherwise ready.
Read what a book editor does, and how the four stages relate.
Book editor cost
The number follows the work.
Cost is shaped by the manuscript’s word count, condition, subject, schedule, and the kind of editing it needs. A developmental read asks different questions from a proofread, and a clean 50,000-word manuscript asks different questions from a sprawling first draft.
I do not publish a single fixed price because it would pretend those differences are not real. After reading a sample, I can describe the scope, give a range, and explain what is included.
The next page
Bring the book as it is, and we will decide what it needs.
If you are a university student looking for writing support, the student site is here. For a book, start with a conversation.
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