The most difficult part about being a freelancer is maintaining a viable client list. In my experience, making a steady living from freelance work requires a number of quality, paying clients in rotation. And that’s not easy.
What is a quality client? A client who is ready to work: they are great communicators, they have a vision for their project and they are at a point where they will do what’s necessary to get over the finish line.
What is a paying client? Well… it’s one who comes to a project with a full understanding that it will cost money to have a dream — a report, an article, a PR piece, an academic chapter, a novel — realised. This is the bumpiest part of the freelancing ride.
Over the years, through recommendations from past clients and previous employers, I have fortunately been able to keep a few reliable clients in my orbit. I have worked with people who are fired up to get their writing to a place where it can be published, and on some occasions I have helped people figure out that they need to reroute, or start again. Through each of these interactions I have prioritised the work and the client relationship. But always in the background is the money issue.
For a period of time, freelancing was my only source of income. I learned to charge rates that matched my expertise, and I became more confident in charging accurately for the work that I know I can produce.
In some cases, the clients were not able to continue after they received the quote. That is okay. I am aware we live in a tough economy and I am aware that the freelance market is competitive, so there will certainly be someone who is willing to do the same amount of work for less.
This where the question of compromise comes in.
Should I lower my rates so that I have a better chance of securing a client, even though the volume of work does not change? Or should I do less work — make less intensive interventions — and offer a much smaller package, and thereby limit the number of clients I can secure? Or should I stick to my rates, because I know they are aligned with the kind of work I do, and leave potential clients to walk away?
When it comes to quality work, can it really be done at a cheap price?
As with all labour, the result that people see represents the least of the efforts made to get there. Behind the scenes there are hours of phone calls, late nights, bad drafts, clashes of opinion, research that leads down rabbit holes and so many other small and big things that lead to the goal. How do I price for that?
When someone reaches out to me for help with their manuscript, I immediately think two things: are they serious, and can they afford to take this next step with me? We both must be aware of what we are about to sign up for. So, I lay out my quote policy and I offer advice and guidance on what interventions the manuscript needs. I do this all with the goal of editing — and editing well — in mind.
When the intial consultation converts to a contract, we have passed the first milestone. Once work is completed and final payment is made, I send the project out into the world and wish the client the best, while leaving the lines of communication open to accommodate any follow-up questions.
With all that said I must say I have come to resent interactions that start with an assessment and a quote and end in being ghosted. The cases where I give advice on the direction of the manuscript and I am ignored or made to feel like a bully leave me feeling as if I should leave editing behind altogether.
Why is it that when I ask to do work for a fee that aligns with my effort and skills, I hit dead ends?
I have experience as a freelance editor and proofreader. I know how to give writers guidance and to bring out their work’s best potential. I am also a woman living in South Africa trying to make ends meet.
For these among other reasons, I will not be changing my rates.
I hope to find quality clients who understand that editing is labour and skill intensive work and that collaborating with an editor can yielf incredible results — and the fee freelancers charge is often more than fair.
Let us all know our worth when we come to a project.
Nkhensani Manabe 