Sometimes a question seems straightforward, like “How long will it take to edit my book?” but the answer can be a bit deceptive. There are a few variables to consider before you arrive at the right answer for your situation.
In this blog, we’re going to consider what different timelines might look like if you get your book edited by a professional. But if you’re interested in some steps you can take to self-edit your work before hiring a pro, take a look at these blogs for some suggestions:
“Self-Editing Checklist for Authors”
“29 Words to Cut from Your Novel”
“Self-Editing Tips: Use CTRL+H to Edit Your Novel”
If you’re thinking, “I want to hire an editor for my book, but I don’t know how long it will take,” read on!
Different Levels of Book Editing
One of the biggest factors in how long it will take when you get your book edited is the level of editing your book needs. If you are an amateur writer who is just getting started, you may not have a clear idea of what these terms mean or what the results will look like after your book has been out through that round of editing.
Please don’t expect an editor can” fix” everything in a single round. If you have questions about what is included in your editor’s services, you should ask. When you get your book edited, you should always have a clear understanding of what your editor is doing. If there is something specific you want them to do, make sure to address that with them.
Developmental Edit
A developmental edit can take several months. Many people think, “It won’t take that long to edit my book,” and sometimes it doesn’t, but if you want the ultimate package that includes feedback, direction, and coaching, you shouldn’t rush this process.
Typically a developmental edit happens when you haven’t yet finished your manuscript. Maybe you need help brainstorming or finishing the writing of certain sections. If you’ve got a plot hole you don’t know how to fix, or you’ve written everything except the conclusion, or you’re not sure about big-picture things that affect the whole book (like pacing, structure, and tone)…look at your developmental editing options.
This level of editing will help you cross the finish line if you haven’t gotten to the goal word count you’re reaching for, or it will help you cut down the manuscript to a marketable length if you’ve overshot the ideal word count for your book’s genre. Think of it like professional “workshopping,” where an experienced editor (who is often also a writer) helps with way more than just the technical elements of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Content and Structural Editing
Content editing can reasonably be expected to take a few weeks to several months, depending on the length of your manuscript and whether you provide your editor with detailed directions for what you want.
This level of editing most often happens once you’ve completed your manuscript, but often when you get your book edited with a developmental package, suggestions for the structure and content are included.
Content/structural editing focuses on the storyline and pace, organizing the chapters or sections, and ensuring continuity and cohesion. If you’re not sure if chapters are in the right order, or if you want help from an outsider’s perspective with double-checking content and organization, content editing may be the right option. A content editor may or may not also include line editing and correcting errors as part of their process, and of course, if line editing is part of the process, content editing will take a bit longer.
Line Editing
Line editing can go quickly when you hire a professional editor for your book. At SRD Editing Services, we estimate one week per 25,000 words for our line editing services, although most are completed sooner.
A line edit is what people commonly mean when they say, “I need someone to edit my book!” A line edit frequently focuses on line-by-line changes, looking at specifics of word choice, repetitive wording, in-chapter changes, and corrections to elements of style and grammar. A line edit will often include more than merely corrections to typos and grammatical errors; it can also include suggestions for improvement, although these tend to be more focused and less sweeping than what you’ll find in a developmental or content edit.
Copyediting
The least-intense, and therefore quickest, type of editing—copyediting—can typically be completed by a professional in a week for most manuscripts of 100,000 words or less. If you’re looking to get your book edited by a professional, at the very least get it copyedited, even if you skip all the other editing steps and options.
People often confuse copyediting and proofreading, so it can be helpful to be aware of the difference.
Have your book copyedited as an MS Word document before you have it converted into a PDF or epub file by a professional graphic designer. Word has several valuable features that make it easy to search for and correct grammar mistakes, spelling errors, punctuation problems, and more. Once your manuscript is turned into a PDF, making changes can often be more difficult and involve more steps/more work.
Have your book proofread after it’s turned into a PDF. Once you or a graphic designer has converted the manuscript into “what it will look like” to the consumer, you’ll want to do a final review to catch any small mistakes before the book is available to readers.
Copyediting will likely involve correcting multiple errors on a page; by the time you’re proofreading, hopefully, your manuscript will need only one correction every four or five pages.
What Other Factors Affect the Timeline to Edit My Book?
While the type of editing you choose for your manuscript will naturally affect the timeline when you hire an editor for your book, there are other factors to consider that will affect how long it takes to edit your book.
Length of the Manuscript
While it seems self-explanatory, longer manuscripts usually take longer to edit. Although it’s not quite that straightforward. While a 10K-word manuscript may take less time than a 50K-word manuscript, if the shorter one needs a more in-depth edit (like a developmental edit) and the longer one needs less editing (like a copyedit only), then the two manuscripts may take approximately the same amount of time.
Genre of Manuscript
Complex or heavily researched manuscripts will take additional time due to fact-checking, reference-checking (whether as Notes or in a Bibliography), character tracking and consistency reviews, or structural analysis. Poetry, fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction and nonfiction are some examples of genres that commonly take more time to edit.
Experience and Approach of Editor
Ask yourself: “What’s important to me when I hire an editor for my book?” Editors, like writers, have different processes. If your editor is very experienced, they may have a standardized form or set of questions to help them save time. They will likely have a specific style guide they want to use, and if you are more familiar with those standards, you can save time collectively.
Avoid an editor who claims to use AI to assist their editing. Amazon and other online publishers are now developing policies to prevent writers from uploading AI-generated materials. There is a fine line between AI-generated and AI-assisted, and mislabeling your content can result in severe penalties.
Final Thoughts on Hiring a Professional to Edit My Book?
No matter what factors influence the timeline for your book’s edit, it’s prudent to underestimate that multiple factors can affect your personal publishing goals. A professional editor can make a reasonable or general estimate, but snags can always come up during the process when you get your book edited by a pro.
Whatever timeline you and your editor agree to, it’s wise to add 10% as a cushion, especially if you have additional deadlines to meet after the edit. My book editing schedule includes extra time built in to account for the “unknown unknowns,” and I suggest you take this precaution as well. While it isn’t always necessary, clients (writers) are often happy when I plan for this extra time and end up having their edits completed ahead of schedule. Win-win.
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