Engaging a freelance editor

The following suggestions may be useful for people or organisations who are thinking of using a freelance editor for the first time.

Be clear about what you want the editor to do

For example, do you want the editor to assess the document and report on what work it needs, to edit it on disk or on hard copy, to proofread against original copy, to ‘read it for sense' at page proof stage, or to take full responsibility for all stages? At what stage will the editor be starting work on the project: will the editor be working with you and/or the author to develop and structure the ideas and arguments, or will he or she simply be copy editing? Ideally the tasks should be listed in a written brief. If you're not sure, discuss the project with an editor. Not all editors offer all these services.

You also need to be clear about accountability

Does someone in your organisation need to approve editorial changes (and if so, at what stages?), or does the editor have a relatively free hand?

An agreement is a contract

The importance of having a written agreement with any independent contractor cannot be overstated. The tasks, your deadlines, the agreed fees and the dates by which they will be paid, and the ways in which contingencies will be dealt with should be spelt out clearly at the start. The editor may have a standard contract that he or she presents to clients, whose terms you will need to read carefully to ensure that your organisation complies. Most terms can be negotiated between the parties; for example, if the editor has agreed to non-standard tasks for an additional fee, this can be added to the contract. When an editor returns a satisfactory job by the agreed deadline, you should ensure that he or she is paid promptly.

You get what you pay for

Once the editor has seen and assessed the document to be edited, he or she may provide you with an editorial review and a summary of your instructions as understood, as well as a quotation.

An editor will only be able to provide an accurate quote once he or she has had a chance to peruse the manuscript or document. It pays to confirm with the editor whether the quotation is a firm quote or an estimate only. Extra charges may be incurred if there are late changes to the brief.

While some editors do base their quotations on how much they consider their time to be worth, it is unreasonable to ask what someone's ‘hourly rate' is. An experienced professional may be able to do a job to your satisfaction in much less time than it would take someone just starting out, but still charge considerably more for the work. Indeed, some charge more for quick turnaround time. In other words, the number of hours spent may bear little relation to the quality of work that you're getting for your money. This reinforces the importance of a clear brief, and confirmation from the editor as to what he or she will be doing for you.

While budgets are often determined long before it is time to contact an editor, be aware that those doing professional work of a high standard will charge accordingly. They have specialised skills and knowledge, and the ability to use these skills to accomplish the client's goals. Companies that care about the quality of their product do not try to save some money by keeping editorial budgets at the levels of five or ten years ago.