Pricing
All projects are different, and that makes it very difficult to offer set rates. I provide quotes that are tailored to each piece of work, and I use the CIEP’s suggested minimum rates to help me calculate them. Here are some fictional case studies that should give you an idea of what to expect:
Case study 1
Client: Veronica, an experienced author and self-publisher.
Project: An 80,000-word murder-mystery novel.
Brief: Veronica has already worked with a copy-editor and she’s getting ready to publish. She’d like a second pair of eyes to check for any small errors that might remain.
Deadline: There’s no set deadline but Veronica would like to receive the marked-up document within a month.
Cost: £720. Veronica pays £240 to book my time and the remaining £480 when I return the document to her.
Case study 2
Client: Henry, a teacher who writes in his spare time.
Project: A 100,000-word fantasy-fiction novel.
Brief: Henry would like a copy-editor to help him polish the manuscript and get it ready for the next step on its publishing journey. The text is in good shape.
Deadline: Henry would like the edited document back as soon as possible, but is happy to wait for quality work. I book the project in for a four-week slot, beginning at the start of the next month.
Cost: £1,200. Henry pays £400 to book my time and the remaining £800 when he receives the marked-up document.
“Working with Black Cat Editorial has been a wonderful experience! I was nervous putting my writing in the hands of another for a critique, but Hannah’s feedback and insight will certainly help me improve my stories. I also applaud her professionalism in how she conducts her business. Money well spent, thank you!”
Ashleigh Bello
Author of the Belvedor Saga
“Hannah at Black Cat Editorial Services is an outstanding copy editor. She tightened up my short story collection, High Spirits, without compromising my author’s voice. I chose Black Cat Editorial through recommendations from The Alliance of Independent Authors, and because she had an interest in the genre that I write in (speculative fiction). I requested additional services (genre and comparative author recommendations) and Hannah fulfilled all my requests. The work was completed in two weeks as promised. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”
J. T. Croft
Author of High Spirits and A House of Bells
Case study 3
Client: Suzie, a first-time author considering self-publishing.
Project: A 60,000-word sci-fi novel.
Brief: Suzie would like an editor’s advice and input on her novel but doesn’t feel her work needs a full developmental edit. I offer to provide a manuscript critique.
Deadline: Suzie is happy for me to fit this work around other projects. I agree to provide my report within a month.
Cost: £300. Suzie pays £150 to secure a slot in my schedule and the remaining £150 when she receives my report.
Case study 4
Client: Thomas, an independent author looking to launch a new book series.
Project: A 70,000-word post-apocalyptic horror novel.
Brief: Thomas would like an editor to help him identify and solve the big-picture issues in the storytelling and world-building.
Deadline: I don’t like to rush developmental editing and so we agree on a turnaround time of one month.
Cost: £700. Thomas pays £350 to secure a slot in my schedule and the remaining £350 when he receives my report and the marked-up manuscript.
Do you have a project you’d like to work with me on? Please don’t hesitate to contact me for a no-obligation quote.
Black Cat Editorial Services 