Here comes the most sensitive portion of a freelance writing job: how much should you ask from your client? Of course, there will always be pros and cons when you set your price too high or too low. A budding freelance writer would think of lowering down his rates in the hopes that he can attract clients that way. However, there are actually a number of them who believe that your quality is mediocre; that’s why you can’t afford to raise your fees high.
There are also others who start high, simply because they want to earn big immediately. The problem is that this may actually scare clients away for the simple reason that they may not afford you. What’s more, you’re new, and investing too much may be a huge risk for them.
So how much should you charge? I would not give you a specific amount, as the best person to determine that is really you. But there are some factors to help you come up with the fairest and the most ideal rate for yourself:
What is the project about?
Different projects equal different rates-that’s one thing you should keep in mind. After all, it’s a lot easier to work on a blog post about love than an article about the war in Darfur. Moreover, the equation doesn’t change even if you’re working on the same kind of work, such as an e-book. It’s more convenient for you to talk about affiliate marketing since there are plenty of materials about it than to come up with a 60-page e-book about Mesothelioma.
Who owns the rights?
A lot of times a freelance writer is a ghost writer. This means that he’s going to write for somebody else, and the distribution and even resale rights will belong to your client. The price for the material will then depend on the opportunity costs-that is, how much you’re going to lose for choosing to sell your rights to others. For example, if you will have better chances of earning more on your ghostwritten article about the Holocaust in the United States market, then you may want to let the client pay a little higher.
How long does it take you to finish a project?
If it’s going to take you a long time to complete a project-especially if it compels you to conduct interviews and travel to different places-the fee for the article may be set a little high. After all, you have to make sure that you will be able to recover the expenses that you incurred. However, you have to make sure that you’re honest with your report. Don’t include the time you sat down in a café and took a snack, for that’s completely not included in your job.
You may also want to rate yourself by the hour or by a fixed price. Regardless of your choice, though, always ensure that you can rate yourself according to what you can do. Clients will be more than happy to give you the salary that you want as long as you can prove your worth to them.
