Thinking about freelancing?

Frequently asked questions

If you are wondering whether to launch yourself as a freelance editor and proofreader, these are some questions you're likely to be asking. We hope that the suggested answers are helpful. If you'd like to talk to someone at greater length, send an email to the Society of Editors (Tasmania) Inc.

What does an editor do?

This profession is wide-ranging. Roughly speaking, editors help communicators of all kinds to get their message across well. The Council of Australian Societies of Editors (CASE) has produced Australian Standards for Editing Practice [PDF, 319kB], which explains different kinds of editing work and describes the knowledge and skills required. You can download a copy from the Tasmanian society's web site.

Other very good descriptions of what editors do are:

• An FAQ sheet called So how do I become an editor? which is published by the Society of Editors (SA)
• The Editors' Association of Canada's publication, So, you want to be an editor

Is there enough work to support me?

Most of the work open to freelance editors in Tasmania comes from the government and corporate sectors. As you probably know, Tasmania doesn't have a big commercial publishing industry. There are small presses, some publishing literary books, that are run by dedicated people often on a volunteer basis. But government departments publish reports and policies, advertising agencies produce annual reports, and commercial printers produce self-published books for companies and individuals. Areas of education, tourism and local or Tasmanian history are also sources of work. And we have all seen web sites that badly need editing.

So, can you earn a living? Yes, you can if you charge sensibly and if you can offer more than one service. In the experience of other freelances, Tasmanian clients are loyal: if you do a good job, people will come back to you and they will recommend you to others. Despite the ease of exchanging files by email it can be difficult to get interstate work. Publishers, like most people, like to use people they already know—and they know plenty of locals in their state. But that shouldn't discourage you from asking for interstate work or knocking on doors when you are in other cities.

Most Tasmanian freelances combine editing with other related work. They do copywriting, technical writing, project management, report writing, indexing, run communications training courses, and so on. To earn a living you may need at least one other string to your bow.

What training and experience do I need?

In-house training and experience can be invaluable, though hard to get locally. The more experience you have and the wider-ranging it is, the better. You may be able to work voluntarily for a local organisation that does some publishing—schools, community organisations and charities often need people to write, edit and project-manage publications. Paid experience may be gained through part-time or casual work for government agencies or advertising agencies.

Sound and up-to-date knowledge of Australian English usage is also essential. The Society of Editors (Tasmania) Inc. runs one-day workshops in copyediting and plain English communications. Societies in other states do the same. These are all useful for keeping your knowledge up to date. To find out what is on offer in other states, visit the various societies' web sites using the links provided on the IPEd (Institute of Professional Editors) website www.iped-editors.org.

You may find a Society of Editors member willing to be a mentor or give you on-the-job training. Try contacting one of the editors listed on the Society's freelance register, or email info@tas-editors.org.au

Postgraduate courses

Several tertiary institutions offer postgraduate courses in editing and publishing. Some of the courses are linked to industry experience, others are available as distance-education courses. Most of the courses are part time. The Victorian Society of Editors maintains a list of Australian and international courses.

To compare the merits of different courses we recommend that you review the Australian Standards for Editing Practice [PDF, 319kB]. This document describes the knowledge and skills expected of experienced editors.

How do I get work?

Start telling people what you do. Talk to your neighbours, former colleagues and any organisations (like community groups or schools) that you have connections with. Visit people who may have work to offer - advertising agencies, web site designers, government departments, companies, and anyone else you know who produces publications. Try to find out ahead of time who is the best person in the organisation to talk to, and phone, email or visit that person. Personal visits are always best.

Use networking opportunities: business breakfasts, service club gatherings, club nights. If you have a business card that says clearly what you do, give it to everyone you meet.

You can advertise in the Yellow Pages, which now has an entry for editors. You can include your entry in any or all of Editors&/or Editing Services, Proofreading, Writers or Publishers.

Cheaper than advertising in the Yellow Pages is having your own web site. This can attract junk mail but is very useful for developing an online brochure. You can direct clients to it when they want to know something about you—less awkward than explaining your history on the phone.

What equipment do I need?

• A business card. It's not essential but it's very useful for handing out to people you meet. It also enhances your professional image.
• An email address, emailing software and a reliable ISP. A lot of work for Tasmanian freelances comes in Microsoft Word documents and you need to be able to receive and return it electronically. You'll also find it convenient to send queries to authors and project managers by email.
• Virus-checking software.
• A dedicated computer. If you're going to meet deadlines you can't afford to share the computer much.
• A word-processing program. Most businesses use Microsoft software, so having Microsoft Word is essential. (Other applications in the Microsoft Office suite may also be useful - Excel for doing your accounts and keeping timesheets, and PowerPoint if you are going to run training courses or give talks and seminars.)
• A printer. Although a lot of work can be done on-screen, for careful checking nothing beats reading from a printout. You may also want to print your accounting records and copies of documents you've worked on in case of computer accidents.
• A means of keeping accounts neatly. This can be as simple as a well-kept notebook or an Excel worksheet, or you can buy a purpose-designed accounting package.
• A means of storing records safely. You will need well organised and clearly labelled storage for your accounting records (tax invoices, quarterly Business Activity and Pay As You Go tax statements) and copies of work-related documents, including contractual letters, style sheets and copies of work you have done.
• You also need good backup for your computer files.

Should I register a business name or company?

Your accountant will be able to advise whether it is in your financial or commercial interest to register a business name or to set up a company. It can be helpful to register a business name in order to protect it.

You should have an ABN (Australian Business Number). If you don't, employers will be obliged to withhold tax from your payments at the highest rate, and some won't even employ you at all.

Do I need to register for GST?

It depends. If your income is likely to exceed $50,000 a year (and why not be optimistic?) you should register for GST. If you register, you need to account separately for GST that you collect from clients so that you can pay it to the government. You can, of course, deduct GST that you have paid for business expenses before passing on the GST you've collected. Your accountant can help you set up the necessary record-keeping system. It needs a meticulous approach but it isn't difficult.

What insurance do I need?

Your accountant or lawyer can advise you what is best to do in your circumstances. Options include loss of income insurance, public liability insurance (for work-related visits by clients to your office), professional indemnity insurance and workers' compensation insurance. Some clients will require you to have almost all of these before they will sign a contract, although this can be open to negotiation.

What do I charge?

If you are serious about earning a living from editing, you'll need to do some careful calculations:

• You can expect to do roughly 20 billable hours a week, once your practice is well established. (You may be able to work longer weekly hours but you won't be able to charge for all of your time.)
• You need to cover the costs of internet and email access, printing consumables, insurance, superannuation, holidays, occasional sick days, stationery, phone costs, software upgrades, postage or courier costs, bank charges, professional development, business name registration, reference books and PAYG tax, to name only the most common ones.

Tasmanian editors charge between $45 and $75 an hour depending on their experience, specialised knowledge, speed of working and the job at hand. But charging by the hour is not the only way of setting your fees (nor is it necessarily the most desirable). For more detailed information, refer to our separate FAQ sheet called Pricing and quoting for freelances.