_{Updated by WCE on September 28, 2023}

In this interview, West Coast Editor and Heidi Turner, a seasoned editor and writing instructor, discuss her recent post* urging freelancers to charge higher rates, the reactions to it, and her views on self-advocacy in a challenging economic climate.

You experienced some backlash because of your post encouraging freelancers to raise their rates. Can you share a little bit about some of the reactions you got?

The backlash to my post was swift and some comments were very angry. I was basically accused of being no better than grocery store magnates who make billions of dollars while people are out on the street, living under bridges. You know, the Jimmy Pattisons and Galen Westons of the world. I was accused of being a cog in the machine and an unethical capitalist. People even reported me to Facebook, and I had to submit proof that the account was indeed mine and that I wasn’t violating any terms of use. 

It baffled me but didn’t upset me too much because that perspective demonstrated a lack of understanding of the reality of freelance work and the impact of inflation on the bottom line. As an entrepreneur, I’m stuck paying the same interest rates and higher food and gas prices as everyone else. On top of that, I have to cover my own sick days, healthcare costs, vacation days, and retirement fund. If I don’t increase my rates, I’m potentially making myself financially vulnerable. Sitting in the little suburban house I co-own, it’s hilarious to me that I’m being compared to billionaires. 

What made you realize that you might not be charging enough?

I eventually realized that I had gained a lot of experience and acquired knowledge that many other writers didn’t have. I then found the courage to push myself to charge more. If people just accept your rates with no pushback, they are likely willing to pay a bit more for your work. It means you could have been charging higher rates all along. 

Too often, we think that to raise our rates we must also offer more. That’s not raising our rates but rather adding services and charging for them. It’s okay to charge people for the experience, knowledge, and skills that you bring to a project. 

In your post, you mentioned that worrying about people saying no to your prices could stop you from increasing them. Could you elaborate on how this fear could limit a freelancer’s growth and earningpotential?

I think that fear stops freelancers from charging more, which means they continually work incredibly hard to earn a reasonable amount of money. It makes sense in the beginning when you’re trying to gain some experience and build a portfolio, but freelancers often get stuck in that space. They want every client to say yes and avoid anything that feels like rejection, so they never put their prices as high as they could. This creates a vicious circle: If you’re earning less per project, you must spend more time working to make what you need. However, if you earn a higher amount per project, you can spend less time accumulating billable hours and more time on professional development, marketing yourself, or with your family.   

Charging higher rates isn’t just about making more money and freeing up time. It’s also about getting used to setting boundaries with clients. If you’re comfortable setting price boundaries, such as refusing to work for a low rate, you’re more likely to get comfortable setting boundaries around deadlines or scope creep. All these areas feed into each other. 

Many freelancers struggle with setting their prices, fearing that higher rates could deter potential clients. How did you overcome this fear and start valuing your work appropriately?

It was really about recognizing that I was tired of working long days and weekends to do work for which I wasn’t highly compensated. I realized (when I added up all my hours) that I could just as well have worked at a local restaurant, earning a minimum wage. And I would likely have had more days off. 

I got into freelancing because there was unlimited earning potential. I then realized that my prices were low, which meant my earnings were very limited. My knowledge and skills add value to my clients’ projects, and I deserve to have that value recognized, just as anyone else does.

Can you share some practical advice for freelancers on how to assert their value and set rates that align with their expertise?

There are a few things to do for freelancers to get to that point. 

First, I always recommend that freelancers figure out how much they have to make hourly and use that as a starting point for their rates. If your business doesn’t make enough to pay the bills, then it won’t be sustainable. From there you can look at things such as how much more you want to earn or how many days off you want to take. 

Second, take the rate you feel comfortable charging, say $50 an hour, and increase it by 10%–20%. A client who is willing to pay $50 an hour is probably going to be okay with $55 or even $60. 

Third, if you’re stuck in a position where your rates are too low, try to develop your business to the point where your workload is predictable. Then, start increasing rates for both new clients and existing clients you’re okay with losing. The latter include clients who are overly demanding, take up too much time, or micromanage projects. Losing demanding clients who balk at the new rates clears space in your schedule for higher-paying clients. On the other hand, if those clients agree then you’re making more money for the hassle of working with them. Over time, build up your business to where all your clients are paying the higher rates.  

Finally, a really important point is that I almost never share my hourly rate with my clients. In fact, them pushing me to share my hourly rate is a red flag. Either we won’t be a good fit on budget, or they really don’t have their project fully scoped out. When they ask for a quote, I give them a rate for the project that’s based on an hourly figure, but that also compensates me for my experience, expertise, and non-billable hours. 

Here’s an example: Clients who won’t pay $100 an hour because they’re focused on the rate are often okay with me charging $500 to edit six pages of work. Quoting an hourly rate doesn’t focus on the value you provide, or the final product clients receive. It focuses only on how long you’re working for them and whether or not you can get it done more quickly. Giving them a project rate takes the focus off the time the project will take and puts it back on the deliverables. 

Quoting $100 an hour might sound like a lot, especially if clients have no idea how long editing should take. However, paying $500 to have a document professionally edited isn’t a lot. When I quote the project rate, clients know they either have the money to pay for it or they don’t. If they ask for the hourly rate, they’re either trying to figure out if I can do the job in less time or they don’t know exactly what they want me to do, which means they’re probably not ready to work with me yet.

One key message from your post is that a freelancer’s responsibility is to ensure they are properly compensated for their time, energy, and expertise. How can freelancers strike a balance between setting fair rates and making their services accessible to potential clients?

I think it depends on what you think you owe potential clients. My hairdresser, gardener, and counsellor all set their rates and don’t worry about whether or not I can afford them. They charge based on what they need to. If I value their services enough, I make sure I include them in my budget so that I can keep using them. 

I don’t believe that it’s my job to be accessible to potential clients. My job is to market myself to clients who value my services and can afford me. That said, in my contracts, I do break down my work into tasks and include things that can be taken out, so my pricing fits in their budget. 

If a client can’t afford me but I want to take on their project, there are ways to change the scope of the work and reduce the overall quote. This might mean that I won’t give clients as many revisions or allow as many meetings. I might push to extend the deadline or revise the list of deliverables. I might also give them a few different pricing options so they can select the package that works within their budget. This also sets boundaries because it makes it clear to them what is and isn’t included in each pricing level.

If I get a sense that the client will micromanage me, try to push for more meetings, or otherwise use up my time, I won’t pull back on the scope and I’ll stand firm on the price. An important question for me is, “What price makes this client/project worthwhile?”

One other thing to mention: A lot of freelance editors start out wanting to work on novels, which I totally get. When I started my writing program, I thought I was going to write the great Canadian novel. (Spoiler alert: I haven’t yet.) Novel editing is a great goal, and there are a lot of writers out there who need editors. But that will often have you working with individuals who are using their own money to pay you. A lot of writers aren’t yet established, so they can’t necessarily afford to hire someone with your experience to edit their book.

Even if you want to edit novels and books, I recommend having part of your business focused on corporate editing. There’s more money in it and more potential clients, and the income you earn from corporate work can go to supplement the fiction editing part of your business. Virtually everyone has some knowledge, experience, or expertise in a field that can use editors. Even if your sole job has been as a server in restaurants, you have experience in hospitality. That industry also needs editors. 

I’m not saying you shouldn’t edit novels, but a great way to build your experience and your income is to do business editing as well.

As we navigate these evolving times, freelancers need to advocate for themselves more than ever before. How can freelancers effectively communicate their value and negotiate rates confidently, especially when faced with pushback from clients?

One thing I hear freelancers talk about a lot is using social media and their website to convince people that they need an editor or writer. This is a difficult place to start because once you’ve spent time and energy convincing potential clients of that, you still have to entice them to work with you.

The clients who will highly value editors and writers already know they need the help. That shouldn’t even be part of the conversation. The only conversation should be whether or not you’re the right fit for them. And that includes whether your personalities match, whether they have the budget for you, and whether you have the skills and services they need. 

I don’t believe in negotiating on rates alone. If clients want to pay me less than my quoted price, they will get less from me. My time is limited and valuable. Every minute I spend working for someone who doesn’t value me is time I’m not spending working for clients who do.

* _{Following this incident, Heidi’s page was reported and consequently suspended. She is currently trying to regain access to the account and its contents. Heidi urges anyone wanting to run business-related communities through Facebook to recognize the possibility of suddenly losing their account for unknown reasons.}

About Heidi

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Interview by Lola Opatayo; Copy editing by Myriam Beaugé

Myriam Beaugé is founder and principal of SWYM Communications. She specializes in stakeholder engagement, content development, and strategic communication focused on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). An experienced writer and editor, Myriam holds an MA in Intercultural and International Communication from Royal Roads University. Connect with her via LinkedIn and at SWYMcommunications.com.

Lola Opatayo is a creative writer, communications professional, and editor. Her creative work has been featured in Obsidian, The Best Small Fictions 2020, Isele, and elsewhere.