@Fretum: You nailed something there. The expectation of free help for a deeply human, skilled process like editing says a lot about how people misunderstand books. It’s not just “typing well,” it’s shaping meaning. That line about paying either before or after? Perfectly said. What’s your own experience been so far – more with self-pub or traditional? And have you ever collaborated with an editor who really got your work from the first draft?
I don't think it's just about books, that also shows the attitude nowadays. People often believe they are entitled to everything. They don't want to do anything for it, and of course they don't pay for it or pay as little as possible. But of course they do take the benefits, they are supposedly entitled to them.
People don't see or don't want to see the work behind a success. It's often a long and rocky road. But others don't get to see all the setbacks and all the work. As a result, many people assume it's easy.
I have published many articles in connection with my work, but you can't compare that with a novel. It's a completely different process. I no longer have to worry about a publisher. People come to me and want an article on a certain topic. The process is completely different in the academic field.