The following are average quotes given by experienced proofreaders for a 60,word book of a few different genres:. As you can see, the numbers indicate that average rates will fluctuate between genres. Though that is not the only factor at play here. As a rule of thumb, proofreading rates for science, medical, and technical materials are higher than anything else in the mainstream publishing sector. If you have a background in one of these fields, chances are that your expertise will lead to higher rates.
On the other end of the spectrum are the social sciences and projects that fall into the trade publishing category. If you work with indie authors, you get a chance to set your own rate rather than follow the industry average. Apart from a project's category or genre, what other reason would you have to deviate from your base rate? Not all manuscripts are created equal, which is why it is important to get an accurate overview of the project you are about to start on.
Sometimes, a client will send you a sample that ends up being much better than the rest of the manuscript. If you are not sure you can create a quote for the sample you received, ask for a bigger sample. A proofreader must be able to accurately judge the time and effort needed to deliver a project on time.
Proofreader Leonora Bulbeck bases her rates on a sample proofread her clients send in their Reedsy brief:. I divide this number by three to get the average number of edits per page. This average is then my key number for setting my rate for that particular client. Even the best proofreader might make a small mistake when judging the sample. If you do notice along the way that you need to put more effort into the proofreading than you originally thought, it is always a good idea to let the client know.
At that point, you can come to an agreement if the original proofreading rates have to be updated to reflect the newly made assessment. Proofed pays freelancers on the basis of the word count of the documents they take on via the Proofed platform plus other factors such as the type of editing service selected, the turnaround time involved, etc.
Your email address will not be published. Would you like a free trial? The two main options in the world of freelance proofreading are per hour and per word: Per Hour — Charging per hour is a simple way of working out your rates.
However, it does mean you need to give clients an accurate estimate of how long each job will take. If you misjudge this, you will need to either renegotiate part way through a job which your client may not appreciate or undercharge for the extra hours you work. Most freelancers either quote per word or per 1, words. However, you may need to adjust the rate depending on the complexity of the job at hand. How complex the job is e. Clearly, the recommended rates are not being used.
Based on what the SFEP and EFA advise, along with the rates most proofreaders are charging, a proofreader can easily make twice as much as a beginning independent author makes from their writing and their day job combined. This fact implies that the proofreader is more valuable than the author, and this is a strong indicator that standard proofreading rates are not fair for everyone.
The going rate for a proofreader favors the author who has a lot of money while disregarding the aspiring independent author who is holding down a regular job and using whatever spare time they have to follow their passion. Independent authors work just as hard and can produce writing that is just as good as traditionally published authors, and so they deserve access to the same services. How many pages can you proofread in an hour? How long does it take to proofread a document?
How do you properly proofread? How many pages can you edit in an hour? What should I look for when proofreading? What are 7 types of errors you look for when you proofread a document? How much does a freelance proofreader earn? Can I make money proofreading? Is being a proofreader worth it? How do I become a certified proofreader? Who hires proofreaders? How do you ace a proofreading test?
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