The Institute of Professional Editors, known as IPEd, has just released its first guide to hourly pay rates for self-employed editors. Information on the range of rates and how to use them is available here and there is more information for members of IPEd in the members only section of the website.

I am a member of IPEd’s Pay Rates Working Party which developed the information. I contributed information from my business workshops for freelance editors, my own experience as a full-time self-employed editor for over 6 years and additional research.

The rates are fair rates, not recommended rates. Like many writers, editors also deserve fair pay for their work. Self-employed editors are professionals running a small business and their hourly rates, whether stated directly or not to clients, should reflect all the costs of a small business in professional services.

Editors may choose to state their hourly rates or not, or provide prices another way. While hourly pay rates are useful, an hourly rate alone is not enough for a client to know how much an editing job may cost. The price of an editing job reflects many factors, which I explain on my website here.

Take care to find the right professional editor for your editing job and ask for a quote for the total price.

See my previous posts on the time, cost and value of editing:

• How long does it take to edit…?
• The value of editing and return on investment
• Getting a grant – how editors can help.

For advice on editing, please contact me on rhdaniels@bigpond.com