At The Blue Pencils, we believe every story is unique, so is our pricing. While we aim for transparency, we understand that no two manuscripts are alike. The final quote always reflects the depth of work required, manuscript condition, and the timeline expectations.

What follows is a guide, not a rate card. You’ll always receive a custom quote based on your manuscript’s needs.

Service                                                                                                                                                                              USD Per Word

Developmental Editing                                                                                   $0.035 – $0.045                                                   

Substantive Editing                                                                                                                                                            $0.03 – $0.04

Line Editing                                                                                                                                                                       $0.025 – $0.035

Copyediting                                                                                                                                                                        $0.02 – $0.028

Proofreading–Focuses purely on surface errors before publication.             $0.012 – $0.018                     

Please Note:

• Final estimates are provided after reviewing your manuscript sample and word count.
• Heavily disorganised or unstructured drafts may attract higher rates due to the extra editorial effort required.
• We also offer custom packages for novellas, poetry, memoirs, anthologies, and series edits.
• Express/priority timelines are available at an additional charge.
• Clear upfront payment policy (advance 60%).

Not sure what you need? 📩 Contact@thebluepencils.com for a free initial consultation.