Running your own show can mean surviving the fast or famine cycle, sure, but I think solo editors need to challenge themselves to think about what kind of ‘famine’ they’re willing to put up with. Working with a middleman is doing the same work for less, which may be fine for some people. I feel working for a middleman devalues my work, so I created new ways of marketing my skills to earn as much (or sometimes less) than my regular editing projects. I do a better job on the job when I get paid ‘my rate’, whether it’s editing or instructing.

I’ve often thought it would be nice to have a middleman or agent of my own. If someone were finding projects for me, I’d be glad to hand over a percentage of the income from those jobs (or charge less, on the assumption that my fee is part of the agent/middleman’s).

I rarely disagree with Rich, but I think there is still a role for the solo editor, and that there always will be. Some of my editing and proofreading clients don’t want to deal with a group and some only want to deal with me – not just me as a sole proprietor but me as myself. Some use more than one proofreader or editor and might be amenable to those folks working as a group, because what those clients want is assurance that someone is available to handle their work as it arrives and that the work is done well, regardless of who does the work. Individual authors also are a market for solo editors and proofreaders, assuming one can find those who value having a professional handle the messes they create – which some of our colleagues succeed at doing.

Although this is a sore point with many editors, I have said it before and I’ll repeat it here: I think the days of the solo editor are limited. There will always be the solo editor just as there continue to be sole practitioner lawyers and doctors, but the trend for lawyers and doctors is group practice and I think that trend will be true in the near future for editors, too. There are advantages and disadvantages, but one of the disadvantages to any group practice is that each member of the group has to share the proceeds, which usually means getting less than the gross amount received.

What is a reasonable rate for an editor who works for another editor? I suspect less than if that editor works directly with the client, because, yes, the middleman does deserve to get paid. It also seems that if the rate is less, than the quality of the editor is going to be less as well.

I’ve never worked for a middleman, although I can see how some editors might like that arrangement. Because my clients all come through referral from enthusiastic customers, I don’t have to spend time marketing. But it has taken many years to reach that level of expertise, so maybe my road is unrealistic for young aspiring editors.