Hiring a Proofreader / Editor

[JeremyL]

I'm considering hiring a freelancer to do proofreading / editing for all our content going forward. Finding an expert on a topic to write is easier if you don't have to pre-qualify that with being a good writer.

I want someone who can not only take an article and make sure the grammar is correct, but also make the small changes necessary to make an average article great.

Anyone else doing this? What do you think someone like that is worth and how would you pay them? They would not be researching or writing anything from scratch. Only making the already existing article more readable.

[edited by: JeremyL at 7:03 pm (utc) on Oct. 31, 2006]

[Broadway]

I would hire a proofreader but I can't imagine that they would be as expert at manipulating keywords and keyword phrases as I am. Absolutely my text is often awkward to read, but my pages rank great. I put generating traffic ahead of everything. I'm not saying I should, just that I do.

[JeremyL]

I'm not thinking about content to rank, I'm thinking about content for the readers which reads well and sells them on doing what I want done..

[Syzygy]

Doing a search for "freelance journalists" is a start. From here you should be able to find a few professional databases. In looking through these databases you'll see that just about every freelance writer is happy to do proofing and editing as required.

My suggestion would be to find one with experience in your sectors - that way you can be sure they'll understand context and be completely familiar with any jargon/technical terms used.

When discussing your requirements be as clear as possible. Give them a single article to do first and see whether you like what they do with it. If it's not quite right, explain this to them and ask that they have another go. Clarify your requirements again. Your ability to do so is paramount.

Payment will be per article. How much will it cost? No idea; that will be down to your negotiation skills and how much value you place on the work being done.

When you find a freelance writer/proofer/editor you like, hold on to them...

Syzygy

[varya]

You're looking for copyediting and proofreading. These are different jobs, actually, though many freelance copyediters do both.

Some of what you're talking about actually crosses over into much more substantive editing.

I have a friend who does this sort of work for authors (novels, etc.)

She charges:
Proofreading $0.010/word
Copy Editing $0.015-$0.025/word
Substantive Editing $0.025-$0.03/word

A "word" isn't every single little word on the page...it's a standardized count based on manuscript pages in a certain format...generally 250 words to a double-spaced printed page in Courier font (print publishing standard).

I'm not sure how such rates would translate for web copy, but this should give you an idea.

Editors generally charge by the word, not the hour or the project.

[Syzygy]

Editors generally charge by the word, not the hour or the project.

Fees, in my experience, are generally structured on a cpm - cost per 1,000 word - basis. If anyone tries to charge you by the word, work the rate out to a cost per 1,000 words, then negotiate downwards...

Syzygy