Freelance writing fees: how much should you charge?

As a freelance writer, the prices you charge can make or break your freelance career.

To put it bluntly, if you don’t charge enough, you won’t be able to continue as a freelance writer. I’ve discussed a few of the facts about freelance writing on the Web page for my new Fab Freelance Writing Ezine.

Here’s what the freelance writers’ Bible, Writer’s Market, says about fees:

… data from Writer’s Market’s newest survey of freelance income that shows a substantial number of writers earn $30,000 to $40,000 and more (sometimes well into 6 figures) by freelance writing activities… (BUT – )

… writers’ pay in general is low partly because so few writers care much about the business aspects of this occupation. In this, freelance writing is similar to other creative fields. Hobby artists, photographers, potters and musicians love what they’re doing and get paid “hobby” rates, if at all. Professionals in those fields, if they also have good business sense, earn a living with what they do.

To be able to write is NOT enough: you need to have business skills
You’ll spend the first few years as a freelancer learning to write. Yes, you need to learn, and keep on learning. This means that you can’t expect people to pay you top rates.

However, as you learn writing skills, you will be paid appropriately – IF, and it’s a BIG IF – you learn how to charge for what you do. Some writers never learn, and they’re paid hobbyist rates their entire career.

I call these writers “freelance virgins”, in the sense that they don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know that their skills are worth big bucks to the people they write for, and they COULD be making ten times what they’re making now.

Here’s an example. You’ve been approached to write a brochure for a company. The company’s spending around $15,000 on the brochure, and expects to earn $90,000 from the brochure over the next year. How much do you charge to write the brochure?

Check out the Writer’s Market brochure rates. They’re on the low side; I don’t think they’ve been revised in the past few years.

What you charge is up to you.

Know what your writing is worth
When you’re quoting on a freelance job, you must know how much the client will make from your words. Can you help the client to make more money? If so, how?

When you know the answer to these questions, you will know how much to charge.

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