February 2, 2026

Hey, folks!

Last week, I talked about how it’s worth hiring a human editor when generative AI exists. But I also mentioned that I understand the temptation, since self-publishing isn’t always cheap. That said, some parts of it shouldn’t be cheap, and editing is one of them.

Know going into this that plenty of editors (including me!) are happy to discuss a payment plan that works for both parties, or to find ways to trim costs. The latter could look like focusing solely on one character’s arc, on one section of a poetry collection, foregoing line edits and only doing copy edits, doing a single pass instead of two, etc. So there are ways to make it work!

But here’s why editing with a freelance editor deserves to be priced the way it is:

1. We’re not just editing your words

We’re researching, creating editorial letters and style sheets, reading through your project generally twice and in-depth (proofreading may just be once, but it’s still time-consuming), invoicing, marketing, learning, etc. Freelance editors are either solo businesses – which means they’re the editor, the finance director, the legal team, the marketing department, the professional development coordinator, etc. – or are running a small business, in which case, they have employee salaries to pay. Our client income covers all of those costs!

2. We offer skills, opinions, and experience that non-editors (and AI) can’t provide

The reason you pay for an experienced electrician is the same reason you pay for professional edits. You could do them yourself, or you could hire a cheap-yet-questionable option, but the professional with the training behind them is the one who will do the most lasting job.

Because much like going for the super cheap electrician, going with a super cheap editor may result in you needing to hire another, more expensive one in order to get the results you wanted in the first place.

3. This is our livelihood

A lot of us do this full-time. We deserve to make a living wage as much as the next person. (And those working part-time deserve a standard wage just as much.) You wouldn’t expect a Big 5 full-time editor to make pennies for their hard work – why expect differently for a freelance editor?

Now, cheap editing is a thing,

but make sure you know why it’s cheap. Is the editor new and working to build up their portfolio? Are they holding a temporary sale? Or do they think by charging way less they’ll get more clients? The first two are common enough; the third devalues editors’ time and skills (and usually comes with a questionably fast turnaround time).

Make sure to check out the end of last week’s blog post for how to avoid falling prey to an editing scam. Cheap editing isn’t an automatic red flag, but it could be, so make sure you know what you’re getting into ahead of time!

Looking to hire?

I’m happy to create a payment plan that works for both of us, or to discuss ways to lower costs like those discussed above. Go ahead and fill out my contact form or send me your questions at kailadesjardinsediting@gmail.com!