Much as I enjoy contracting - both the flexibility and the financial side - I'm finding that I've reached a ceiling in the rates I can charge.
I've been web editing for 4 years with some big clients so I know my stuff, but I find that few roles pay above £250, with the avergae being about £200 and some...well, some offering as low as £5 hour!
What surprises me is that often these roles ask for graduates with a relevant degree (journalism, english), a fair bit of experience and often some technical skills. Yet the salaries are way behind, say, developer roles. Of course, there's a shortage of developers, but equally, how many people know how to write proper these days?
I find that the web editors I work with are a mixed bunch. Some are great writers but don't really get the technical side fo it: i.e, deconstructing documents so they can be managed in a CMS, writing for search engine optimisation, splitting content from presentation, etc. Others are pretty adept at managing content, but only really competent writers who struggle to write good marketing copy.
Problem is, that seems to satisfy most clients. Few clients seem really committed to making the most of their content - and paying accordingly for skilled editors. I've seen some ads for roles in the US that ask for that range of skills, but they don't seem to exist in the UK. Some companies don't even have Web Eds, choosing to let the marketing ppl write the content.
So, what can I do to get those skills recognised and rewarded? Do I need to re-train as a web developer (or at least add some of those skills to my bow) and keep the writing side of it as a hobby? Or maybe I hone up on HTML and CSS and go for those Web Producer roles I occasionally see (a strange mix of technical and editorial skills)?
Any thoughts?
I've been web editing for 4 years with some big clients so I know my stuff, but I find that few roles pay above £250, with the avergae being about £200 and some...well, some offering as low as £5 hour!
What surprises me is that often these roles ask for graduates with a relevant degree (journalism, english), a fair bit of experience and often some technical skills. Yet the salaries are way behind, say, developer roles. Of course, there's a shortage of developers, but equally, how many people know how to write proper these days?
I find that the web editors I work with are a mixed bunch. Some are great writers but don't really get the technical side fo it: i.e, deconstructing documents so they can be managed in a CMS, writing for search engine optimisation, splitting content from presentation, etc. Others are pretty adept at managing content, but only really competent writers who struggle to write good marketing copy.
Problem is, that seems to satisfy most clients. Few clients seem really committed to making the most of their content - and paying accordingly for skilled editors. I've seen some ads for roles in the US that ask for that range of skills, but they don't seem to exist in the UK. Some companies don't even have Web Eds, choosing to let the marketing ppl write the content.
So, what can I do to get those skills recognised and rewarded? Do I need to re-train as a web developer (or at least add some of those skills to my bow) and keep the writing side of it as a hobby? Or maybe I hone up on HTML and CSS and go for those Web Producer roles I occasionally see (a strange mix of technical and editorial skills)?
Any thoughts?
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