The question I get asked more and more from aspiring or new writers is how much to charge for certain projects. It’s something I still struggle with, especially as some are best for a set fee while others are better on an hourly basis. For years, I happily accepted the rates of publishers, not factoring in my time or the scope of the work. I was just thrilled to be getting paid work by publications I admired. But what it really comes down to is valuing your work and not backing down with clients.
Straight out of college, I was happy to see my name in print anywhere. I started freelancing for a publication I’d previously interned with and was giddy to receive $50 checks for articles that were essentially covering parties. It was the best possible situation.
But afterward, I was unsure of how to proceed and actually make a living doing this thing called writing. I can’t pinpoint the moment that I shifted from doing a few blog posts for free for travel blogs to actually getting paid, but it was an important time. I was able to showcase my work in previous publications and ask for more and more with added experience.
My youngest sister is a photojournalist straight out of college and in a similar situation to the one I was in. She pitched her first story to a big publication and texted me: “This sh*t is scary! It’s like being naked.” I told her that I was much more uncomfortable being naked than having my ideas out there for possible rejection.
We spoke back and forth about how much she should charge and I told her to at least double her amount she had in mind. “But what if they say no?” she asked. I remarked that if they didn’t pay her a fair rate, they weren’t worth writing for, no matter how big the name. Of course, they did accept her terms because her work was excellent and she was soon published.
It brought up a big question for me about knowing your creative worth. About the conflict you feel between wanting that “big” clip and getting paid. I asked my fellow writers what they thought about how much to charge and how to get what you deserve. Here are just a few of the responses I got:
It’s crucial that professional writers value their OWN experience and worth so they don’t short-change themselves. That’s an ongoing struggle, especially if you have an opportunity to, say, break into a dream market and then discover it pays CRAP. I’ve turned down work that I thought sounded great because the time-to-pay ratio was dismal. I did not feel guilty for a second. Good luck to her!
The stuff you did for your sister is so so so solid, you’re a superhero. And they’re all the things I would pass along. That and that it is the exact same process to pitch a crappy market as it is to pitch a good one, so swing for the fences FIRST. It took me too long to learn that and I wasted years doing 35/post content farm crap.
So what does all of this mean? How do you know your creative worth and be your own advocate?
Set your non-negotiables in advance. If a publication wants ownership of your work permanently, to publish without a byline, or to feature your work on additional websites, either ask for more money or don’t sign the contract. And if they want you to do extra work for no more pay, whether it’s photos, videos, or extra edits, don’t say yes.
Read your contract carefully. Before anything else, get a contract! You don’t have to speak “legalese” to understand most contracts. It should definitely include items like deadlines for work and payment, rates, and kill fees if the publication is no longer in a position to honor the contract. It also doesn’t hurt to have a third party look over it if you have a friend or family member in the legal field.
Don’t settle just because it’s a “dream publication.” This is the big one. It’s easy to get blinded by the fact that your favorite publication is now asking you to work for them. But this shouldn’t affect how much you’re willing to charge.
Know how much to charge. Some projects pay per word while others are project-based or hourly. Factor in how much you would charge for the work plus any extras, whether it be for your time emailing back and forth, training for the CMS system, or the research or photography also involved in the project. Don’t just accept what is offered to you and be prepared to negotiate. You can also ask for more money later, if you’ve proven you’re a hard worker, but it’s easier to start high and go from there rather than to start low.
Don’t support companies that don’t treat their freelancers fairly. There are a few out there that pay notoriously low rates for writers. I’ve written for a few of them and even include them in my monthly round ups, but these are better for writers who are just getting started, not those who need to be paid a living wage. Don’t read websites like The Huffington Post that don’t pay their writers at all and simply offer “exposure.”
Leave a Reply