Do You Need to Hire an Editor Before Self-Publishing on KDP?

No self-publishing platform requires you to hire an editor before publishing, but skipping professional editing is one of the most common reasons self-published books receive negative reviews. Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital all expect finished, polished manuscripts; none of them will edit your work for you, and all three enforce quality thresholds that can penalize books with excessive errors.

What Do KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital Actually Require?

None of these platforms require proof of professional editing. However, each one enforces quality standards that can affect your book’s visibility and your account status.

Amazon KDP runs an automated quality assurance system that flags manuscripts with a high density of errors. According to industry sources, KDP’s system can trigger a warning when an average-sized novel (around 3,000 Kindle locations) contains roughly 10 to 15 typos. That translates to an error threshold of about 0.3% to 0.5%. Books flagged for quality issues may receive a warning banner on their product page or be suppressed from search results.

IngramSpark takes a stricter stance. Their Catalog Integrity Guidelines explicitly state that they expect print-ready files and will not perform editorial work. Repeated quality violations can result in account suspension. Draft2Digital similarly requires a complete and edited manuscript before publishing and does not offer editing services, though they do provide formatting conversion tools.

The practical upshot: while no platform will reject your book solely because it was not professionally edited, all three have mechanisms that penalize poor quality after the fact.

What Are the Different Types of Editing?

There are four distinct levels of editing, and each one catches different problems. Understanding the differences helps you decide which services your manuscript actually needs. For a detailed breakdown, see our post on developmental editing vs. copy editing vs. proofreading.

Developmental editing addresses the big-picture structure of your book: plot, pacing, character arcs, argument flow, and chapter organization. This is the most intensive (and expensive) level. It is most relevant for fiction manuscripts and narrative nonfiction where structural issues could undermine the entire book.

Line editing focuses on prose quality at the sentence level: word choice, rhythm, clarity, and tone. A line editor rewrites awkward passages and tightens verbose sections without changing the overall structure.

Copy editing corrects grammar, punctuation, spelling, consistency (character names, timeline details), and adherence to a style guide. A copy editor ensures the manuscript follows a consistent internal logic. To see what this process looks like in practice, read our guide on what a copy editor actually does to your manuscript.

Proofreading is the final pass before publication. A proofreader catches residual typos, formatting errors, and minor inconsistencies that slipped through earlier rounds. This is the minimum level of professional editing most authors should consider.

How Many Errors Does an Unedited Manuscript Typically Have?

Even professional proofreaders do not catch every error. Research on proofreading accuracy shows that professional proofreaders catch an average of 81% of nonword errors (spacing, punctuation, misspellings) and about 66% of word errors (incorrect but real words, like “form” instead of “from”). The maximum human catch rate is approximately 95%, meaning even a professionally edited book will retain about 5% of its original errors.

The industry benchmark for an acceptable error rate in a published manuscript is roughly 3 typos per 10,000 words. For an 80,000-word novel, that means about 24 errors are considered within the normal range for a traditionally published book. An unedited manuscript, by contrast, can contain far more. One error per page (roughly 1 per 250 words) is considered an extremely high rate, but it is not uncommon in manuscripts that have only been self-reviewed.

This is worth bearing in mind: the goal of editing is not perfection. It is to bring the error rate down to a level that does not distract readers or trigger platform quality flags.

How Do Readers React to Errors in Self-Published Books?

Readers are more forgiving of the occasional typo than most authors expect; a single error rarely prompts a negative review. The problem is accumulation. When a reader encounters multiple grammatical errors, inconsistent character names, or formatting issues within the first few chapters, trust erodes quickly.

Poor editing is frequently cited as one of the primary markers that distinguish self-published books from traditionally published ones. For authors concerned about this perception, our post on how to make a self-published book not look self-published covers the full range of production quality factors, with editing at the top of the list.

Negative reviews mentioning errors are particularly damaging because they are specific and verifiable. A reviewer who writes “this book has typos on nearly every page” gives future buyers a concrete reason to pass. Unlike subjective criticism of plot or style, quality complaints are difficult to counter.

What Does Professional Editing Cost?

Professional editing rates are typically quoted per word. As of 2026, the general ranges are as follows:

• Developmental editing: $0.026 to $0.053 per word. For an 80,000-word novel, that is roughly $2,080 to $4,240.
• Copy editing: $0.020 to $0.032 per word, or approximately $1,600 to $2,560 for an 80,000-word manuscript.
• Proofreading: $0.014 to $0.021 per word, or about $1,120 to $1,680 for 80,000 words.

These costs are significant for indie authors, which is why the decision about which level of editing to invest in matters. Not every manuscript needs all four levels. A well-structured novel by an experienced author might only need copy editing and proofreading. A first-time author’s debut might benefit from the full sequence starting with developmental editing.

How to Decide Which Level of Editing Your Book Needs

The answer depends on the manuscript itself, your experience level, and your budget. Here is a practical way to think through it.

Start by getting feedback from beta readers or a critique partner before spending money on professional editing. Beta readers can identify structural problems (pacing, confusing plot points, flat characters) that would otherwise require an expensive developmental edit to surface. If beta readers consistently flag structural issues, a developmental edit is worth the investment. If the structure holds but the prose needs polish, line editing or copy editing is the priority.

At minimum, every manuscript benefits from professional proofreading. Self-proofreading is unreliable because your brain auto-corrects errors in text you have written and revised repeatedly. A professional proofreader with fresh eyes will catch errors you have read past dozens of times. If your budget allows only one paid editing service, proofreading is the most cost-effective choice for reducing the error rate below the threshold where readers and platform algorithms notice.

One practical approach for budget-conscious authors: invest in copy editing (which includes most of what proofreading covers) and use a style sheet to maintain consistency throughout the revision process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Amazon reject my book if it has not been professionally edited?

Amazon KDP will not reject a book solely for lacking professional editing. However, KDP’s automated quality system flags manuscripts with high error densities, and books that receive quality warnings may display a notice on their product page or be suppressed in search results.

Can I use AI tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid instead of hiring an editor?

AI grammar tools are useful for catching surface-level errors in spelling, punctuation, and basic grammar. They are not a replacement for professional editing. They cannot evaluate narrative structure, identify inconsistencies in plot or character, or make the nuanced prose decisions a human editor makes. Use them as a supplement before sending your manuscript to an editor, not as a substitute.

How do I find a reputable editor for my self-published book?

Start with professional directories such as the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) or Reedsy’s marketplace, where editors are vetted and reviewed. Always request a sample edit (most editors will edit 1,000 to 2,000 words for free or a small fee) before committing to a full manuscript. Check references and look for editors who specialize in your genre.

Is it worth hiring an editor for a short book or novella?

Yes. Per-word rates mean that editing a 30,000-word novella costs proportionally less than an 80,000-word novel. Proofreading a novella might cost $420 to $630 at typical rates. Readers judge short books by the same quality standards as longer ones, and a novella with frequent errors will receive the same negative reviews.

Should I get my book edited before or after formatting?

Always complete all editing before final formatting. Making text changes after a book has been formatted for print or ebook can introduce new errors and require reformatting. The standard workflow is: write, revise, edit (all rounds), then format for publication.

Hiring an editor before self-publishing is not technically required by any platform, but it is one of the most reliable investments an indie author can make in the quality and reception of their book. The level of editing you need depends on your manuscript, your experience, and your budget; at minimum, professional proofreading is worth the cost for virtually every self-published title.