The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps.
– Robert Benchley
The quote above from American comedian and writer Robert Benchley hits the spot. Every freelance writer, or other freelancers even, can relate to it. How much should a freelance writer charge is one of the frequent questions asked among writers. Just recently, two readers have consulted me about this.
A freelance writer can charge whatever he or she wants as long as it makes sense for him or her, for the client, and for the market. As long as the freelance writer feels that it’s fair, there is nothing to worry about.
There are people who charge way too much and get those high rates because they have built their reputation and their business up and have earned it. I know someone who can demand a million pesos for a book project because she has great writing credentials under her belt.
On the other end of the scale are the other writers who charge way below what they should, unknowingly or deliberately, thus affecting other freelance writers and the market in general.
So how much is fair?
In the course of my freelance writing career, I’ve tried weighing four ways how to charge a writing project: per word, per page, per project (or per piece), and per hour. There are pros and cons for each but let me give you an idea of how it works for me.
Per Word
When I got hold of my first copy of Writer’s Digest back in the mid-80s, I read from the ads that contributing writers would get between $0.05 USD to $0.25 USD per word. At that time, the exchange rate was Php 35.00 = $1.00 USD. I was in high school then and all I could say was, “Wow!”
When I joined the Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines (FWGP) in 2012, we had agreed that no Filipino writer should charge below Php 2.50 per word. And yet, some writers accept projects that pay way below that rate.
In fact, I’ve encountered a writing platform that pays writers $6.00 per 500 words (It used to be $4.00 per 500 words back in 2018). Although there are many writing tasks to grab daily, and an average writer can write up to three or four 500-word articles per day, it may look like the rate is fair if converted into the Philippine peso. But think again, given the task requirements [like sticking to the SEO keywords and the exact 500-word count] plus the time spent on research, writing, and polishing the draft, the $6.00 per 500 words is way below the Php 2.50 per word FWGP standard.
When charging a writing project per word, better ask the client for the required word count. Most of my clients for web content require me to write articles 1,200 to 1,500 words long. Only a few would require me to write up to 3,000 words. Since the word count varies, it is easier to set the price per 100 or 500 words. This is much easier and acceptable to both client and me.
Tip: It is easier to set the price per-500-words because it would look like writing a short article on a per-project basis.
According to an article in Entrepreneur magazine dated October 2013, writers may charge from $2.00 USD per 100 words for academic writing, $3.00 USD per 100 words for special reports, $5.00 USD per 250-399 words, and $10.00 USD for 400-500 words for article and content writing. That was almost ten years ago. The rates have changed now. If we are to follow the current FWGP standard, the rate should be around $20.00 USD per 500 words, more or less.
However, if the client specified a project long enough that charging per word may be too much, I go for the second option: per page.
Per Page
In 2017, I finished an e-book project that paid me by the page. I’ve checked around and saw that prices per page vary from one writer to another. One source said it’s $15.00 USD per page. That was around Php 780.00 if converted at that time. The client may say it’s over the budget, so be ready with a counter-proposal to meet halfway.
Editing and proofreading services are better charged by the page, whether fiction or nonfiction writing.
However, because of images, charts, diagrams, etc., the text would have to move along adding more pages which could be both an advantage and disadvantage. The more pages I have, the more money I’ll get. However, the not-so-good thing about it is when I compute for the per-word rate, chances are it would go way below my usual per-word rate. Realizing that would make me think twice, my next option is to charge it per project.
Tip: If a written document is already present, it is easier to charge per page.
Per Project
This is something easy for the client because it’s a flat fee regardless of the project’s length. Also, I have the advantage to figure out how much I would like to get paid without the limitations of word or page count. I just have to factor in the hours and resources spent, in a way that makes sense to both parties, and still has enough gain in the end.
Projects that require interviews, library research, and other non-writing tasks, etc. are best charged on a per-project basis. Think as if you’re going to be paid a salary per month or per week, depending on the project’s time frame. Also, I ask the client how much his or her budget and I base my quote on it.
The disadvantage of this method is if the project becomes more in-depth than I anticipated and I end up on the losing end. Most freelance writers suffer this kind of trauma — working on a project, being told to revise this and that, hoping to get paid but ending up not being paid due to some unfortunate circumstances, and if ever paid the amount is lower than all the effort.
One way to prevent this is to ask for a down payment to finance the project and ask for the balance once the project is done. This is stated in my Statement of Work (SOW) along with the project’s details.
If ever the client decides not to continue the project, I usually state in my SOW that the down payment will serve as the “kill fee”. This way, I’m paid for the services rendered during the first days of the project.
Tip: To charge on a per-project basis, depending on the project’s time frame, ask yourself how much would you like to be paid per week.
Development Contract
I encountered this term recently and decided to include this here because it relates to charging per-project basis. As the term implies, development contracts are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance.
For long-term projects, it is difficult to judge the probabilities of success or required effort for technical approaches, some of which offer little or no early assurance of success. Thus, it is suggested to create a development contract instead of a fixed contract. This way, the client’s budget, and the freelance writer’s time and effort are aligned. One way to do this is to submit a progress report and running balance to the client regularly, for example, every week or every milestone.
If I can’t figure out how much the whole project would cost me, then I try charging it per hour instead.
Per Hour
This method is fair but tricky at the same time. I’ve scouted around and saw varied rates from $5.00 USD to $40.00 USD. (And I also found a few who charge much higher.) If you try to convert that into Philippine pesos you’ll exclaim, “Wow!”.
I use a timer and an invoicing tool so I could easily charge the client and show him or her how my time was spent on the project. That includes research, video calls, writing, and editing. I just have to be conscious of my time and motion and be honest in charging.
I bid $11.00 USD per hour for two separate writing projects. The British client said, “I guess you’ll just be writing for thirty minutes per item, how’s that?” The Australian client said, “The US dollar rate is too much. How about if it’s in Australian dollars?” In short, I sealed both deals in 2015.
The advantage of being a Filipino is having this kind of opportunity to work with foreign clients and still get comfortable with the rates even if it’s below expectation. Both $5.50 USD and $11.00 AUD were fine with me because I was comfortable with that. Believe me, it was much more than the starting rate I had in freelance writing back in 2012.
Tip: Have a reliable timer with invoicing tool specially made for freelancers.
How I Do It
I have set an income goal, the lowest rate where I could still be comfortable, and resolve that I should not go lower than that. Also, I factored in other fees like the kill fee, time for research, meetings, and revisions. I check with the client about what the project entails and then decide which method to use.
To help me decide, I weigh the pros and cons of each rate in relation to that project. I start proposing the hourly rate, then go for the per-project rate. For small projects, it’s simpler to start proposing for a per-project or per–500 words rate. Then I sent my Statement of Work (SOW) which could also be my contract with the client once it’s signed. The rate will now be sealed. This is a tough balancing act and yet I like the variety.
Among the four methods, I prefer charging by the hour. However, different clients prefer different methods. So I recommend newbies to charge their first writing gigs on a per-project basis.
There Is No Standard Rate
I’ve been with FWGP since 2012 and until now, it’s challenging to push for the standardization of rates for freelance writers. First, the variety of freelance writers we have across the country have different qualifications, experiences, and talent fees. Second, many people say that any form of standardization would be detrimental to the freelancing industry or gig economy.
My Final Thoughts
How you’re going to charge the client depends on you. As long as it’s fair for both parties, as long as you’re comfortable with the cost, then it’s fine to charge per hour, per project, per page, or per word. But please, freelance writers, not perhaps.
Tell me what you think of this article or let me know if you have issues regarding the talent fees. Let me know, too, if I have missed anything, I’d appreciate your feedback. If you like to read more about freelance writing, productivity, or creative writing, please subscribe and join the tribe.
