How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
I just finished a non-fiction work, which is about 24000 words in length. The proofreader I found on craigslist charged me $25/hour. He estimated 6.5 hours for the work after sampling 10 pages and finding the work to be "pretty clean". He ended up taking 9 hours for the job. I am fairly happy with his work, as he went beyond just strict proofreading, and offered some valuable critique on the work. But I still think I might have overpaid a little bit (plus the proofreader sounded really busy and always took several days to get back if I had any questions; and he didn't finish the work on time)
Just wanted to doublecheck to see if his rates are competitive. How much do you pay for proofreading your manuscripts before submitting it to an agent or publisher? If you don't pay for it, do you get it proofread just by family and friends? Are there other good options available?
Ofcourse I have a few other volunteers including my dad, sister and some friends who are helping me proofread for free :) [And also a kind member on this forum offered to read my work and critique it. Thanks Priya!] and I must have proofread my own work atleast a hundred times, and am reaching a point of nausea! What is the cost of professional proofreading these days?
Just wanted to doublecheck to see if his rates are competitive. How much do you pay for proofreading your manuscripts before submitting it to an agent or publisher? If you don't pay for it, do you get it proofread just by family and friends? Are there other good options available?
Ofcourse I have a few other volunteers including my dad, sister and some friends who are helping me proofread for free :) [And also a kind member on this forum offered to read my work and critique it. Thanks Priya!] and I must have proofread my own work atleast a hundred times, and am reaching a point of nausea! What is the cost of professional proofreading these days?
Last edited by kans_007 on November 2nd, 2010, 9:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
I've never paid anyone anything.
There are legitimate editors that charge astounding fees to review a ms, but I've never felt the cost was worth it. JMO.
There are legitimate editors that charge astounding fees to review a ms, but I've never felt the cost was worth it. JMO.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
$55 per hour, $65 per hour, and up, is the going rate.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
My bread and butter income comes from proofreading and copyediting legal transcripts for court reporters, stenographers. It's piece work. Pays by the page. The copyediting side of it is purely nondiscretionary mechanical editing suggestions. Grammar, misspelled words, punctuation, homonym conflicts, word compounding, light fact checking, and so on, what's known as light copyediting to editors and typesetters but my clients call proofreading. Proofreading is conforming a reproduction to original copy, like a printing job shop client's typewritten or handwritten copy compared to a galley proof preproduction print run or a new edition of a previously published work. Proofreading costs more because it takes more time from closer scrutiny.
24,000 words is roughly 100 pages equivalent. Straight nondiscretionary suggestions, mostly professional writing, that would take me two hours and run about $35.00, same day turnaround. Medium copyediting, some commentary on big picture stylistics and fact checking, plus light copyediting, runs more per page, up to a per word rate. Heavy copyediting, a detailed scrutiny of sentence by sentence stylistic construction, plus medium and light copyediting. In other words, three or more passes over a manuscript, each more detailed than the previous ones. Pricey, and I don't like to do it because the project probably isn't ready for it. If a writer wants to go ahead regardless, he or she's got more money than sense. I don't want to be involved. My reputation is at stake.
I evaluate a manuscript for level of copyediting indicated, determine time on task, and propose a rate. More often than not, I won't take a project on because the writing level doesn't justify the writer's expense. There's a Catch 22. If a manuscript is professional enough to justify the expense, it doesn't need costlier copyediting. Light copyediting will do what's needed. If the manuscript is on life support, it's not ready for copyediting. I say no thank you, and include a report of big picture suggestions for rewriting.
On the other hand, if a client merely wants a light copyediting pass regardless, it's $0.35 to $1.00 per page, depending on number of suggestions per page and time on task. I don't make stylistic commentary in those circumstances, which nonetheless is purely subjective. More often than not, that's what most writers want, light copyediting for nondiscretionary suggestions prior to submission, nothing else, and wind up paying for more than they intended or contracted for.
24,000 words is roughly 100 pages equivalent. Straight nondiscretionary suggestions, mostly professional writing, that would take me two hours and run about $35.00, same day turnaround. Medium copyediting, some commentary on big picture stylistics and fact checking, plus light copyediting, runs more per page, up to a per word rate. Heavy copyediting, a detailed scrutiny of sentence by sentence stylistic construction, plus medium and light copyediting. In other words, three or more passes over a manuscript, each more detailed than the previous ones. Pricey, and I don't like to do it because the project probably isn't ready for it. If a writer wants to go ahead regardless, he or she's got more money than sense. I don't want to be involved. My reputation is at stake.
I evaluate a manuscript for level of copyediting indicated, determine time on task, and propose a rate. More often than not, I won't take a project on because the writing level doesn't justify the writer's expense. There's a Catch 22. If a manuscript is professional enough to justify the expense, it doesn't need costlier copyediting. Light copyediting will do what's needed. If the manuscript is on life support, it's not ready for copyediting. I say no thank you, and include a report of big picture suggestions for rewriting.
On the other hand, if a client merely wants a light copyediting pass regardless, it's $0.35 to $1.00 per page, depending on number of suggestions per page and time on task. I don't make stylistic commentary in those circumstances, which nonetheless is purely subjective. More often than not, that's what most writers want, light copyediting for nondiscretionary suggestions prior to submission, nothing else, and wind up paying for more than they intended or contracted for.
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- sierramcconnell
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Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
You shouldn't have to pay anyone anything. There are plenty of people out there that offer services for free.
Granted, you get what you pay for. If you want the ability to boss people around and have a strict turn around time, then you pay for it. But for free you can swap or offer your novel to any level of reading. For "professional" services you never know what you're going to get.
And unless you're thick enough, you might not like it.
Granted, you get what you pay for. If you want the ability to boss people around and have a strict turn around time, then you pay for it. But for free you can swap or offer your novel to any level of reading. For "professional" services you never know what you're going to get.
And unless you're thick enough, you might not like it.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
Find a graduate student at the college closest you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
They'll do a great job for you.
They'll do a great job for you.
Read one of the best stories by Borges.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
Disspelling common misconceptions;
When to engage a critiquer; prior to submission for publication consideration.
When to engage a copyeditor; when a manuscript is ready for submission, prior to typesetting or publication layout and design.
When to engage a proofreader; after typesetting or publication layout when a galley proof copy is available. Reading a proof print for accurate typesetting.
Critiquing is an ongoing process.
Copyediting is a last pass process before presenting a manuscript for production publication.
Proofreading is a last pass process for verifying accurate typesetting of a finished publication product prior to production printing.
When to engage a critiquer; prior to submission for publication consideration.
When to engage a copyeditor; when a manuscript is ready for submission, prior to typesetting or publication layout and design.
When to engage a proofreader; after typesetting or publication layout when a galley proof copy is available. Reading a proof print for accurate typesetting.
Critiquing is an ongoing process.
Copyediting is a last pass process before presenting a manuscript for production publication.
Proofreading is a last pass process for verifying accurate typesetting of a finished publication product prior to production printing.
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Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
You owe me fifty cents.steve wrote:Find a graduate student at the college closest to you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
They'll do a great job for you.
Sorry, Steve, I couldn't resist. :)
- Truth and Fiction
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Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
If this person went through and not only proofread for you, but also offered critiques, I don't think you overpaid at all. I wouldn't do that kind of work for only $25/hour. (Esp. when you consider the tax issues for a contract/self-employed worker). I think many people charge by the page, which would eliminate the hourly rate problem.
I also happen to think most writers are better of doing this themselves. We all should be able to proofread/edit our work at least fairly well. I understand, though, that in certain cases, you just want to pay to have someone clean it up.
I also happen to think most writers are better of doing this themselves. We all should be able to proofread/edit our work at least fairly well. I understand, though, that in certain cases, you just want to pay to have someone clean it up.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
You get two cigarettes.Down the well wrote:You owe me fifty cents.steve wrote:Find a graduate student at the college closest to you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
They'll do a great job for you.
Sorry, Steve, I couldn't resist. :)
Read one of the best stories by Borges.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
Thanks folks!
Thanks for clearing that up polymath. Looks like a critiquer and a light copyeditor is what I am looking for. May be I might end up using your services for light copyediting.When to engage a critiquer; prior to submission for publication consideration.
When to engage a copyeditor; when a manuscript is ready for submission, prior to typesetting or publication layout and design.
When to engage a proofreader; after typesetting or publication layout when a galley proof copy is available. Reading a proof print for accurate typesetting.
LOL..Down the well. Well done on earning 2 cigarettes from Steve!steve wrote:Find a graduate student at the college closest to you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
They'll do a great job for you.
Down the well: You owe me fifty cents.
sierramcconnell wrote:You shouldn't have to pay anyone anything. There are plenty of people out there that offer services for free.
Thanks for the suggestion: Steve and Sierrasteve wrote:Find a graduate student at the college closest you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
I wonder if Truth and Fiction will give me 50 cents for this :) ...sorry T&F I couldn't help it :)truth and fiction wrote:I also happen to think most writers are better of off doing this themselves. We all should be able to proofread/edit our work at least fairly well.
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
Cool, kans_007. My copyeditor turn, may be: might be, maybe: perhaps. My handmade smokes only cost a nickel a piece though. Not the quarter for readymades many U.S. consumers pay. So that's gonna cost you a dime, payable forward to other writers.kans_007 wrote:Thanks for clearing that up polymath. Looks like a critiquer and a light copyeditor is what I am looking for. May be Maybe I might end up using your services for light copyediting.
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- Truth and Fiction
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Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
It was a test! A test! Lucky for you, you passed.kans_007 wrote: I wonder if Truth and Fiction will give me 50 cents for this :) ...sorry T&F I couldn't help it :)
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
The 'astounding fees' cover more than proofreading, and I can tell you that the good ones are worth more than they charge by far, even at $2000+ a ms.Down the well wrote:I've never paid anyone anything.
There are legitimate editors that charge astounding fees to review a ms, but I've never felt the cost was worth it. JMO.
There's no reason proofreading should cost anything, though. You can find crit partners in a variety of places who will do it for free, in exchange for you looking at their work. People just need to be straight about what kind of things they want their crit partner to focus on.
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/
Re: How much do you pay for getting your manuscript proofread?
Leaving out the 'to' is common in certain regions, including the UK, so I would consider that style rather than error. That will be $2800. :)Down the well wrote:You owe me fifty cents.steve wrote:Find a graduate student at the college closest to you and buy them a sandwich and a pack of cigarettes.
They'll do a great job for you.
Sorry, Steve, I couldn't resist. :)
Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and hot Norse elves. http://margolerwill.blogspot.com/
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