Freelance Writers, Editors, Copy Editors: How to Determine What to Charge

For freelance writers, editors, copy editors, etc., determining what to charge can be confusing. Based on my 19+ years in the editorial industry, I answer the age-old question, "What/how do I charge?" A freelancer recently wrote:

"I've recently left a staff job after a few years, and I'm now planning to stick to freelancing. But, I'm not sure of what the going rates are for writing, various types and levels of editing, proofreading, and other editorial work. I understand that different industries and types of organizations have varying rates, but can you give me any "sample ranges:" for rates to charge, i.e., hourly rates, project rates, page rates, or word rates, or tell me where I can find current rates?"

This question is too broad to answer in specific detail because pricing a job depends on so many factors: eg, breadth of assignment; type of work to be done; discipline (general, scientific, legal, etc.); field (magazine, tech firm, nonprofit, etc.); experience; etc. So, I will give a general answer.

Remember, this is a very general answer. Feel free to chime in and give the writer some feedback based on your experience.

General proofreading/copyediting rates range from a low of $15/hour to a pretty standard $35-$40/hour. Usually, the more specialized the discipline, the more you can charge for these services. Also, your experience level will count here.

I've rarely seen copyediting go beyond $50/hour though. And, that's usually for highly specialized disciplines like medical and/or technical copyediting. $35/hour is about the standard rate for general and $40 is the standard for more technical work.

Proofreading (just proofreading) usually tops out at $25/hour. The lines between proofreading and copyediting are so blurred though that most freelancers don't differentiate between the two.

Editing and writing usually start at a low of $25 hour and can go up to $75 or $100+. Again, the more specialized the discipline, the more you can charge. The lines between editing and writing can sometimes be blurred, but they usually aren't. A standard rate for editing is $40-$50/hour; for writing, most start at $45 and work their way up.

It's hard to raise rates in the editorial industry, so I always advise freelancers, especially if they have more than 5 years experience, to start with what they plan to charge for the next 3 years or so because the industry just doesn't accept too much movement in fees. Why?

Many companies have set budgets that don't increase from year to year (in fact, budgets for outside contractors are often the first to get cut when publishers feel a crunch), so what they can pay freelancers has to stay pretty stable.

One client I interviewed for an e-book on this topic noted that rates hadn't changed for copyediting at her firm in 5+ years (they were paying $25/hour). This is a well-respected financial firm that hires a lot of freelancers.

When you are working with companies, you will usually charge by the hour, or a job rate. When you are working with individuals, you might get away with a page rate, depending on what the job is. Again, this is just in my experience.

A note of caution: I would only charge a job rate if I had a lot of experience with the material at hand and knew that I could work through it pretty quickly. Most clients like job rates because they know up front what they will be paying; and, this can work in your favor if you are a fast, efficient worker.

For more info on fees, read through some of the firsthand accounts at this page: http://www.InkwellEditorial.com/industry-specific-editorial-jobs.htm. I don't know how many accounts there discuss fees, but at least you'll get an inside look at what a particular job entails.

Good luck!