Frequently Asked Questions About Editing

If my book gets published, won't the publisher edit it?
Yes, they will, but nowadays it is extremely difficult to get an unsolicited manuscript published unless your work is exceptionally good and highly marketable, or you're very, very lucky. If your book is one of the lucky few to be accepted for publication, then, yes, the publisher will put it through the editorial process. However, having to make substantial edits to a manuscript, rework sections, or add or remove chapters or dialogue is costly. Like all publishers, they'll want to minimize their costs, and having to carry out substantive edits might just give them the excuse not to publish your story. Even if you have a scintillating tale to tell, a suspense-laden plot or wonderful, lovable characters, if you also have grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors, plot loopholes or other issues, they could be enough to send you straight back to the slushpile.

Having your manuscript professionally edited before you submit it to a publisher can help place your manuscript one step ahead of unedited, unsolicited manuscripts.

How much does editing cost?
The cost of having your manuscript edited depends on a number of factors:
— the length of the manuscript;
— the quality of the writing;
— whether any structural editing or reworking is necessary;
— the style of the writing (for instance, is it all written in American English but for an Australian market?);
— and the format of your manuscript.

Based on her assessment of what your manuscript needs to maximize its chances of being published, Karin will provide you with an estimation of the hours she will require and a firm quote before she begins work on your manuscript. She will also do a free-of-charge brief sample edit, of up to 1000 words of your work, so you will know exactly what to expect. Standard industry rates are between $35 to $100 per hour or between $8 and $20 per page. Karin's rates are towards the lower end of this range (depending on the amount of work required) because she appreciates that editing is a big expense and wants to be able to help as many authors achieve success as possible.

How long will editing take?
Again, the length of time it will take for your manuscript to be edited will depend on its length, layout and the overall standard of your writing. It will also depend on Karin's availability. Often she is working on a number of projects concurrently, and it may be that she has to schedule your edit in for some weeks or months ahead. When Karin provides you with a quote, she will also give you a "deadline" for the completion of the work. Karin is extremely deadline-driven with an excellent track record of delivering on time or early.

What if I want edited text changed back?
The author-editor relationship has to be a strong one, and usually does not end once the editor sends back the file or manuscript. It is natural that the author will have some queries or amendments once the file is returned. Karin Cox is happy to work with her authors to ensure they are not only happy, but delighted, with the edited manuscript. If you find there are changes you don't understand, or things you want changed back, please let Karin know; after all, there may be grammatical or other reasons for the change that you're unaware of. Karin will work closely with you to ensure you feel the manuscript is vastly improved. If you do find there is still an error in your work, the best thing to do is to alert the editor. It may be that it is not an error at all, or it may be that it is one that has slipped in during the editorial process.