Jul
27
Lately I’ve come to know more and more freelance writing moms. Most of the writer moms I know began their freelance writing careers after their kids were born as a way to work from home to be with the kids. Some are single moms supporting themselves as well as their kids on their freelance writing incomes, while others are trying to earn a second income for the family while staying home with the kids. I know a few freelance writing moms who took up writing online to make a few extra bucks, but those are few and far between. Most writing moms I know use their freelance writing incomes to pay the bills.
Although taking on low-paying content writing jobs or selling articles to sites like Constant-Content.com or AssociatedContent.com can be relatively easy ways to earn a little extra pocket money from home, it takes a serious commitment and some real skill to earn an income on which someone can support a family.
Thus, it tends to burn me up when I read ads on job sites that say “Freelance Writers Wanted” followed by something like “Although this gig doesn’t pay, it’s a perfect opportunity for a stay at home mom.” How do they figure? If a stay at home mom is scanning through the freelance writing job ads, it is probably because she needs a paycheck, rather than because she’s got such a passion for writing (and so much free time on her hands) that she wants to volunteer to write for Joe-Blow Nobody’s website or blog. But that’s just the way I see it…
Jul
25
If you’re new to freelance writing, you might be wondering how much to charge, what is fair, and whether clients will be willing to pay you the amount you think is fair. Should you charge by the hour, by the word, by the project or some combination of these?
Here are the steps I take to determine my freelance writing rates:
1. How much do I need to earn per month (per week, per day) to get my bills paid, plus taxes and a little extra? I take that amount (for hypothetical purposes, let’s say $2000) and divide it into weeks and days, so I know what my earning goals are for each day and week. For $2000, that would be $500 per week, $100 per day (with weekends off).
Note: If you’re a beginning freelance writer who doesn’t have ongoing assignments or regular clients, earning $100 per day can be a challenge. Once your freelance writing career is more established, you’ll have more work, and earning $100 per day won’t seem like such a daunting concept.
2. What type of work will I do? My rates vary depending on the type of work I’m doing. For freelance copywriting, I charge a lot more than for content writing. I charge less for blogging than I do for article writing. Etc etc etc. I balance how much I charge for each type of freelance writing job based on how difficult the work will be and how much time it will take. For example:
Will I spend two hours researching a 1000 word article? If so, I have to factor the research time into my freelance writing rate. Can I write the 500 word article in 30 minutes without doing any research? If so, I will charge less.
3. How much work do I have? If I’m working for a regular client who is assigning me 50 500-word articles every month, and I am committed to working for this client for $20 per article, approximately half of my month’s working time is accounted for. If another client approaches me with a rush job that will take my time away from the first client — or cause me to work late into the night to make a deadline, etc. — I will charge double my usual rate to accommodate the rush job.
On the flip side, if my workload is especially low one month, I won’t mind taking on a writing job of 75 500-word articles at $15 per article. I know I have to earn that $2000 per month to pay the bills, so if that means taking on more work at a slightly lower rate, then that’s what I do.
More info on how to set freelance writing rates:
If you want to see what other freelance writers are charging, there are some good links in the article Patricia Telesco wrote for write-from-home.com — Setting Rates as a Freelance Writer. Patricia also offers a more experienced perspective on how to set freelance writing rates. She’s been in the freelance writing business for 15 years.
Jul
23
Kristen’s post on her Inkthinker blog (Setting Boundaries and Saying No) got me thinking…
As I previously touched on in another post, freelance writers are often as misjudged as stay-at-home parents, homemakers, or anyone else whose work happens to be done from home. As freelance writers, we’re also often viewed as people who want to give their work and time away for free. Combine both factors, and a freelance writer has gotta learn how to set boundaries, how to say no.
Whether it’s a potential client asking us to write for no pay, a friend who makes a habit of asking us to watch her kids, or a respected organization asking us to speak pro bono for their next convention, there comes a time when we have to say no.
There’s only so much time in the day. As freelance writers, most of us work to earn a living. We rely on our paychecks to pay our bills, just as any other working person does. If we want to pay the rent, we’ve got to learn to set boundaries. It might not be easy, but it’s necessary.
Jul
19
The Great Freelance Writing Rate Debate - Should You Work for Free, or for Nothing?
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Freelance writers are often debating whether or not writers should work for free, or whether writing for very low rates is worthwhile, especially for freelance writers just beginning their careers. Here’s my two cents on the matter:
Should you work for free simply because you’re a new freelance writer? No.
There is virtually no other profession or job where you’d be asked to work without pay. Does a school teacher work on an unpaid trial basis before she’s hired? Will a dentist fill the first cavity free to prove he can do the job? Of course not. Yet over and over people post ads for non-paying gigs for writers and say, “Great addition to your resume,” or “Excellent opportunity for new writers to gain exposure.” In reality, the majority of these gigs won’t look good on your resume, and the only opportunity to be gained is a hard-learned lesson. You’ll be better off starting a blog or website showcasing your writing talents and sending these links to clients who ask for writing samples.
Should you work for $3 per article simply because you’re inexperienced? No.
I’m a firm believer in not under-estimating a writer’s worth. While I’ll occasionally submit a reprint of an article to Associated Content and accept an offer of $10 or so for it, I certainly wouldn’t spend my days cranking out original articles for them at $3 a pop. I believe my time and effort is worth more than that, and I believe yours is, too.
I completely understand that there are a lot of new freelance writers who aren’t in the financial position to be particularly choosy. I’ve been one of those people. If you’re stuck taking low-paying freelance writing projects to make ends meet, I encourage you not to get stuck in that rut for too long. Take a few low-paying gigs to get the bills paid, but don’t spend all your time on them. Set aside some of your time to pursue better paying jobs or to query a few magazines.
Jul
19
Freelance Writing Jobs - Telecommuting Writing Jobs for 7/19/07
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A few good leads on freelance writing jobs from today’s Telecommuting Writing Jobs:
- Freelance Writers Needed for New Online and Glossy Magazine ($250-$400 per feature)
- Environmental Bloggers ($200 per month)
- Seeking Stories About The Great Depression ($100+ per story)
Visit Telecommuting Writing Jobs to for the full list of freelance writing jobs.
(leads for freelance writing jobs copied with permission by Telecommuting Writing Jobs)
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About Amy Derby
Formerly a corporate paralegal, I ditched the pantyhose to begin freelancing in 2004. I enjoy long walks to the coffee maker, never setting an alarm clock, and not wearing a bra to the (home) office. I can be reached at amy.derby (at) gmail.com.