Our course will teach you how to proofread using a house style guide, and to copy edit text with a specific purpose for a specific audience.
Once you have gained work, the key is to be professional and organised. It will not do, for example, to flounder if asked what you charge or how long it will take to finish a job.
What to charge
Payment depends on how good you are, and how much experience you have had.
Some clients will pay a standard fee and will not change it but, in reality, there are no “standard” proofreading and editing rates these days.
Anything goes in the world of online business, and rates are only governed by:
- What you are prepared to work for, and
- What the client is prepared to pay.
Be prepared to work for nothing or for very low fees in the early days, in order to gain credibility and experience.
As you get established, you can set your own fee structure. However, when accepting a big job for a very low fee, or when setting your own fees, do bear in mind that the minimum wage in the UK for all workers over 25 is £10.42 per hour. See: http://www.minimum-wage.co.uk/
Make sure that you’re aware of the minimum wage in your country, if living outside the UK.
This is what the Proofreading Agency pays: http://proofreadingagency.co.uk/prices/other-docs/
Here are some other guidelines on rates: http://www.sfep.org.uk/pub/mship/minimum_rates.asp
Negotiating a fee
Do:
- Agree on a specific fee before you start work. And, get it confirmed in writing.
- Ask for the maximum amount you feel the job is worth and then be prepared to negotiate.
- Ask other proofreaders what they charge.
- Accept less money than you ask for if you think it will help your career in the long run.
Do not:
- Treat money as a taboo subject that causes embarrassment. It’s an integral part of a brief and needs to be discussed and agreed upon. (You may feel a little awkward discussing fees for the first few jobs, but believe us, this will soon pass!)
- Accept whatever fee is offered without negotiating for more (when you are more experienced), otherwise, you will be exploited for being timid.
- Get aggressive or personal with clients or complain about injustice.
- Forget that different people have different budgets, so fees may vary.
- Price yourself out of the market.
- Be afraid to take an assertiveness course to improve your negotiating skills.
- Forget to quote for and charge the appropriate VAT rate, if you earn enough to be in the VAT bracket. The threshold for VAT registration differs from country to country, so make sure that you check this out with the Revenue Commissioners your accountant.