Editing Freelancer (section)

==Freelance practices==

=== Types of work ===
According to the 2012 Freelance Industry Report compiled primarily about [[North America]] freelancing, nearly half of freelancers do writing work, with 18% of freelancers listing writing as a primary skill, 10% editing/copy-editing, and 10% as copy-writing. 20% of freelancers listed their primary skills as design. Next on the list was [[Translation|translating]] (8%), [[web development]] (5.5%), and [[marketing]] (4%).<ref name="Freelance Industry Report 2012">{{cite web|title=Freelance Industry Report 2012|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifdconference/2012report/FreelanceIndustryReport2012.pdf|access-date=17 May 2013|archive-date=10 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010183404/https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifdconference/2012report/FreelanceIndustryReport2012.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gregg|first=Tim|title=The State of the Freelance Economy|url=http://www.deskmag.com/en/the-state-of-the-freelance-economy-freelancers-survey-study-report-2012|access-date=17 May 2013|newspaper=DeskMag|date=14 February 2013|archive-date=13 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513032747/http://www.deskmag.com/en/the-state-of-the-freelance-economy-freelancers-survey-study-report-2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, freelancing was projected to grow to $20–$30 billion in the next 5–7 years in [[India]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/with-freelancing-on-the-rise-indias-gig-economy-is-going-strong-report/article10022680.ece|title=With freelancing on the rise, India's gig economy is going strong: report|date=9 January 2018|website=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-date=13 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513201717/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/with-freelancing-on-the-rise-indias-gig-economy-is-going-strong-report/article10022680.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> and the freelancers in the [[United States|US]] will comprise 40% (approx.) of the workforce at the projected growth rate from the same time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/this-survey-of-21000-freelancers-from-170-countries-shows-what-having-no-boss-is-like.html|title=This Survey of 21,000 Freelancers From 170 Countries Shows What Having No Boss Is Like|date=27 October 2017|work=Inc.com|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-date=26 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826090159/https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/this-survey-of-21000-freelancers-from-170-countries-shows-what-having-no-boss-is-like.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Needs update|date=February 2024}}

=== Compensation ===
Depending on the industry, freelance work practices vary and have changed over time. In some industries such as consulting, freelancers may require clients to sign written [[contract]]s. While in [[journalism]] or writing, freelancers may work for free or do work "on spec" to build their reputations or a relationship with a publication. Some freelancers may provide written estimates of work and request deposits from clients.

Payment for freelance work also depends on industry, skills, experience and location. Freelancers may charge by the day, hour, a piece rate, or on a per-project basis. Instead of a flat rate or fee, some freelancers have adopted a [[value-based pricing]] method based on the perceived value of the results to the client. By custom, payment arrangements may be upfront, percentage upfront, or upon completion. For more complex projects, a contract may set a payment schedule based on milestones or outcomes. One of the drawbacks of freelancing is that there is no guaranteed payment, and the work can be highly [[precarious work|precarious]]. In order to ensure payment, many freelancers use [[online payment]] platforms to protect themselves or work with local clients that can be held accountable.

=== Copyright ===
The question of ownership of a work's copyright arises when its author produces it on behalf of a client. The matter is governed by copyright law, which varies by country. The default ownership lies with the client in some countries and with the freelancing author in others. The degree to which either moral or economic ownership of a work for hire may be modified contractually varies by country.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Register of Copyrights|date=April 2019|title=Authors, Attribution, and Integrity: Examining Moral Rights in the United States|url=https://www.copyright.gov/policy/moralrights/full-report.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423164515/https://www.copyright.gov/policy/moralrights/full-report.pdf|archive-date=23 April 2019|access-date=2022-01-28|publisher=United States Copyright Office|pages=15&ndash;16}}</ref>