How do I Establish Fees as an Editor?
I recently got offered a position editing novels and anthologies. It's nothing full-time, just something I can do while going to school. My question is how do I establish my fees? Do I charge by the page, by the hour, or what? I am at a loss and your help would be greatly appreciated.
Comments
Most editors charge by the page (assuming a standard page size, type size, and double spacing) or by the hour.
An average speed for copy editing straight text is about 6-8 pages/hour, and most copy editors I've worked with have been paid between $20-25/hour.
Since you are just starting out, you might want to go to something like $18-19/hour, since you will be a little slower and perhaps not catch as much as a more experienced editor.
You can also ask whoever has offered you the job if they have a standard way they like to be charged or a standard rate. Some publishers or even individuals will suggest a flat rate. You should only agree to this after you've seen a good-sized chunk of the book, so you can estimate how much editing it needs.
It would seem that the only fair way to bill would be by word count. Some pages may only have a few sentences while others are full. By the hour leaves the cost up in the air and could scare off some clients or lead to trouble if someone feels that the project could have been done quicker. By the word is fair to both parties and it establishes the cost at the outset.
First of all, never set a fee before seeing a sample of the text. The text may be riddled with errors, in which case you'd want to charge more.
Also, be sure to establish if this is a copyediting, fact-checking, or proof reading gig, or all of the above. The more you are expected to do, the higher your fee should be.
I recommend a per-page cost. If you are just proof reading, and the text doesn't seem to have too many problems, perhaps $1/page is appropriate. Increase your price from there as you deem necessary.
I hope this helps.
Good luck.
My editor does it by word count