The value of a good editor for your book cannot be overstated. An editor doesn’t just provide constructive feedback at the language level – a good editor can transform a book. Shape a book into its best self. One excellent example is Tay Hohoff, who worked closely with Harper Lee for over three years. The outcome was “To Kill a Mockingbird” as we know it.

Editors should top any writer’s to-do list after their Manuscript is done.

In this article, we take a closer look at editing and share a list of book editors in India for both fiction and non-fiction.

Who is a Book Editor?

Book Editors work on your manuscript in terms of different aspects like storyline, plot, characters, narrative, dialogues, language, and grammar of your manuscript. They polish your manuscript to make it publishing-ready.

Why should you work with an editor?

With the availability of online apps and sites like Grammarly, one might argue the need to hire an editor. However, working with an expert can never be compared to working with an app.  Any app or site comes with its own limitation when it comes to language, local words/names, and grammar. For e.g., While color is right in American English, it is incorrect in British English.

Any app/ website might not be able to detect the localized words for food, dressing habits, traditions, and culture which are extremely important when you are writing a story set in India. Most importantly, all apps cannot deliver 100% accuracy of being error-free. Furthermore, apps cannot look at things like structure and flow – they can only give feedback at the language and grammar level. For structure and flow, you need an editor competent enough to do structural editing.

Moreover, writing can be extremely lonely at times. Having an editor with you also means having a person by your side, who can be your sounding board, agony aunt, friend, confidante and your 3 am the go-to person for anything and everything that is writerly. Of course, that is what friends and family are for, but professionals are professionals. The value and expertise they bring along cannot be quantified in words.

What are the different types of editing?

Usually, book editors in India provide the following editing services:

• Structural Editing/ Developmental Editing

In developmental editing service, the editor usually analyses the manuscript based on various aspects of novel writing which includes the theme, characters, genre/sub-genre, etc. for fiction while for non-fiction it will be analyzed on clarity and consistency. The core focus here is more on the plot and the narrative.

• Line Editing

This involves correcting &/or improving the consistency, tone, and style. In this, the editor works on the grammar of the manuscript along with spelling and punctuation. Here the focus is on the language.

• Proof-reading

The final step in editing, includes a thorough check for any inconsistencies, spacing issues, spelling mistakes, typos, and grammatical errors that might have got missed out till now. This step is to ensure the manuscript is error-free and ready for publishing.

List of Manuscript Editors in India for Fiction, Nonfiction & Academic writing

Akanksha Purohit

• Email id: puroaaks@gmail.com
• Location: Ahmedabad
• Background: Currently working as Corporate Communication Manager, I have over 7 years of experience in content writing for different genres. I hold a master’s degree in English Literature from Mumbai University. I am a voracious reader and love to write.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental EditingI prefer fiction and narrative, but have been writing technical, web, and marketing content for bread and butter.
• Preferred genres: Fiction, Romance, Sci-fi
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience: Less than 2 years

Ganesh Vancheeswaran

• Email id:thewholehog@gmail.com
• Website: www.ganeshv.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ganesh-vancheeswaran-communicationspecialist/Bangalore
• Background: Author of the popular book “The Underage CEOs”, published by Harper Collins; editor of books, blogs and articles; independent journalist for national and international publications; lover of languages. I work with knowledge, skill and empathy.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental EditingAll fiction & non-fiction, including anthologies, essays, and business/professional books.
• Preferred genres: No particular preference; I am equally open to all genres and topics.
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch, Coaching on book writing
• Experience: 2-5 years

Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma

• Email id: sharma050309@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Cover To Cover Writing Studio
• Website: www.samarpita.in
• Location: Bhopal, India
• Background: Ex-journalist, full-time freelance writer, and manuscript editor since 2009, interviews on print, digital, and the radio. Also won acclaim for editing work from UNV.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, self-help, memoirs Everything except sci-fi and fantasy.
• Other services offered: Cover design, Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Book Marketing, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch, author website, logo design
• Experience:10-15 years

Venkataraman Anantharaman

• Email id: avenkat1964@gmail.com  
• Name of the Firm (if any): The Art of Copyediting
• Website: https://theartofcopyediting.com
• Location: Chennai
• Background: I provide copyediting training (academic copyediting, to both individuals and companies). I have been in this field for 25 years, and have worked at Aptara (Delhi), Cenveo Publisher Services India (KGL, Chennai, and Mumbai), SPi (Chennai), and S4Carlisle Publishing Services (Chennai), among others. Over the years, I have been a copyeditor, manager, and director of editorial programs. I was the only Asian speaker at Editing Goes Global, the first international conference for editors, held by Editors Canada in Toronto, Canada in June 2015. I founded The Art of Copyediting in 2018, and offer about 25 courses on copyediting—something not offered by any organization or university in the world.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing
• Preferred genres: No. I deal only with academic editing.
• Experience: More than 15 years

Jehanara Wasi

• Email id: jehanarawasi@gmail.com
• Podcast Interview: Hear Me Out: Jehanara Wasi (gcaffe.com)
• Location: Ghaziabad
• Background: Senior book editor with several years of publishing experience
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading
• Preferred genres: Academic, literature, history, biography, visual and performing arts
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch, Transcription, translation services
• Experience: More than 20 years

Megha Dabral

• Email id: memeghadabral@gmail.com
• Location: Dehradun
• Editorial Services offered: Line Editing, Proof-reading, Narrative non-fiction, and academic
• Preferred genres: Travel, memoirs, romance, historical fiction, mythology
• Experience:5-10 years

Bhakti Mukhi

• Email – bhaktimukhi25@gmail.com
• Location – Borivali, Mumbai, India.
• Editorial Services Offered – Copyediting and Proofreading.
• Preferred Genre – Any Genre Within the Umbrella of Fiction.
• Other Services offered– Beta-reading
• Experience – 1-2 years

Richa Kapoor

• Email id: krichakapoor@gmail.com
• Location: Delhi
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing Non-fiction
• Preferred genres: Mythology, historical fiction, memoirs, travel, romance
• Experience: 10-15 years

Priya Talwar

• Email id: editorsatelier@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Editor’s Atelier
• Website: https://editorsatelier.com
• Location: Delhi
• Background: Former commissioning editor, Rupa Publications, Priya Talwar is an independent writer and editor with almost 10 years of experience. She helps authors develop their ideas into credible stories.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: All trade genres except science fiction, fantasy fiction, and poetry.Autobiography, biography, Memoir, anthology, management, leadership, self-help, parenting, spirituality
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch, Anthology_006 is a 6-month program with an aim to create your best anthology in just 6 months, Four by Fifty helps submit your best work in 4 months with 101 support and more!
• Experience: 5-10 years

Gita Mohan

• Email id:drgitamohan@gmail.com
• Location: Goa
• Background: Since 2011, I’ve edited over 250 full-length Humanities book manuscripts. I’ve worked as a Tech editor for HPE for 2.5 years. I have a Ph.D. from the UK.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: No STM. Everything else is fine!
• Other services offered: I also teach and conduct workshops. I take on French to English translations.
• Experience: 5-10 years

Neetu Ralhan

• Email id:neeturlhn@gmail.com
• Location: Gurgaon
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading
• Preferred genres: Creative non-fiction, poetry, children’s fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences Travel, memoirs
• Other services offered: Beta Reading
• Experience:5-10 years

Nivedita

• Email id:niveyarao@gmail.com
• Location: Hyderabad
• Editorial Services offered: Editing
• Preferred genres:  Poetry and Articles
• Experience:5-10 years

Debalina Roy

• Email id: debalinar520@gmail.com
• Location: Kolkata
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading
• Preferred genres: Open to all types of writing
• Other Services offered: Ghostwriting, Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch, and Translation. English and Hindi vice versa
• Experience:2-5 years

Inkerspress

• Email id: inkerspress@gmail.com
• Website: https://inkerspress.com/
• Background: Inkerspress is a Literary Consultancy firm based in Bilaspur. We are a group of professional editors, ghostwriters, and translators who are willing to make your dream of writing a book truly. We have a specialized team for your distinctive requirements. We have been working on fiction, nonfiction, educational, Academic, and research proposals for over a decade. Apart from editorial services, Inkerspress also offers a range of book marketing strategies. We have worked with many established authors in the past and would like to continue doing a good job on our part.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line To Line Editing, Comprehensive Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: All genres (Included – Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Research journals, Medical writing, Academic writing, and, formatting.)
• Other services offered: Translation, Ghostwriting, Book Marketing, and Content Writing.
• Experience: More than 25 years

Dagny Sol

• Email id: dagny@dagnysol.com
• Website: https://dagnysol.com
• Background: I edit all genres of fiction except horror. In non-fiction, manuscripts which address self-help issues are most welcome. The other genres of non-fiction might be a little iffy, or not. Poetry is not my thing at all, apologies to the poets.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental Editing – Fiction, narrative non-fiction, non-fiction
• Preferred genres: 1. Historical Fiction 2. Mythology  3. Memoirs  4. Romance  5. Sci-fi  6. Travel
• Other services offered: Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch, Author Coaching
• Experience: 5-10 years

Inderpreet Kaur Uppal

• Email id: inderpreetedits@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Eloquent Articulation
• Website: www.inderpreetuppal.com
• Location: India
• Background: I have been editing since June 2014. My focus is on your requirements, making your author voice shine, and tightening your story.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres:Fiction / narrative non-fiction-  Romance | Fiction | Historical | Memoirs| Mythology
• Other services offered: Manuscript Appraisal
• Experience:5-10 years

Urbi Bhaduri

• Email id: urbi07@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Maps for Lost Writers
• Background: No website, but an article published recently in Scroll talks about a new project I started during the pandemic: https://scroll.in/article/970811/one-writer-has-taken-an-initiative-to-help-her-peers-fight-a-creative-block-during-the-pandemic I’ve consulted with publishing houses (like Om Books International) and non-profits (like PRADAN and the GFA group).  don’t work full-time as an editor. The article in Scroll (above) might give you an idea of the other kinds of things I also do.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental EditingPublications by nonprofits,
• Preferred genres: fiction & non-fiction- Novels |Short stories | Self-help, spirituality, and productivity |Memoirs
• Experience: More than 15 years

Dr. Neha Neharika

• Email id:nehaneharika88@gmail.com
• Location: Lucknow
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Academic
• Experience: 2-5 years

Tara Khandelwal

• Email id: tarakhandelwal489@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Bound
• Website: www.boundindia.com, www.tarakhandelwal.com
• Location: Mumbai
• Background: Columbia Publishing Course, Penguin, Writers’ Side, Freelancer with Bloomsbury, Hachette, Rupa, Pan Macmillan, individual clients.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir1. Literary fiction, biographies and autobiographies, business books, argument-based non-fiction, historical fiction, crime and thriller, mythology
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience: 5-10 years

Namrata

• Email id: contact@keemiyacreatives.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Keemiya Creatives
• Website: https://keemiyacreatives.com
• Location: Mumbai
• Background: Keemiya Creatives is a Literary Consultancy firm based in Mumbai where we work with authors to shape their thoughts into books. We offer services in both pre-publishing and post-publishing categories. Our customized marketing plans have made quite a few Amazon bestsellers.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction-  Narrative Non-fiction – Non-fiction –  Romance and Romcom | Women’s Writing | Drama | Spirituality | Suspense/ Thrillers/ Murder Mystery/ Crime Thrillers
• Other services offered: Cover design, Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Book Marketing, Research, Synopsis Writing , Blurb writing and pitch, Alpha Reading, mentoring, and publishing.
• Experience: 5-10 years

Manali Desai

• Email id: manali1988@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): A Rustic Mind
• Website:arusticmind.com
• Location: Mumbai
• Background: Author of 3 solo books and 2 anthology books. Editor of one book. Freelance content writer and blogger
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: All- 1. Romance 2. Historical Fiction 3. Travel 4. Mythology 5. Memoirs
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Book Marketing, Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch
• Experience: 2-5 years

Sanjay Sethi

• Email id: ssethi@rootsandshoots.co.in
• Name of the Firm (if any): Matrix Publishing Group
• Website:https://matrixpublishers.org/
• Location: New Delhi
• Background: India’s Most Trusted Consultant, Content Creator & Custom Publisher of Customised, Limited Edition & Coffee Table Books
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: All genres- Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Coffee Table
• Other services offered: Cover design, Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch, Custom Publishing
• Experience: More than 15 years

MJ Neela

• Email id: mjneela@gmail.com
• Location: New Delhi
• Editorial Services offered: Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Feature stories, Essays, SOP
• Other services offered: Essays, Narrative non-fiction
• Experience:10-15 years

Asha kumari

• Email id: as_kum_roy@yahoo.co.in
• Location: New Delhi
• Editorial Services offered: Line Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction and nonfiction- Romance, mythology,  historical fiction
• Other services offered: Copy editing
• Experience:10-15 years

Arpita Pandey

• Email id:arpitapandey802@gmail.com
• Website:https://mytalesbook.wordpress.com
• Location: New Delhi, India
• Background: Vast writing and editing experience
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading Articles, blogs, fiction, news
• Preferred genres: Romance, Historical fiction, Memoirs, Mythology, travel
• Other services offered: Beta Reading, Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience: Less than 2 years

Harika Chris (Harika Bantupalli)

• Email id: reviseandwrap@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Revise and Wrap Editing and Design Services
• Website: www.reviseandwrap.com
• Location: Nilgiris, India
• Background: Six years of experience as an editor and an Author Coach. Member of Editors Freelance Association and American Copy Editors Society.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, narrative non-fiction-  Romance | Thrillers | Drama | Psychological Fiction | YA | Historical Fiction| Memoirs
• Other services offered: Cover design, Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch, Mentoring, Author Coaching, Critiquing
• Experience: 2-5 years

Divya Dubey

• Email id: authorzc@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): AUTHORZ CORACLE
• Website: www.authorzcoracle.com
• Location: NOIDA
• Background: Book reviewer at several well-known national and international publications
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, narrative non-fiction, mythology, romance, memoirs, travel
• Experience: More than 15 years

Deep Downer

• Email id: deep.downer@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): DD Edits Inc.
• Website: deepdowner.me
• Location: NOIDA
• Background: An author of 20 books so far, editor of more than 37, and ghostwriter of more than 20 books.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction-Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Historical, Romance, Drama
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading, Outlining
• Experience: 5-10 years

Preeta Priyamvada

• Email id: preeta.edit@gmail.com
• Location: Noida
• Background: A freelance editor for 7 years now, I have earlier worked with publishing companies for about 14 years. My last job was with Pearson as Managing Editor (Development) for Humanities, Academic, and Trade.
• Editorial Services offered: Line Editing, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Academic Memoirs, Historical fiction, Romance, Mythology, Detective, Travel
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Beta Reading
• Experience: More than 15 years

Mriga Maithel

• Email id:italscanbefun@gmail.com
• LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrigamaithel
• Background: OnlineFreelance copyeditor with Penguin Random House India, HarperCollins India, and Hachette India. MA in Communications, Doon University, Dehradun. BA (Hons) English, Hindu College, Delhi University.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, narrative non-fiction – My only preference is that the book should not have graphic descriptions of violence and crime.
• Experience: 5-10 years

Nirja Sharma

• Email id: emailnirja@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Aarahan Publishers
• Website: www.aarahanpublishers.com
• Location: Pune
• Background: CEO of Aarahan Publishers; Chief Editor of an Academic Publishing House for 10 years
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction/ Blog – Romance | Mythology| Travel | Fantasy
• Other services offered: Cover design, Beta Reading, FORMATTING, PRINTING
• Experience: 10-15 years

Srabani Bhattacharya

• Email id: srabha22@gmail.com
• Location: Pune
• Background: I have worked as an editor and translator for BEE Books for over two years. I am currently working as an editor for PaperTrue, freelancing for ROMAN Books, Half Baked Beans, and other private clients.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Academic, fiction, non-fiction, CVs, Cover Letter, SoP – Travel, Memoirs, Mythology, Romance, Historical fiction
• Other services offered: Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing and pitch, Creating pitch deck bibles
• Experience: Less than 2 years

Dola Basu Singh

• Email id: dolabsingh@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Shiuli Editing Services
• Website: www.shiuli.com
• Location: Punjab, India.
• Background: I am professionally trained in editing fiction and I’m a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, UK. Two of my clients have won the Amazon KDP Pen to Publish contest 2019 in both short- and long-form. Another client won an honorable mention in 2017 in the same contest. I have edited more than 70 books since 2015.
• Editorial Services offered: Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: Fiction, Narrative non-fiction.- Crime/Mystery/Thriller | Women’s Fiction | Romance | Own Voices | Fantasy | Horror |Short Stories/Anthologies
• Other services offered: Coaching and mentoring new authors, Story consultation.
• Experience: 5-10 years

Veena Regidi

• Email id:regidi.veena@gmail.com
• Location: Visakhapatnam
• Background: I am a Senior English Editor with a passion for the language and a keen eye for detail, good at creative writing, content writing, editing, and proofreading.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading, Developmental Editing, and everything
• Preferred genres: Nonfiction, narrative, fiction
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting
• Experience: 5-10 years

Vinita RK

• Email id: radhakrishna.vinita@gmail.com
• Location: Mumbai
• Background: I am an entrepreneur running a creative writing agency in Mumbai and I am also an author of two books published on Kindle – 3 Am Conversations and I call it love.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Proof-reading Academic, Fiction
• Preferred genres: Memoirs Travel Romance/ Thriller
• Other services offered: Ghostwriting, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience:  2-5 years

Dr.Karthik TC

• Email id:drtvkarthik@gmail.com
• Location: Hyderabad
• Background: Several books of Jaico on management- Chanakya series, finance, Penguin’s books, etc.
• Editorial Services offered: Line Editing, proofreading, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: fiction, biographies, humor, etc. memoirs, travel, personalities, etc.
• Other services offered: Research, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience: 10-15 years

Poonam Ganglani

• Email id: poonamganglani@gmail.com
• Website: www.poonamganglani.com
• Location: Chennai, India
• Background: I am an independent publishing consultant, books editor, and writer with over a decade of experience. I was the managing editor at a top publishing house in Dubai for seven years, and have worked with authors of fiction and non-fiction, both in India and the Gulf, to develop and hone their manuscripts. I have also worked with organizations to successfully execute and publish their book projects. Over the past decade, I have worked on over 100 book projects across genres, several of which have won awards at international book fairs.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental Editing
• Preferred genres: All types of fiction and non-fiction1. Memoirs and travelogues 2. Narrative non-fiction 3. Business books and self-help guides 4. Literary fiction 5. Cookbooks
• Other services offered: Beta Reading, Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch, a Publishing consultancy
• Experience: 10-15 years

Cora Bhatia

• Email id: corabhatia@gmail.com
• Name of the Firm (if any): Write Editors Hub
• Website: https://writeeditinghub.wordpress.com/Goa
• Background: I have edited about 200 books in various genres for established publishing houses and direct authors.
• Editorial Services offered: Structural Editing, Line Editing, Developmental EditingFiction and poetry
• Preferred genres: Romance, historical fiction, mythology, travel, memoirs.
• Other services offered: Synopsis Writing, Blurb writing, and pitch
• Experience: 10-15 years

Points to consider while hiring the editing services of a manuscript editor

1. Editing is charged on a per word basis and the charge varies from editor to editor. It depends on various factors ranging from the type of editing required to the experience of the editor hired for it. The usual range we discovered while working on this post was starting from .60 paise/word to Rs. 2 per word. ( As on September, 2020) Please note the charges are subject to the change taking into consideration various things like the volume of work, nature of work involved, etc.
2. You can avail all of the above editing services or any one of them depending on your requirements. The cost will vary accordingly.
3. Any manuscript can require more than one round of editing to make it error-free.
4. If required, you can always request references. Most of the editors are willing to share references of clients and books they have worked on in the past or any other testimonials of their work unless their confidentiality clause does not allow them to do so. Some have even mentioned these on their sites for easy access.

Other services for writers

*Apart from editing services, some of these editors also offer other services like ghost writing, beta reading, manuscript review, research etc. To give you a brief idea about these:

• Ghost Writing

It is like hiring someone else to write your book. When the book gets published, it is still in your name and the writer (ghost in this case) walks away with the payment you have made towards writing the book. The charges are usually based on the nature of the project, research required, word count, and delivery deadlines. The cost might also vary basis the experience of the writer hired for such services because that in turn, will also impact the quality of the writing.

• Beta Reading / Manuscript Review / Manuscript appraisal / Manuscript Assessment

In simpler words, this is nothing but a review for your book, but before it is published. Usually, beta-readers are experts in specific genres and the feedback provided by them also inspects various elements of book writing along with the salability of the book. Unlike editing services, these reports are charged on the total word count of the manuscript and have a slab rate instead of a per word charge.

• Research 

Whenever a writer embarks on a journey of writing a book that is backed by immense research, the research usually takes up a lot of time leaving little to almost no time for writing. That is one of the reasons why such books take years to release. That is where you can decrease some of your workloads by allocating the research work to someone else while you focus solely on writing your book. The cost depends on the number of hours allocated to research.

If you are just starting out with an idea, you might want to read our Beginner’s guide to writing a novel to get more clarity. While which type of publishing to opt for can be a difficult decision to make for the question – Tradition or self-publishing – in India, which is better for a first time author?  is something we hear the most. With the rise in publishing options available for writers in India, it is important to hear what a published author has to say about Amazon or Self Publishing in India.

Editing is an imperative phase of any writer’s journey to getting published. History has witnessed many successful writer-editor teams who have gone to deliver bestsellers after bestsellers. What makes a strong writer-editor team is the ability to understand each other’s needs and wants to execute them perfectly. And this can happen only over a period of time with a lot of patience and effort from both ends.

As Tim Foote says, “Everyone needs an editor!” and with this list, we believe it is just a matter of time for you to find a perfect editor for your manuscript.