Is word count the number of total words or just the words edited?
Word count is the number of words your editor will read. If there are portions you don’t want read/edited, remove those portions from the file that you send the editor. Should you contract an editor, the word count submitted for the estimate will be compared with the word count of the document received for editing. A higher/lower word count means higher/lower cost. I received responses from two editors who gave me two different per-word prices. I like the work of the editor who quoted a higher rate, but I want the lower price offered by the other editor. Will my preferred editor match the price of another editor in the network? Not necessarily. The editors in our network work independently and are not in competition with each other. The editor you prefer may see a need for heavier editorial input, and the additional time involved would justify the higher quote. Each freelancer sets his/her own rate. As with any service, you can ask the editors about the bases for their quotes; however,
