Need some feedback on rates (per page)

I've just done a few press releases as a independent contractor, and I've usually charged a per job price rather than a per page price.

However, you might try checking out this copyediting listserv

http://www.copyediting-l.info/

I'm on no mail there at the moment. Its traffic is relatively high-volume, so I get off for a while when I've got assignments or I've been extra busy at my "day job"--but there are many working copyeditors and proofreaders with lots of valuable chatter there. I know they've discussed pricing issues in the past for copyediting, proofing, writing and indexing...so you might find some more specific info there.

Dahmnait, what is your background and what geographic area are you in? Also, what markets are you going to go after?

I do some business and technical editing, and would never quote a page price for that. I quote an hourly rate and give an estimate, with a maximum. I'll look at a sample of what needs to be done and say, okay, for this work I can do about 10 pages per hour and then tell them what my hourly rate is times the page count, so they have a solid estimate. Also, if I were to go through an agency that places people in these types of positions, in corporate markets, they would never quote a per page rate. For corporate markets, an agency would negotiate an hourly rate for the technical writer/editor.

A freelancer might do a flat rate for writing an article. I just did a trade journal article for a company that pays a flat rate for articles, so that was a different kind of thing. But I don't think that's what your talking about.

Some fiction editors charge by the page, some by the whole manuscript, some by the hour.

Can you share a little more info, so folks might be able to help you better?

I'm a contract technical writer and editor in the software industry. I currently charge a per diem rate, and in the past have charged per hour. I have a friend who charges per project, and that rate is based on time and level of expertise required. I haven't heard of technical or business writers billing per page so I wouldn't know what to say about that. My per diem is generally about $260 to $310 (Canadian).

Your rates are too low

They don't take into account whether a page has 200 words or 500 words, which obviously would make a difference in the amount of time it takes you to complete. I'd recommend doubling or tripling your rate, if the market would bear it. Otherwise, I'd stick to an hourly rate -- and increase it significantly from your $30 per hour current rate. You're worth more than that, and your customers know it.

Hi,

I have a home based business that offers administrative services, i.e. word processing, editing/revising, proofreading. I think your rates are on the low side (mine are on the low side and I charge more than your quotes). For typing--single space is $7, double is $5; proofreading, editing, research, etc is an hourly rate of $40. Your hourly rate should be based on your experience and expertise; it go anywhere from $10/hr. to $150 or higher. Check the market to see what others are charging and getting. Good luck!
Wendy

Read "The Well Fed Writer"

If you haven't come it across already, check out Peter Bowerman's "The Well Fed Writer." It's been an enormous help to me as a freelance commercial writer, both in terms of offering concrete tips and to-do's as well as just providing an overall sense of "you can do it" confidence and reassurance. I know it's difficult to set rates sometimes; you can't ever know with absolute certainty what the "going rate" is without canvassing hundreds of people -- who may or may not be candid about what they charge. Find someone you trust locally who can offer good guidance on that, is my best advice. And then add $10 to $15 to that.

I am a freelance copywriter, and I have to say there is no one set rule, even for my clients. I may go hourly, or flat fee. It depends on the client, their preferences and the scope of the project. I don't discuss rates with a client in an initial cover letter, unless their ad requests that information, nor do I list rates on my website. And if a client wants to go hourly, I use the same hourly rate for that client, regardless of whether it's a brochure, website, or press release I'm doing. If a client wants a flat fee, then I ask questions such as the number of pages, target audience, type of material, etc. I work up an estimate in my mind and quote accordingly. I always stay flexible with the client, saying that while I prefer working on an hourly, I'm happy to work on a flat fee basis. I have one client for which I do both, setting flat fee for brochures and websites and hourly for letters of any type, but I don't differentiate between sales letters, followup letters, email letters, etc.

Both hourly and flat fee have their advantages/disadvantages. With an hourly, you're paid for every minute you put into it, but you also really have to watch how much time you're billing and keep the client's budget in mind without necessarily KNOWING his budget AND you still have to provide the best product possible. So you may find yourself cutting your tab, if you go over what you led the client to believe it might run. As for a fixed fee, you may end up spending much more time than anticipated and shortchange yourself that way. On the other hand, the client knows what he's getting and isn't surprised by anything.

It's a juggling act, but I've never had a problem. Getting to know your clients and how efficient you are (or aren't) is key, and both will improve over time with experience, both from the accounting and writing end of the business.

I'm now facing the challenge of quoting a fixed price for a client I've always done work for hourly. He wants me to edit a book, and I fear I'll overcharge him if I go hourly, because it may take more hours than he expects. But if I quote a flat rate, I may charge too low for how much time it will take. A friend told me to quote a per word rate, which I find comes out to a high amount (possibly unrealistically high) given the size of the book.

I think I may do a chapter or two to get an idea of how long it takes me and then have a more realistic discussion with my client about the time involved. I don't usually do things on spec, but he's very fair about everything and I want to be just as fair in my pricing to him. Has anyone ever taken this approach?

Also, does anyone have ballpark ranges for total cost for editing a book, say around 40,000 words? I know this is an unfair question with a lot of variables, but I'm wondering what high and low ends may be "realistic". Thanks!

I don't think it's a good idea to charge per page on technical writing (especially for.. uh... technical subjects and projects.) You'll find the scope of the job changing and a de-scope will increase your work, believe it or not. If you are charging by page, well then, you lose money but have twice the work.

i really can't recommend anything that hasn't already been stated. i think it all depends on whether your current contract/assignment is repeat business, or new business, and how you feel your rate may impact future business, or perceptions. the moderator collected a few posts on rates, here is what i found on the inet. hope this helps..

Commercial Freelance Writing Project Fee Estimates:


Full-page ad (7 x 10 inches):
$750-$3,000 USD.

Fractional-page ad:
$250-$1,000 USD.

Advertorial:
$650-$1,000 USD per printed page.

Annual Report:
$3,000-$12,000 USD.

Feature article:
$1,000-$3,500 USD.

Book, ghostwritten:
50% of advance and royalties or $125-$175 USD per book page.

Book proposal:
$2,000-$3,500 USD.

Booklet:
$800-$2,500 USD.

Brochure (7 x 10 inches):
$200-$750 USD per page.

Brochure, “slim jim” (to fit rack display or no. 10 envelope):
$650-$2,000 USD.

Business plan:
$3,000-$10,000 USD.

Case history:
$750-$2,000 USD.

Catalog:
$300-$600 USD per page (or $40-$150 USD per item).

Direct-mail package, to generate leads:
$1,500-$4,500 USD.

Direct-mail package, mail order:
$2,500-$10,000 USD and up.

Magalog (direct-mail piece in magazine format):
$9,500-$15,000 USD.

Video, slid presentation, or other audiovisual script:
$100-$300 USD per minute.

Instruction manual:
$35-$95 USD per hour or $100-$150 USD per page.

Labels/packaging:
$250-$1,500 USD per package or label, depending or size.

Computer-based marketing documents:
Approximately $1 USD per word or $250-$450 USD per manuscript page.

Newsletter:
$300-$750 USD per page.

Press release:
$200-$800 USD per page.

Proposal (business or grant):
$35-$85 USD per hour.

Radio commercial:
$400-$700 USD.

Report:
$25-$85 USD per hour.

Sales letter
$25-$85 USD per hour.

Speech, 20 minute:
$1,500-$4,000 USD.

Technical, scholarly, and scientific papers:
$25-$75 USD per hour.

TV commercial:
$500-$2,000 USD.

Infomercial (half-hour):
$3,000-$10,000 USD.

Web site content:
$400-$600 USD per Web page.

White paper:
$3,000-$4,000 USD.

CD-ROM presentation:
$100-$250 USD per minute.

Day rates (per diem) for freelance writing services:
$250-$2,000 USD per minute.

Hourly rate for freelance writers:
$35-$150+ USD.

Resumes:
$100-$200 USD.




See reference: Bly, Robert. Secrets of a Freelance Writer. Appendix E: Typical Fees for Commercial Freelance Writing Projects.

A semiconductor manufacturer last year offered me a telecommuting contract for technical editing/minor rewriting at $35/hour for six months ($1400/week). I was hired to help out while they unbranded a wholly-owned subsidiary and incorporated it into the parent corporation. It was my first foray into technical writing/editing or any other publishing area, for that matter.

What about definitions for technical terms? I have a contact pricing the cost for 40-50 word definitions. How would you charge? Per def? Per page? Per time?

Thanks

I still do technical editing in embedded microprocessors, but not at this time.

I was referred to do some technical editing for a research arm of a DC lobby by another technical editor who chose an R&R vacation instead. So, after three weeks, out of the blue, I was asked by the lobby if I would edit about 110 pages of text with 1 1/2 spacing and check for accuracy and copyediting the captions and innards for 30 figures and about twenty tables. Also, this particular study was meant for their Canadian counterpart, so Canadian English was needed.

They were going to send out a PO for my editing and asked what I might want for the entire project, or by page, or by hour. Not knowing what the prevailing hourly rate was, I did the project w/o settling any costing details other than telling them it would be done on an hourly basis.

The project was completed and billed out at ~23 hours. However, I did not give them the hourly rate. In order to get a feel for that market, I told them to insert their own hourly rate. This entails some gambling, but I was not worried about not getting paid because (1) it is a major, well-known, established lobby and (2) they were willing to pay me in advance, if I so chose that.

Anyway, they set the rate, and it was quite acceptable to me, being $5/hr more than my usual rate. This way I got to get a feel on what the prevailing DC hourly rate probably was.

Yesterday, their research director emailed me stating that the work was excellent and asked me if I would do two more shorter projects due by 9 October and if I would care to do 17 or 18 others, which would be due in about seven weeks.

I was emailed the two studies three hours ago, along with special directives. He asked me to make some editorial decisions for the remaining studies yet unwritten because they will be done by separate writers and they wanted some continuity among them.

As I generally work by night, I'll be set to go in a bit. The previous hourly rate is OK for these, BTW.

Tammy -
A lot depends on who has to find the information. If you are handed the graphics, the specs, and the templates and told "make me a brochure" the talent required is a lot less than if you have to do the research and graphics yuorself.

As a contractor (agency finds jobs and collect money) I get $25-35 an hour or more.

on my writing site i have a business page with a link to the writers market recommendations.

but as a beginner, i couldn't charge people such high rates. so i've worked up to what i think i deserve. yes, you can make tons of money as a copywriter if you do it right, but i think at the end of the day it's best not to rip people off. that said you have to charge what you're worth--a tough balance.

i bill jobs depending on what the client gives me. do i get background material? do i have to travel/interview them to get what i need to even begin writing?

for starting, i charged lower to build clips and get experience. i think the writersmarket page gives good advice, and has a low-med-high range to help