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@snapper

The fee an editor will charge depends upon whether the service you need is a proofread or a line edit/copyedit. A proofreader corrects typos and grammar/spelling/punctuation errors only. A line editor fixes some mistakes, as well as polishes your sentences, suggests stronger word choices, flags inconsistencies, and tightens the text. Rates vary widely, and some editors charge per word (like me) while others charge per hour. But a qualified professional editor will usually charge in the ballpark of $15+ an hour (or $0.006+ per word) for a proofread and $25+ an hour (or $0.01+ per word) for a line edit/copyedit. Here’s a chart that lists the common rates for editing services: https://www.the-efa.org/rates/

How far in advance you need to query depends upon the editor’s schedule and how in-demand they are. Editors can be booked anywhere from two weeks to three months out.

A couple tips for when you’re evaluating an editor:

1. Pay attention to their experience level. Have they received any formal training? Have they been editing for at least two years? Are they familiar with the industry-standard style guides (The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition and The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, 4th edition)? Have they worked with publishers? Are they part of a professional editors’ organization (like The Christian PEN or Editorial Freelancers Association)? If the answer is no to all or most of those questions, I’d recommend searching elsewhere.
2. If you’re wanting a line edit, request a sample edit of your book’s first couple pages to see whether the editor’s style is a good fit for you. Many editors offer a free sample edit (I do) to people who are interested in hiring them. Editors, like writers, have unique voices and personalities, so you need to make sure their stylistic changes and manner of communicating suit what you’re looking for, because you’re going to be a team. 🙂

I hope that’s helpful!