First, determine the type of editing you need (developmental, copyediting, or proofreading) and your budget. Then research editors with experience in your genre. Finally, consider asking for a sample edit to evaluate their skills and approach before committing to a project.

It depends on which type of book editing your manuscript needs and how the editor charges for their services, per word or by the hour.  You can compare prices by viewing the Editorial Freelancers Association rates page.

NEK Editing offers developmental editing and proofreading services.

Developmental editors work closely with authors to assess the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, offering constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. They focus on the plot, character development, pacing, and narrative coherence

A proofreader carefully examines every word and sentence, checking for typos, grammatical mistakes, and inconsistencies in formatting.

NEK Editing uses Word’s Track Changes feature to make suggested edits and comments to the author.

Proofreading includes two rounds of revisions. Developmental editing continues for as many rounds as needed until the chapter files are finalized and delivered to the author as _FINAL.DOCX.

Edited chapters are returned to the author individually, and again once all chapters are compiled into the final version of the book.

While it’s possible to self-publish without using an editor, it can be difficult for authors to assess their work objectively. Hiring an editor can significantly improve the quality and marketability of a book. Editors help with various aspects of writing, including content, grammar, and overall readability.

Yes, traditionally published authors do use editors. While traditional publishers provide editorial support, authors often work with freelance editors before submitting their manuscript to agents or publishers.

If you’ve finished your manuscript, you should send it to beta readers to receive feedback and to answer the following questions:

1. Can readers connect with the characters?
2. Is the protagonist likable, and does the story have good pacing to keep readers engaged?

If you or your beta readers answered “no” to any of the above questions, your story may need some improvement before sending it to an editor to make sure there aren’t any grammatical errors.

In most cases, you don’t need to register your book with the Library of Congress because the moment your work is created and available to the public, it has copyright protection. However, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work, you will need to register.

You can check with the U.S. Copyright Office to copyright and register your literary work.

In the United States, the book’s ISBN does not bear any legal or copyright protection. However, some countries use the ISBN to recognize the publication as a form of copyright.

You also do not need a separate copyright for each ISBN for your book. The copyright applies to the literary work as a whole, not to specific editions or formats of the work. However, you should include the following on your copyright page:  Copyright Notice, ISBN, Rights and Permissions, Disclaimer, Edition Information, Credits, and Publisher’s Address.

There’s no set page length to publish a book.

However, publishers and publishing platforms may have minimum page requirements for paperback and hardcover books.

It’s best to consider the book’s format (paperback, hardcover, eBook), trim size, images (color vs. black and white), paper color, genre, fiction or non-fiction, and the type of book you want (novel, novella, novelette), and follow the guidelines accordingly.

Publishing companies assess the marketability of an author and their book.

They want to know if the author already has a website, email list, social media accounts, or a large fan base. They’re also looking for authors who write well and have an original story idea that meets the recommended genre word count.

Authors receive payment through advances and royalties, whether they opt for traditional or self-publishing.

Traditional Publishing
Publishers offer an advance, or lump sum, payment before a book is published, representing a payment against future royalties. Then, authors begin receiving a percentage (8%-15% for print and 25%-40% for eBooks) of the book’s sales after the book has earned out the initial advance.

Self-Publishing
Self-published authors receive royalties (ranging from 35% to 70%) per book (print or eBook) sold, depending on the platform used. However, they are not offered an advance payment since they are responsible for upfront costs for editing, cover design, and marketing.

Interior book formatting ensures a consistent design and layout of text and elements within a book’s pages, tailored to the specified trim size. It enhances visual coherence and readability while meeting professional publishing standards.

NEK Editing offers eBook, paperback, and hardcover formatting.

The cost of book formatting reflects both the complexity of the design and the time needed to accurately position key elements — such as section breaks, page numbers, chapter headings, margins, images, and blank pages — to create a professionally publish-ready product.
Since each type of book has unique formatting requirements, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Yes, NEK Editing offers book cover design when the author provides the book cover’s trim size, all images, and book cover copy.

Yes, NEK Editing offers payment options, including per chapter, per service, and monthly payments.

We accept credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.

To discuss custom payment arrangements, please get in touch with us.