Q. How much do you normally charge for proofreading someone else’s copy? I have a client that wants me to look at a 16 page brochure before it goes to press, along with 6 email newsletters. It’s actually part of a larger job, so I just need to figure out how to price it. What makes sense? Like $40-50 a page?
A. Whenever I’m asked to do something out of the normal scope of commercial writing, I never charge less than my normal hourly rate. That said, $40-50 a page sounds really high, compared to going rates for proofreading. The way you described it – they just want you to proof it before it goes to print, I could be wrong but it sounds like they’re thinking of it as more of an afterthought and if you come back with a $800-1000 bill, they’ll likely freak. Here’s a link I found on a quick Google search: https://www.theproofreaders.com/pricing.htm.
If you have to really drop your rates for this kind of work, to something closer to the prevailing rate, obviously, at some point, it makes more sense to refer them to someone cheaper for work like that. That lets you find better paying clients for yourself and makes you look good in their eyes, as a trusted and valued resource – and one who’s looking out for their bottom line. And I promise you, that always will endear you to a client.