Well. the heading is not quite accurate. I'm wondering how others do billing for editing projects. By the page, hour, job or just a number out of the sky. Thanks in advance for what I'm sure will be a great deal of support.

Bob ;)

It depends on what shape the copy is to begin with. If a lot of work is to be done I might charge one way, but if it is fairly straight forward and I know exactly what to expect, I might charge another way.

The majority of my clients are on retainer and within that retainer I provide Internet marketing services and/or copy writing/editing for the web (a subset of Internet Marketing). So those clients get me by the hour when I'm working on copy. It's a win-win for both parties because as I get to know their business more intimately over time, the writing/creative process becomes increasingly efficient. (Less back and forth stuff). And generally speaking, there is less overhead with repeat clients.

But if you are doing project work and you know you will have to do a lot of rewriting, you might want to consider charging by the word. Otherwise, if it's a straightforward project you could charge by the hour.

Just my two cents. Everyone does it differently based on skills, experience, their business model, and they type of clients they have.

Karri

It's interesting how you both set pricing for copywriting. I do more web design work, but I find my own way of charging is often similar. I tend to do a little more of the project rates for new designs and then either hourly or retainer for management of a site. And it does depend somewhat on the shape of the current site and what's involved. I try to offer a variety of ways for clients to pay to meet their needs.

The hourly rates will tend to be the most expensive and the retainer of project fees less expensive.

<off topic>
By the way Karri I think we know someone in common. Karen at Office Support 911. I was the designer for the new site.
</off topic>

Thanks for teh information. However there is one thing each of you did not cover and that is the dollar ammount. $5., $10., $100. Per hr or job. Suggestions.?
:woohoo:

That's because we can't tell you that. Your rate will be based on the amount of work involved, your level of talent and skill, the results your copy normally bring and many other things that only you know.

I'm doing this for my Wife. She is starting up an Editing Business in Seattle. Her Experience is a PhD in English Lit. So her skills are fine tuned but in a very specific field. She is doing some Volunteer work and getting her feet wet so to speak. I just don't want her to sell herself short when it comes to her services.

One thing you can do is look around for other copywriters with similar experience in your area and give them a call as a potential client asking what they would charge for the type of project you think your wife will likely be taken. You can sometimes find rates on their websites if they list them.

I did the same thing at one point when setting my own rates. I came up with 3 or 4 simple and quick questions to ask (I didn't want to take up more than a few minutes of anyone's time) and gave a call and asked. Not everyone answered, but I did get enough response along with the few rates I was able to find on the company's websites to give me a pretty good idea of what people in my area charged for the same service.

Once you have an idea what others in your are charge for their services it should give you an idea of what you might charge.

Ultimately though only you and your wife can set the rates. You might find that you really need a higher rate than typical or that your wife's experience is deserving of more or less.

Once you do set your rates keep track of your time as best you can. Knowing how long a project really takes can be valuable when setting prices for future projects.