When I first started out as a freelance editor in the fall of 2018, I charged by the page. It made sense, right? I did a number of jobs that way. I later learned that many editors charge by the hour, not the page, but that seemed so daunting to me.
Then, one year later, came the company for which my good friend from high school worked.
When they hired me to edit and check some trade and retail catalogs for them, they wanted to pay me a flat fee for X hours and then pay me by the hour for each additional hour. I graciously accepted. Thank Heaven for timekeeping software! I used Toggl to keep track of the hours I spent working, and in the end I made a lot more money than I had ever made for a project.
I now belong to the camp of editors who charge by the hour. Is it challenging? Yes. But does it help my business? Definitely.
Fellow editor, how do you charge for your work, and why do you prefer that method? I’m just curious.