A comprehensive guide to building and maintaining a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable business as a freelance editor. According to LinkedIn, more than twenty thousand people in the United States list themselves as freelance editors. But many who have the requisite skills to be excellent editors lack the entrepreneurial skills needed to run a thriving, fulfilling business. The few resources available to freelance editors, new and established, are typically limited in scope and lack the strategic thinking needed to make a business flourish. The Freelance Editor’s Handbook provides a complete guide to setting up and running a prosperous freelancing business, from finding clients to increasing productivity, from deciding how to price services to achieving work/life balance, and from paying taxes to saving for retirement. Unlike most other books on freelance editing, this book is founded on a business-success mindset: The goal isn’t simply to eke out a living through freelancing. Rather, the goal is to establish a thriving, rewarding business that allows editors to achieve their career goals, earn a comfortable living, and still have time for family, friends, and personal pursuits. Author Suzy Bills identifies multiple strategies and methods that freelancers can apply, drawing on current research in entrepreneurship, psychology, and well-being. This book is the ultimate resource for editors at all levels: students just starting out, in-house staff looking to transition, and experienced freelancers who want to make their businesses more profitable and enjoyable.Topics include:Deciding Whether You Really Want to Be a Freelance Editor Setting Up Your Business Finding Clients Marketing like a Pro Building Your Website Contracts and Invoices Becoming Financially Savvy ... and more!
Suzy Bills has owned an editing and writing business since 2006 and is also Assistant Teaching Professor of Editing and Publishing at Brigham Young University. In and out of the classroom, she enjoys teaching editors how to be successful freelancers.
AcknowledgmentsIntroduction Why This Book Is for YouWhat We're Going to Cover1 Deciding Whether You Really Want to Be a Freelance EditorBenefits of FreelancingDownsides of FreelancingSkills and Characteristics of Effective Freelance EditorsThe Decision of Whether to Freelance Part-Time or Full-TimeKey Takeaways2 Setting Up Your BusinessBusiness NameBusiness EntitiesBusiness LicenseEmployer Identification NumberBank Account and Credit CardBusiness PlanBusiness CostsKey Takeaways3 Establishing a Strategic MindsetCreating a VisionSetting and Achieving GoalsFinding a MentorKey Takeaways4 Looking for ClientsDeciding Whether to SpecializeFinding ClientsGetting Repeat BusinessKey Takeaways5 Marketing like a Pro Awareness of Target Clients' NeedsUnique Selling Proposition Lead NurturingSocial Media PlatformsEditing and Business DirectoriesPromotional PiecesBooks, Training, Podcasts, and YouTube ChannelsAdditional Marketing TipsKey Takeaways6 Creating Your Website Why You Need a WebsiteHow to Build Your WebsiteHow to Choose and Purchase a Domain NameHow to Decide on the Website DesignPages and Content to Include on Your WebsiteThe Debate about BloggingKey Takeaways7 Maximizing the Benefits of LinkedInComponents of a LinkedIn ProfileHow to Connect and Network with People on LinkedInHow to Search for Jobs on LinkedInKey Takeaways8 Winning at the Pricing GameFiguring Out How Much to ChargeChoosing a Pricing MethodSetting the Stage for Presenting a FeeDeveloping a Price QuoteApplying a Rush FeePresenting Your PriceOvercoming Price Objections and Negotiating a RateIncreasing Your RateReducing Income Uncertainty through Establishing RetainersChoosing Payment MethodsKey Takeaways9 Using Contracts and Invoices to Get Paid and Protect Yourself What You Need to Know about ContractsWhat You Need to Include in InvoicesHow to Address Issues in Getting PaidKey Takeaways10 Managing Time like a Pro and Increasing ProductivityGeneral Strategies to Improve Your Time Management and ProductivityStrategies to Improve Your Editing EfficiencyStrategies to Manage Your Project ScheduleStrategies to Stop ProcrastinatingKey Takeaways11 Achieving Work/Life BalanceBalancing Work and Personal PursuitsDealing with CrisesDealing with Negative Client FeedbackDealing with PerfectionismAvoiding Imposter SyndromeKey Takeaways12 Overcoming the Fear of TaxesThe BasicsSelf-Employment TaxQuarterly PaymentAnnual Tax ReturnHow to Avoid Tax PenaltiesTax Deductions for FreelancersKey Takeaways13 Becoming a Financially Savvy FreelancerPersonal and Business BudgetsCash Flow ManagementBookkeepingInsuranceRetirement SavingsKey TakeawaysConclusionAppendix A: Most Important Action Items for Establishing a Freelance Editing BusinessAppendix B: Improving Editing Skills through Using Editing Programs and Other Resources Further Reading and BibliographyIndex
"I would feel confident recommending it to someone considering starting their own freelance editing business in the United States."