Average Editing Times

Years of experience as an editor have taught me it takes years to figure out the average time it takes to edit anything. That said, I’m in agreement with the famed Amy Einsohn, author of the editor’s bible, The Copyeditor’s Handbook.

Here’s her take on average editing times: 

• Substantive, structural, or stylistic editing of a difficult text: 1 to 2 pages/hour
• Substantive, structural, or stylistic editing of a standard text: 2 to 3 pages/hour
• Copy editing a difficult text: 2 to 4 pages/hour
• Copy editing a standard text: 4 to 7 pages/hour
• Proofreading a difficult text: 4 to 6 pages/hour
• Proofreading a standard text: 6 to 9 pages/hour