Suzy Bills 
The Freelance Editor’s Handbook [EPUB ebook] 
A Complete Guide to Making Your Business Thrive

A comprehensive guide to building and maintaining a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable business as a freelance editor.

 

According to Linked In, 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!

Table of Content

Acknowledgments


Introduction 

Why This Book Is for You

What We’re Going to Cover


1 Deciding Whether You Really Want to Be a Freelance Editor

Benefits of Freelancing

Downsides of Freelancing

Skills and Characteristics of Effective Freelance Editors

The Decision of Whether to Freelance Part-Time or Full-Time

Key Takeaways


2 Setting Up Your Business

Business Name

Business Entities

Business License

Employer Identification Number

Bank Account and Credit Card

Business Plan

Business Costs

Key Takeaways


3 Establishing a Strategic Mindset

Creating a Vision

Setting and Achieving Goals

Finding a Mentor

Key Takeaways


4 Looking for Clients

Deciding Whether to Specialize

Finding Clients

Getting Repeat Business

Key Takeaways


5 Marketing like a Pro 

Awareness of Target Clients’ Needs

Unique Selling Proposition 

Lead Nurturing

Social Media Platforms

Editing and Business Directories

Promotional Pieces

Books, Training, Podcasts, and You Tube Channels

Additional Marketing Tips

Key Takeaways


6 Creating Your Website 

Why You Need a Website

How to Build Your Website

How to Choose and Purchase a Domain Name

How to Decide on the Website Design

Pages and Content to Include on Your Website

The Debate about Blogging

Key Takeaways


7 Maximizing the Benefits of Linked In

Components of a Linked In Profile

How to Connect and Network with People on Linked In

How to Search for Jobs on Linked In

Key Takeaways


8 Winning at the Pricing Game

Figuring Out How Much to Charge

Choosing a Pricing Method

Setting the Stage for Presenting a Fee

Developing a Price Quote

Applying a Rush Fee

Presenting Your Price

Overcoming Price Objections and Negotiating a Rate

Increasing Your Rate

Reducing Income Uncertainty through Establishing Retainers

Choosing Payment Methods

Key Takeaways


9 Using Contracts and Invoices to Get Paid and Protect Yourself 

What You Need to Know about Contracts

What You Need to Include in Invoices

How to Address Issues in Getting Paid

Key Takeaways


10 Managing Time like a Pro and Increasing Productivity

General Strategies to Improve Your Time Management and Productivity

Strategies to Improve Your Editing Efficiency

Strategies to Manage Your Project Schedule

Strategies to Stop Procrastinating

Key Takeaways


11 Achieving Work/Life Balance

Balancing Work and Personal Pursuits

Dealing with Crises

Dealing with Negative Client Feedback

Dealing with Perfectionism

Avoiding Imposter Syndrome

Key Takeaways


12 Overcoming the Fear of Taxes

The Basics

Self-Employment Tax

Quarterly Payment

Annual Tax Return

How to Avoid Tax Penalties

Tax Deductions for Freelancers

Key Takeaways


13 Becoming a Financially Savvy Freelancer

Personal and Business Budgets

Cash Flow Management

Bookkeeping

Insurance

Retirement Savings

Key Takeaways


Conclusion


Appendix A: Most Important Action Items for Establishing a Freelance Editing Business

Appendix B: Improving Editing Skills through Using Editing Programs and Other Resources 

Further Reading and Bibliography

Index

About the author

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.