Author Business
Why Editorial Work Is Priced Per Word
Marguerite Aduba, Editorial Director · · 6 min read
Word count is a proxy for hours. Here is how the arithmetic actually works.
A skilled line editor moves at roughly 1,500 to 2,500 words per hour on clean prose, and half that on a rough draft.
Per-word pricing protects both parties: you know the cost before work begins, and your editor is not penalised for reading carefully.
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