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m [Caveat: Very skeletal notes!] Rates
Asked what the range of rates for various sorts of editing was in this area, members suggested anywhere from $15 to $35 per hour for copyediting. Merriam Webster had offered one member $27/hour for copyediting. One editor has a sliding-fee rate scale; she charges
corporations, design firms, and other well-funded entities the top rate, with a
lower rate for individuals, nonprofits, small businesses, etc. She recommended
the National Writers Union Guide to Freelance Rates and Standard Practices as
a very helpful resource for rates. Other Good Ideas
One editor said that immediately after agreeing to a job
with a client, she writes down what was agreed to and mails it to them (e-mail
or postal service), keeping a copy for herself. With sizable projects, she agrees to first do 10 hours of
work, then meets with the client to show them her work and let them decide
whether they want her to proceed. She advised having regular “check-in”
points throughout a big project where both sides can make sure they’re happy
with the way things are going. Hours and Billing
How do people keep track of their hours? Some write it on scraps of paper but have trouble keeping
track of the scraps of paper. One editor said she keeps track of her hours (“to
the minute”) on a large Post-it she attaches to her desk; she has a clock on
her desk as well. One editor has a boilerplate bill on her computer, and when
she begins a job she creates a specific bill for that project. She keeps track
of the hours on that bill in the computer, and at the end of the project prints
out the bill and attaches it to the front of the document. Some editors e-mail bills to clients. One editor noted that there are other things involved in
some jobs that take up your time—phone calls, etc. Another itemizes her bills
with lines for “Meetings,” “Phone calls,” and other such non-editing
time. Breaks
If you get up to change the wash, do you note that in your hours, i.e., do
you avoid charging the client for that time? One editor said she kept strict track of time and would
note when she got up to change the wash and when she came back. Others were not
that strict. If you get up to walk around the room for a bit of a mental break while
working on a project, do you charge that time to the client? One editor said she would not; another felt strongly that
breaks were necessary to do the work and that we should charge for them, as
salaried employees do — within reason, of course. Working More Hours Than You Bill For
Do others ever work more hours than they feel comfortable billing? This seemed to be a common experience. One editor advised writing out the bill for the total amount of hours worked, and then adding a line under it that says “less $____ goodwill donation OR in-kind contribution” to account for the hours you don’t feel comfortable billing. Another noted that, at least with writing, some “noodling
time” is part of doing the writing. Advances
Some editors ask for advances on large projects
immediately. That way, even if the project is delayed, you still have the money
to pay your rent. Getting Paid
Some editors ask for payment immediately upon receipt of
the work. Others allow 30 days. You can charge a late fee, but you must notify
the client in advance that that is your policy (a line on your bill is the
easiest way). Some people charge monthly interest. One charges 10%. What if the client doesn’t pay?One editor threatens small claims court, and has never had
a client not pay after that. Another personalizes it—“I won’t be able to
pay my mortgage.” Another will sit in the client’s office until they pay. Educating Our Clients
One editor said that because it’s pretty easy to set
oneself up as a publisher these days, many “publishers” don’t really know
what they’re doing. Another said many of her clients are not in the business
of publishing books, and she spends a lot of non-billed time educating them. Rate Surveys/Standards
One editor suggested that as a guild, we should think about
setting standards for our members’ work and for clients. There was considerable interest in getting an idea of what
rates are in the area, what various clients pay, etc. The group agreed we couldn’t/shouldn’t
set pay rates: it would be price-fixing, some members might be willing to work
for less than any rate we’d establish because they liked the client and/or
needed the experience, and members work for clients all around the country,
which would cause widely varied rates too. One member offered the idea of establishing a sort of employer database where members could register information about particular clients they’ve worked for, whether they were great or terrible or somewhat in between, which Guild members considering working for a particular client could consult. —Sherri Schultz,
notetaker
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