What are the standard proofreading rates for popular languages? Initiator des Themas: Alisha Rice
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Alisha Rice 
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 19:14
Mitglied (Jun 2024)
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
If you are just starting out, what are the normal rates for proofreading for a popular language like Spanish and Portuguese into English? I am just starting out but I do have a Master's degree. Thanks for the feedback.
| | | | ATIL KAYHAN
Türkei
Local time: 06:14
Mitglied (2007)
Türkisch > Englisch
+ ...
I try to stay away from specifying my proofreading rates unless I really have to. The reason is that I believe proofreading is not like translation where you can easily give a rate. When you take a proofreading job, you do not know much about the quality of the original translation job that you are supposed to proofread in the first place.
There are some jobs that you only correct some grammar and/or spelling mistakes, and the job is done. On the other hand, I met some translatio... See more I try to stay away from specifying my proofreading rates unless I really have to. The reason is that I believe proofreading is not like translation where you can easily give a rate. When you take a proofreading job, you do not know much about the quality of the original translation job that you are supposed to proofread in the first place.
There are some jobs that you only correct some grammar and/or spelling mistakes, and the job is done. On the other hand, I met some translation jobs that you literally have to redo the translator's job from scratch. There is a lot of difference between the two. Therefore, the rates that you specify should be different for the two jobs I described above. In theory, at least.
I ask to see the material before I give a rate for proofreading if a specific job is involved. Of course, most companies ask you to give a flat rate for proofreading. Whether this is fair or not is another story. My advice is to try to give a proofreading rate taking into account the factors I described above. Good luck. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Alisha Rice
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 19:14
Mitglied (Jun 2024)
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
THEMENSTARTER
That makes sense what you are saying. I did say I would have to see the document. I quoted the company 5 cents a word but I can come back and email the lady and tell her it depends on how much proofreading I am doing. At that point, I don't know how much to increase the rate if there is more proofreading involved.
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Alisha Rice wrote:
That makes sense what you are saying. I did say I would have to see the document. I quoted the company 5 cents a word but I can come back and email the lady and tell her it depends on how much proofreading I am doing. At that point, I don't know how much to increase the rate if there is more proofreading involved.
A quotation is not binding until and unless contracts have been signed to that effect, so I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted. I would say to time yourself proofreading a variety of texts and then try to calculate your hourly rate -> per word rate from that. E.g. if you can comfortably proofread 100 words and hour, and your hourly rate is $40 an hour, that gives you a per word rate of.... uh... you do the math
| | | | Thayenga
Deutschland
Local time: 04:14
Mitglied (2009)
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
Charge your hourly rate to cover all the time you will spend on the job, especially if it's MTPE.
For smaller jobs you can charge a flat rate, but make sure you will inform your customer that any time not spent on a small job will be offset against the next job(s).
| | | | Iris King
Finnland
Local time: 05:14
Englisch > Finnisch
+ ...
| Hourly is the way to go | Jul 8 |
I always charge an hourly rate with a 0.5h minimum.
| | | | Daryo
Vereinigtes Königreich
Local time: 03:14
Serbisch > Englisch
+ ...
| Yes, but you forgot a "little detail" - the other half of the story | Jul 12 |
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei wrote:
Alisha Rice wrote:
That makes sense what you are saying. I did say I would have to see the document. I quoted the company 5 cents a word but I can come back and email the lady and tell her it depends on how much proofreading I am doing. At that point, I don't know how much to increase the rate if there is more proofreading involved.
A quotation is not binding until and unless contracts have been signed to that effect, so I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted. I would say to time yourself proofreading a variety of texts and then try to calculate your hourly rate -> per word rate from that. E.g. if you can comfortably proofread 100 words and hour, and your hourly rate is $40 an hour, that gives you a per word rate of.... uh... you do the math
This is something I absolutely can not let pass:
A quotation is not binding until and unless contracts have been signed to that effect, so I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted.
this part
"A quotation is not binding until and unless contracts have been signed to that effect"
IS perfectly true
BUT
"I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted."
is THE WORST possible way of "negotiating" anything. Unless you don't mind getting a reputation as someone whose word means nothing.
If you make an "unrealistic/I shoot myself in both feet" offer, and it's accepted then you have gained yourself a binding commitment to work at loss. No way out. Business negotiation is serious business, not informal chit-chat - "I didn't mean it" won't impress anyone.
You must think first about what is or is not sustainable for you BEFORE making any offer - once you made an offer you can NOT "unmake it".
Ask companies who put by mistake silly prices on their website, and ended up being forced to sell (at significant loss) at "the advertised price" to those who accepted their offered price, no ifs no buts.
As for what agencies call "proofreading" but is fact more accurately "editing (/checking for accuracy of the translation and correcting it if necessary)", I avoid it like a plague. If you want to do it thoroughly, even with a good translation it takes almost the same time as translating it yourself, and very few want to pay that much.
If you do want to do "proofreading" then charging an hourly rate is the only acceptable option. In any case, you should see the translation **and the original** before making any offer.
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jyuan_us
Vereinigte Staaten
Local time: 22:14
Mitglied (2005)
Englisch > Chinesisch
+ ...
Thayenga wrote:
any time not spent on a small job will be offset against the next job(s).
I wonder how this could be done. Are you going to charge less for your next job, because you want to use the time allowed but not spent on a previously assigned small job?
[Edited at 2024-07-13 05:00 GMT]
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[quote]Daryo wrote:
[quote]Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei wrote:
Alisha Rice wrote:
BUT
"I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted."
is THE WORST possible way of "negotiating" anything. Unless you don't mind getting a reputation as someone whose word means nothing.
If you make an "unrealistic/I shoot myself in both feet" offer, and it's accepted then you have gained yourself a binding commitment to work at loss. No way out. Business negotiation is serious business, not informal chit-chat - "I didn't mean it" won't impress anyone.
Let me clarify and explain how I handle such situations: where the final rate depends on external factors (such as the quality of the work, deadline, etc.) I state so upfront. Especially when I'm asked to give a price for something I haven't seen.
I don't quote one price and charge another without warning, but at the same time I won't eat a "shoot myself in the foot" price if the scope or nature of the work changes without my agreement. I don't buy into a "You gave your word, now fall on your sword" mentality.
| | | | Kay Denney
Frankreich
Local time: 04:14
Französisch > Englisch
They need to be able to trust that you won't bill more hours than you spent of course. If they intimate that they don't know if they can trust you, you just say, well similarly, I have to do the work while trusting that you will actually pay me for it. That usually shuts them up. If it doesn't, run.
| | | | Daryo
Vereinigtes Königreich
Local time: 03:14
Serbisch > Englisch
+ ...
| You haven't "clarified" anything. | Jul 19 |
[quote]Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei wrote:
[quote]Daryo wrote:
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei wrote:
Alisha Rice wrote:
BUT
"I wouldn't worry too much about what you quoted."
is THE WORST possible way of "negotiating" anything. Unless you don't mind getting a reputation as someone whose word means nothing.
If you make an "unrealistic/I shoot myself in both feet" offer, and it's accepted then you have gained yourself a binding commitment to work at loss. No way out. Business negotiation is serious business, not informal chit-chat - "I didn't mean it" won't impress anyone.
Let me clarify and explain how I handle such situations: where the final rate depends on external factors (such as the quality of the work, deadline, etc.) I state so upfront. Especially when I'm asked to give a price for something I haven't seen.
I don't quote one price and charge another without warning, but at the same time I won't eat a "shoot myself in the foot" price if the scope or nature of the work changes without my agreement. I don't buy into a "You gave your word, now fall on your sword" mentality.
What you did say amounts to "don't worry about what quote you give", as if it doesn't matter that a quote is binding and if accepted you have a binding contract on the terms of your offer".
Your "explanation" is about s.t. entirely else: giving noncommittal replies to a query (like: "depends on" etc...). THAT is not "an offer".
An offer is "this much for the whole text", or "this much per word or per "cartina" or per whatever pricing unit you use". One you have given your price, and it's accepted, there is no going back. So anyone intending to stay in business should worry very much about what offers they make. Too little you're working at loss, too much you won't get much business.
You may make your own rule I don't buy into a "You gave your word, now fall on your sword" mentality, but like it or not that's how businesses operate (and the legal system, BTW ...), and that's why businesses do worry very much / are very careful about what offers they make.
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After rechecking both posts, site staff has decided to unlock this forum as, despite being related, both topics are focused on two different approaches: Translation and Proofreading.
Kind regards,
Naiara Solano
ProZ.com Staff
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