Meryl's Notes Blog
Things wordy, geeky, and webbyFreelance Writer Rates
Monday, July 31st, 2006 at 8:17 AM | 4 commentsI still haven’t gotten comfortable with quoting prices after exactly one year today of going full-time as a freelancer. Since we all learn how to write in school, many people think they can write articles, web content, newsletters and whathaveya. I think that’s part of why writers struggle with pricing — because businesses believe they shouldn’t have to pay much otherwise they could have their own people write it.
But like those businesses, we have to deal with the cost of living where we live, families, bar/bat mitzvahs, college, weddings, and paying bills just like everyone else. Katharine breaks down what it’s “working full-time” for a freelance editor.
Kristen answers a question about why freelance writer’s cost so much (it may not be that the person got quoted high rates, but rather higher than expected rates). Anne has a series of articles on how to determine what to charge.
For me, it’s about finding the middle between what the client can afford and what I can afford. I really need to sit down and figure out my target market and make up a persona for the ideal client. Been reading an excellent book, Book Yourself Solid. One advice I appreciated that echoed Andy’s comment in a previous entry — book only clients you enjoy working with and “dump the duds.”
The ones that drain your energy and boost your stress levels take away the energy you could have in getting more clients. Having clients that are a better fit lowers procrastination, speeds up output, and leaves you with more energy to get and work with more clients. Amen.
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4 comments
I think another aspect of the pricing problem is that our services are considered commodities by the larger business world. We’re often asked right from the start what the cost is of writing an article or designing a web site. “So, what’s the price and what can I get for it?”
Our client interactions might be a lot less stressful if we were perceived as a professional service and not as an oil change.
Great post, as always.
A reader submitted an email comment:
“…in general I don’t think anyone cares about your overhead. I think it’s more important to emphasize why you charge as much as you do. For instance:
“I could go on, but you get my point. I never think that anyone should justify what they make or get paid for a project by talking about what they need to live. People just want to know that you are worth what you are quoting them.”
Very well put. Thanks.
[...] Freelance writers are worth their words in gold. Just see the comments and links from Freelance Writer Rates. We CAN make a difference to a business’ bottom line. [...]
I haven’t always been such a stickler about price especially if I know the person’s budget is limited and I know that I can produce a nice series of articles rather quickly.
Sometimes I will accept less simply because I am writing on a topic that I enjoy, automotive, and the effort I must put out is small compared to a topic I must familiarize myself with.
Too many low priced deals, however, will wreck your budget and diminish your overall worth.
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