The Joys of Editing

Originally posted on Christine Plouvier, Novelist:

Writing gurus repeatedly issue august pronouncements, such as, “Professional editing is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.” The perception seems to be that “Indie Author” means “Independently wealthy but foolishly stingy dilettante scribbler.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

The going rate for editing is 1½ to 2 cents (that’s $0.015 to $0.02 USD) per word, paid in advance. Depending on whose counter is used, IrishFirebrands clocks in at 196,131 to 199,230 words. Anyone can do the math, even without a calculator. The editing fee would be on top of three years of writing labor without pay (plus research expenses); and, mind you, this is for a service that bears the caveat that no guarantee or warranty will be made as to the subsequent merchantability of the manuscript.

This writer happens to be a pensioner who is living far below the poverty line, so hiring an editor would…

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