How to Save Money on Editing
Editing is time consuming and can be expensive (as I discussed in my post: How much does editing cost?) but it’s also a crucial part of the publication process.
So how can you save money on editing, and make sure to get the most value out of it?
In this post I give eight suggestions on how to save money or make it better value:
Make sure you have beta readers look at your book first.
Invest in your writing craft.
Be organised.
Choose the right editor.
Plan ahead.
Consider other services.
Grow your toolbox.
Make the most of what you already have.
So let’s dive in!
1: Have beta readers look at your book before you send it to an editor.
Beta readers can pick the ‘low hanging fruit’ in your book (i.e. the more obvious elements of your book that need work, but that don’t need specialist knowledge to spot or to resolve). By having beta readers pick these up, you can eliminate some of the manuscript’s problems before it ever gets to the editor.
This is going to either: a) reduce the amount of time that your editor spends on your manuscript, or: b) give you more value for money because your editor won’t have to deal with as many issues, and will be able to go more deeply into specific problem areas.
2: Invest in your writing craft.
Invest your time and energy into developing your understanding of the different elements of story craft.
You can do this by:
Reading a wide range of craft books and see if you can apply any learning to your writing. (To try to make this even cheaper, you can choose the e-book editions, or look at what is available on services like Kindle Unlimited, you can also look for writing craft books at your library).
Attending writing classes, whether in-person or virtual, courses or single sessions.
Listening to writing craft podcasts! These are another great way to access writing craft information and the best bit? They’re free!
3: Be organised.
If you put the effort into being very organised with regards to your writing, this can really pay dividends when you hire an editor.
Consider creating useful documents to help your editor (and yourself!), for instance:
A list of all your characters, with their full names, ages, physical descriptions, and professions. This may also be extended to include various settings throughout the book, if there are lots of these or the characters move around a great deal.
A spreadsheet or table that lists information on each of the book’s scenes in order. Include basic information like chapter, scene number, word count, and a short paragraph summarizing the forward action of the plot.
If writing fantasy, a document that lists the ‘rules’ of the book’s magic system.
A list of any phrases used in any other languages or ‘con langs’ (constructed language) and their meanings.
A map, whether commissioned, or just created by yourself.
You might find that an editor will contribute to, update or comment on any of the information that you provide, but it will definitely save them some time in the long run, which will then either reduce the number of billable hours, or increase the value you receive from the service (depending on how the editor operates).
4: Choose the right editor for you.
What levels of editing does this apply to? All
Do your research when choosing an editor. Don’t just pick the cheapest rates, because this doesn’t guarantee that you’ll save money in the long run. Often, more expensive editors have the most training and experience, and you may well receive a lot more value from their services.
When contacting a potential editor, ask questions! Any editor worth their salt will gladly answer some questions about their editing credentials, philosophy, method of working, experience of working within your genre and overall experience, etc.
It’s important that you connect well with any editor you hire, and that you feel comfortable working with them, and asking them questions.
What does all this have to do with saving money on editing? The last thing you want is to pay someone money to work on your manuscript, only to have their work introduce errors or problems which will then need fixing by someone else!
5: Plan ahead.
Editors are busy! I often have people contact me about my services who are disappointed when I explain that I have no availability for the next few months. I can sometimes be persuaded to do a ‘rush job’ but I charge a premium for this (for obvious reasons – I do try to have a life outside of my business, even if I’m not very good at it!).
Also, if the editor they want is booked up, people can panic and then hire another editor who may not be as experienced or may not specialise in the same genre. This might lead to a job that isn’t quite what the author expected or wanted.
6: Consider an alternate service.
If there is an editor that you think you would really like to work with, but the service you want is out of your budget, consider telling them that.
Explain your needs, your wants, and your budget. The editor may be able to suggest a cheaper service that will look at certain aspects of your project that you particularly want help with, but that perhaps doesn’t look at everything you’re after.
For example, rather than paying for a full developmental edit, could you afford a critique instead?
Or see if the editor will provide a bespoke service. If you’re looking for line edits, could the editor perform a line edit on a certain percentage of your book (say 10%), and then give you a report to help you understand what they have done, why, and how to apply this to the rest of your book?
7: Learn to use Microsoft Word tools, plug-ins and macros.
Like it or loathe it, Microsoft Word is the industry standard word processor software, and has a plethora of tools that can really help an author out if they’re willing to invest the time in learning how to use them.
Now, I’m not talking about the Word spelling and grammar checker here! But learning how to use find and replace, or any number of macros, can help to do a lot of the leg work for you in certain areas.
Macros are essentially little bits of code that you add into Microsoft Word that will do a very specific job, like making changes to spelling or punctuation, or showing inconsistencies, etc. Some of my favourite macros include: ProperNounAlyse, SpellAlyse, CompareWordList and FRedit.
For more information on how to start using macros, I recommend Paul Beverley’s website and he also has a YouTube channel, which is full of very helpful videos.
There are also plug-in software programmes that will do a similar thing, for example PerfectIt. These do cost money, but if you’re willing to take the time to learn how to use them properly, then they can more than pay for themselves.
8: Make the most of what you already have.
Take stock of what you have on hand that might help you. If you’re struggling to learn how an aspect of punctuation is applied, flick through books that you own, and you’ll no doubt find multiple examples.
Does your book have epistolary content (information delivered through letters), or text conversations, and you don’t know how to style them? Have a look for examples in other books that you own and see how it’s done there.
Have you hired an editor before for a previous project? Have a look at the information you received from the editor and see how it can be applied to your current manuscript. Make sure that you get the best value from a service you’ve paid for by learning from it and applying it to your writing moving forward.
Overview:
There are lots of options to help you to reduce the cost of editing, but all of these will require extra work on your part!
You can:
Get unbiased eyes on your manuscript before it goes to an editor.
Invest your time and effort in learning about writing craft, punctuation rules and editing tools, etc.
Get organised with lists, tables, spreadsheets or maps, to speed things up for your editor.
Do your research and find an editor that you want to work with, and who is willing to work with both your needs and budget.
Hi, I’m Alexandra.
I’m a developmental editor specialising in helping authors of fantasy, sci-fi and all kinds of speculative fiction bring their worlds to life, and make their books as immersive, compelling and enjoyable as possible!
Follow my blog for writing craft tips specifically tailored for speculative fiction authors.
