Editing articles for real estate magazine

[Cyndera]

Hi all,

I hope that this has not been discussed anywhere else ... I could not find anything specific, so if I missed it, my apologies.

I have an acquaintance who would like me to edit articles for his real estate magazine. He is talking about ~15 articles a month. This is all a bit short-notice, and he will call me tomorrow to discuss the contract ... but I have NO idea about rates. I know how editors are paid in Germany (where I come from), but I haven't really done this work here in the US ... are you guys getting paid by word/article/hour?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated, so that tomorrow when he calls he won't screw me over or I won't ask for a totally unacceptable amount.

Thanks a lot!

Best,

Aileen
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[czig]

I get paid a flat rate to edit copy for the magazine I work for. It's not at all a decent amount, but I get my name on the masthead and they pay me fairly well when I write interviews or advertorials (often real estate related), so it's not so bad. I've asked for a raise and was told there wouldn't be any raises until the economy improves.

I think a few hundred dollars would be reasonable, but I'm not getting nearly that much, so I can't honestly say! It depends on the magazine publisher's budget, how long it takes you to edit, and how bad or good the writing is.

Sorry, I didn't really answer your question. :Shrug:

[Ulee_Lhea]

Writer's Digest publishes a "What Should You Charge?" survey every year. If you've got a copy (or can get one from the library), you can see the range other pros are charging for this type of work.

Just eyeballing and old copy, magazine editors were charging a median of around $50 in 2011, which sounds about right to me.

If there's a writers' group in your area, you might also reach out and try to get a feel for what the market is bearing locally. And pricing is so tricky that it helps to have some experienced friends to check in with.

Unless the client stipulates otherwise, I usually try to quote a project fee. Figure how many hours you need and multiply by $50 (or whatever your hourly is).

[Silver King]

...Unless the client stipulates otherwise, I usually try to quote a project fee. Figure how many hours you need and multiply by $50 (or whatever your hourly is).
This is excellent advice. If you charge an hourly rate that is acceptable to you, you'll never feel underpaid.

It might help also if your acquaintance would give you sample articles that you can review before taking on the job so that you could gauge how much work the gig involves.

In addition, don't be shy to set your rates higher than what you expect to be paid. You can always negotiate down from there, but never up.