Freelance editors: quote every manuscript from its real depth, not a guess. Free, no signup.
Presets fill typical per-1,000-word rates and pacing from published rate guides. They are editable starting points for your market, not industry standards.
Pace is where quotes die. A rough manuscript at 800 words/hour pays half as well as a clean one at 1,600. Set it for THIS manuscript, not your average.
Fast deadlines cost you other work. Common: 25% for under 2 weeks on a full book, 50% for emergency turnarounds.
Even a short job eats admin, emails, and invoicing. Set a floor so small projects stay worth it.
Compare your instinct price to the math. If the gap is big, your instinct is what needs fixing, not the quote.
Pick the editing depth preset first: Proofreading at $12 per 1,000 words and 2,750 words per hour, Copyediting at $25 and 1,500, Line editing at $35 and 1,000, or Developmental at $45 and 750. The note says these come from published rate guides and are editable starting points, not industry standards. Edit both for this manuscript, because the note warns that pace is where quotes die: a rough manuscript at 800 words per hour pays half as well as a clean one at 1,600. Enter the word count, then the adjustments card: a rush turnaround premium percent, with the note suggesting 25 percent for under two weeks on a full book and 50 percent for emergencies, plus a minimum fee per project ($75 default) so short jobs stay worth the admin. Set your bar: the minimum dollars per hour you will work for ($40 default). Results show the per-word quote, rush premium, estimated editing hours, effective hourly rate, and a PRICED RIGHT, CLOSE BUT LEAKING, or UNDERPRICED verdict naming the exact per-1,000-word rate to hit your bar. The gut check card compares what you would have quoted to the math and shows the money left on the table.
Example only, not typical pricing. Load the Copyediting preset against a $40 bar: 80,000 words at $25 per 1,000 words gives a $2,000 quote, and 80,000 words divided by 1,500 words per hour gives 53.3 estimated hours, so the effective rate is $37.50 per hour: CLOSE, BUT LEAKING, and the verdict says charge $27 per 1,000 words to hit the bar. A rough manuscript at 800 words per hour takes 100 hours, dropping the effective rate to $20 per hour: UNDERPRICED, needing $50 per 1,000 words. A gut quote of $1,200 shows $800 left on the table, paying only $22.50 per hour.
**Why does the tool quote in per-1,000-word rates instead of a flat fee?**
Because manuscript quotes scale with length. The per-1,000-word rate times the thousands of words gives the base quote, and the rush premium and minimum fee layer on top of that.
**What pace should I enter for a new client?**
Your pace for this manuscript's condition, not your career average. The note warns that a rough manuscript halves the effective rate, which is exactly the scenario the tool is built to catch.
**How does the minimum fee work?**
The quote is the higher of the computed price and the minimum fee, which defaults to $75. Small jobs floor at that number so admin, emails, and invoicing stay paid.
**What does the gut check show?**
The difference between the math quote and what you would have charged. It shows the money left on the table and the hourly rate your instinct price would actually have paid.
**Are the preset rates official industry rates?**
No. The note says they come from published rate guides and are editable starting points for your market. Set your own numbers and the footer says rates vary by market and genre.