How Much Will It Cost? Average Freelance Editing Rates
October 10, 2007 by Lillie
We’ve talked about freelance writing and editing rates several times before (see Related Posts below). I found (rather found again – as I used to have the page bookmarked but lost it somewhere along the line) a simple, but excellent, chart of average rates.
The Editorial Freelancers Association, “the professional resource for editorial specialists and those who hire them,” publishes a chart of Common Rates for Editorial Services.
The chart gives an estimated pace and range of fees for various tasks.
Although the fees seem to be on the low side, the chart demonstrates the differences in time required between different levels of editing and the range of time required for different projects. The pace for developmental editing is 1-5 ms pages per hour while the pace for proofreading is 3-10 ms pages per hour. There are several levels of editing between these two extremes. The rates also reflect the degree of difficulty of the project – the low end of developmental editing is only a little more than the top rate for proofreading.
Clients don’t always recognize the differences. My rate sometimes shocks prospective clients: “So-and-so charges less than half that!” they say. But when I tell them what I intend to do for their manuscript, they have no idea if the editor offering a lower price will do the same. I have done proofreading only a couple of times … and I don’t like it. I get too wrapped up in how the story or article could be made better. I love developmental editing, and I love working with authors who need lots of help. But that doesn’t mean I won’t love working with you if you’re an excellent writer who needs just a little help. 
I think you’ll find this chart helpful whether you’re charging for editing or paying for it.
Related Posts:
Self-Publishing Primer: Part 11 – How Much Does Self-Publishing Cost?
What are your prices for writing and editing services … and how much value do you give?
Working with a Professional Editor: Part 1 – Finding the Right Editor
Working with a Professional Editor: Part 2 – How It Works
[tags]freelance editing rates[/tags]
This is important information. Thanks for providing it so candidly. I am going to stumble this post so that it will get a wider audience.
nice writeup.. I’ll stumble this too
I totally agree about differing rates because I am a freelance writer myself, and I feel that some people expect you to write for a lower rate, but they also have to realize that they will get so much less quality, especially since so many people outsource for quantity and not quality.
C,
Just like we’ve always heard: You get what you pay for.
Hello, and thank you for posting the chart!
I followed your more recent posts to this one. I probably can’t afford an editor for my short stories, but if I ever get those novels through the workshop (and, you know, polished), I’ll definitely want them proofread by a pro.
Lindsay,
I haven’t read any of your writing, so I’m talking generally and not specifically your writing. Sometimes having a short story edited can be well worth the investment because the editor can point out things that will help you improve all of your writing.
I do a free sample edit of about five pages of a book-length manuscript so the writer can decide if she likes what I do and so I can estimate the time required to quote a price. Sometimes I suggest the writer use the comments I made in the free sample to make changes throughout the document. That will save me a lot of editing time and will thus cost less and be more affordable for the writer.
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