Freelance writers, how much money are you leaving on the table?
When completing writing projects, you tend to charge for writing, editing and revising only. You don’t fully consider all aspects of completing a project. Unfortunately, you are leaving a lot of money on table – literally and figuratively.
Also, when you are hired for writing services, you are not just writers. You uncover and collect information through research and interviews to provide a comprehensive story.
You are artists who bring thoughts and ideas to life. You are geniuses who connect concepts to make them relatable. You are also editors who organize information to ensure that the final draft is easy to read and easy to understand.
You are consultants, business partners and experts that should be charging for your time, knowledge and expertise.
If you are not charging for all of the services you provide in a project, you are leaving money on the table. How much you’re losing is unknown, but you’ll have an idea after reading about the nine services you should be charging for.
Ways Freelance Writers Leave Money on the Table
1. Brainstorming & Conceptualizing
Brainstorming is the process of generating ideas, selecting different angles for your articles, and developing outlines. You should allocate at least an hour to this activity, even if the project seems relatively simple.
You just never know where your creativity will take you.
2. Background reading
When starting new assignments, you have to read previously published information for two reasons:
1) to learn more about the company you’re serving and 2) to determine if the data is relevant to the current project. Annual reports, website content, newsletters and other company reports are just a few documents you can read to gather information you need.
The reading time will vary depending on your reading speed; the simplicity or complexity of the documents you’re reading; and the number of pages included in the documents.
3. Research
You will almost always conduct research in your projects, even if you’re just confirming dates, times and places. It is a time-consuming, but necessary aspect of writing.
In addition to charging for the actual time you use to conduct research, you should also charge for reading, organizing, and summarizing your findings.
One task writers tend to overlook and not charge for is searching for free photos, videos, and other multimedia to accompany articles. Expect to spend at least 15 minutes doing this.
4. Interviews
Like research, conducting interviews is very time consuming. First, you have to schedule the interview which could take time due to busy schedules.
You also have to compose relevant questions to ensure that you’re capturing the essence of the message.
Then, you have to conduct the actual interview and transcribe the notes from the interview. Lastly, you have to creatively weave content from the interview into the story.
5. Additional Revisions & Edits
I have seen writers include up to two revisions in their contracts for no extra charge. However, that should cover only minor changes.
If the clients want to make major changes after the approved completion of the project or if they want to change directions mid-project, you need to charge accordingly and revise the contract to reflect the changes.
6. Related Expenses
Related expenses include charges for e-mail and internet services, paper and ink, and all other charges incurred during the completion of the project.
Internet and e-mail services are used to communicate with clients. Paper and ink are used to print the project. You may even have to use envelopes and postage.
7. Additional Meetings & Consultations
You will have one meeting with the client to determine the direction and expectations of the project. However, if multiple meetings are required, you can bill clients for your time only or for time and travel.
Be sure to document this in the contract. Lastly, conversations exceeding 10 minutes are consultations, so be sure to charge for them.
8. Aggravation
One writer charges extra for aggravation “just because”. He doesn’t wait for something to happen; he charges automatically based on previous experiences.
The aggravation could be caused by the client or unexpected glitches that occur during the course of the project.
9. Promotion
Many times, clients may ask you to promote blogs posts, press releases and newsletters. Yes, you will do it…for an additional fee. Writing and promotion are two different services and you should charge the client for the value of each one.
For example, you may charge $300 to write press releases and $1,000 to send it to media outlets. Or, you can charge $250 for a blog post and another $150 to promote it.
Are you charging for writing, editing, and revisions only when quoting rates for your writing services? If so, you are leaving money on the table. Now is a good time to review your rates for services, sweep that money off the table, and take it to the bank.
Your Turn
Which of the above services are you not charging for now but can boost your boost your line? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Can you please suggest me whether I am a good freelancer writer or not I wrote articles as freelancing and earn a short of money by my work but I want to increase my income so how can I go for it.
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Hello Akshay,
I would recommend that you either write in your native language or find someone who is native to the country of the sites you want to contribute on to edit content for you. As content gets more competitive, only the very best writers with almost perfect English will be able to consistently make a living as a writer — at least on larger sites.
Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Importance of Technical SEO 2019 and Beyond [Infographic + Video]
Great knowledge! Thank you for sharing and keep posting more.
What a great list of things to remember to charge for and not just give as a handout. I especially like the exact examples in #9 of what you could charge for blog posts and press releases. I think there is a fine line between giving a lot of value and giving away your services. Great article!
Awesome post! Really informative for freelancers out there. I recently hired a group of freelance blog writers and they are doing a quite satisfying job for my blog. Will share this post with them for knowledge. Keep posting!
Hello Marcie,
Awesome post, I’ve been a freelancer for 5 years and these tips are gold. I guess I’m just gonna bookmark this post.
i realy apply this techniques in my blogging site thanks once again
Nice to read this article thanks for your kind information that you have given to us about why freelance leave money on the table. The things that you have mentioned in your article are very important in the point of view of creativity.
Such an eye opening article. I Think i should take seriously in life on this article but i am doing in wrong way .
Thanks for sharing you knowledged! Keep doing it!
Awesome tips for freelance writers
Today, you win one more reader!
This is a nice post i never know that one can make huge money from freelancing job am happy to have read this Article.
Thanks
I just stepped in freelance writing as a content writer and now i have a brief idea about how can i add few extra bucks . I did a few projects . They asked me promote but i denied as it wasn’t my job . Now i regret i missed some easy money . Silly me . Thanks for the heads up .
Hi,
This is nice post for ways freelance writes are leaving money on table and having right articles to see you here and thanks a lot for sharing with us.
I didn’t know freelancers could be earning much much more than they do! Thanks for sharing these tips and pointing out which part of the job people could possibly be missing out on.
Karen Ching would love you to read ..Economic Benefits of Using an Office Space for Lease in Paranaque
I don’t do a lot of freelance writing, but this was still very… elucidating. I’m definitely guilty of giving my clients too many revisions for free. I know they want things to be perfect, but… geez. My time ain’t free! 😉
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This is very informative and beneficial for me. Indeed promotion of articles must be charged extra but most of the writers just do it for free. Its benefit for me
John would love you to read ..Pay Stub | Understand Your Pay Stub
Awesome !! All the points of your article are useful but these days people believe that without research they can write the article by copying posts and using a spinner. Real SEO articles need proper research and hard work.
Thanks for the great information.
Revisions is always a toughie.
For huge contracts, like novels, we take it one chapter at a time. There are often lots of revisions in the first chapter, until we get tone and style down pat, then minor revisions along the way. We factor that into our price.
For smaller projects, such as a best man speech or a blog article, I usually tell them reasonable tweaks are covered, so make sure to get your instructions right from the start. Yeah, no coddling passive aggressive clients who say, “I don’t like it. Do it again differently” – I’ve seen a few of those.
For research, again it depends of the nature of a project. Confirming dates pr how to spell niche words (let’s say when writing on cardiology or on horticulture) is a given, and factored into the price. But for any complex research, we charge extra and by the hour.
If an individual client (not a big company) has a lot of research to do, we generally recommend doing it themselves or hiring a student. It can get expensive to hire a pro at pro rates to do 100 hours of research that a student could do just as well.
David, thanks for breaking revisions down according to project type. And I’m with you on research. People do not understand the amount of work required.
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Hey Mercie, your Tips are so amazing and helpful for freelance writers. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with us.
This is an interesting read. The writers have a lot of opportunities to earn money apart from writing the content. I am a blogger and these suggestions can add up good value to my career. Article writing involves a lot of intense work and these tips can be certainly helpful.
nice and awesome article , i really need this post , now please write about shopify online store , i am not getting success there , thanks
Hi,
This is nice post for freelancers writers are leaving money on the table and having right articles to see you here and thanks a lot for sharing with us.
Thanks for providing such an informative blog. I like your Press release point, actually, I would a little bit confused to tell the amount of press release to my clients but your point helps me out.
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Hello Marcie,
I have also started new free freelancing your article very helpful for me.
your 7th and 8th point very informative.
hello
thank you for sharing this article it was really helpful and after reaching this site my thoughts are really cleared and im really thank full of you
Thanks for sharing its very useful for me and others also. Its an great article so far. thanks a lot and its an great thing
Hi Thanks for this great article.
Good analysis generates desired results. Different Information Post.
Thanks for sharing.
Great post for freelance writer, thanks for sharing. I used to think about freelancing after reading your post.
Hello Marcie,
Firstly I would love to appreciate your article/blog.
From an SEO perspective, I would love to say content should be unique and clear. If content would be unique and clear user will get attracted more to a website and will grow business in a more better way.
Marcie, please share me some more information in regards how to get more traffic more on a website?
Hi Anna,
This article was written with content creators in mind, not necessarily SEO writers, although they can use this information to grow their bottom lines. I’m not expert in getting more traffic on a website so I can’t help with this.
Marcie would love you to read ..Connecting With Your Readers: The First Rule Of Successful Blogging
great and informative post. the easy explanation helps me a lot for understanding to write a great article. thanks for sharing.
Hey Marcie, im glad that iv’e started my day with an awesome article. keep posting..
Love from India.
Writing is a tough profession which many don’t realise.
If the writer can become famous then the going gets easy and it is a lot of hard work at first just like any other business.
Thanks for all the tips.
Great Post Marcie.
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Wajahath, I don’t think the writer has to be famous. I think writers need to have enough confidence in their work and themselves to ask for what they want. Their portfolio and testimonials will speak for them.
Marcie would love you to read ..Reminder: 3 Online Marketing Tools All Businesses Should Use – September 22, 2018
As someone who has spent over $1M hiring freelance writers, I can honestly say there are even more ways they are leaving money on the table than this. They only see themselves as people who write rather than someone who can solve an ongoing problem. Its a shame really.
Sam would love you to read ..How To Become A Life Coach
Hey Sam, in what other ways are they leaving money on the table? This would be helpful to the people who have left comments here.
Marcie would love you to read ..Reminder: 3 Online Marketing Tools All Businesses Should Use – September 22, 2018
Hi Marcie
Great post , i really appreciate you because you have nicely done everything on one post. i did freelancing before 4 years but your tips really awesome for me, hope so you will write new things soon
Thank you for sharing
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Kelye, I hope these tips help increase your pay. You should get paid for your time, talent and the services you provide.
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Hey Marcie, I’m a newbie freelancer and these tips are very valuable to me. Thanks for this amazing post! Have a nice day, Marcie!!
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Great Information, all the points are useful for real article writer but these days people believe that without research they can write the article by copy paste and spinner. Real seo article needs proper research and hard work.
very important and worth article you wrote for all freelancer users. I also share this post to my freelancer friends who always does same when they have time to earn unlimited money through his / her skills. Thanks for sharing good post.
Hello Marcie,
I am a new comer who wants to grow as much as possible in this field i read your post it nice as new comer i want to thank you for tell us something about online earning and i love to say please keep sharing
thanks & Regards
Sam Richard
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Hi Marcie,
Good post! Your post is very informative and you have done well to explain things. These 9 ways are worth thinking about because at the end of the day if freelance writers are paid well, then their quality of work is bound to raise. This in return helps both the client and the freelancer.
Thank you for this lovely post. have a good day. 🙂
Tarique Amir would love you to read ..Computers in our daily life
thank you for the information for earn the money. your article such a very nice. Thank you so much.
Hi,
Nice post for a freelancer. They should be charged properly. Given 9 steps are very important to define the right way for a freelance writer. Best content.
Thanks
Rajesh, these are the only nine things I can think of. If you know of any others, let me know.
I love these extras that writers can add on to their services! And you should be charging for any time that you put into a written piece.
But, I think the aggravation fee is a little much.
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Holly, I used to feel the same way about the aggravation fee until I worked with a couple of clients that made me understand. They are the exception.
Marcie would love you to read ..3 Online Marketing Tools All Businesses Should Use – September 22, 2018
Great information, All the points are useful for real article writer but these days people believe that without research they can write the article by copy pest and spinner. Real SEO article needs proper research and hard work. Thanks for the great information.
That’s a good point about researching for SEO. This info can help writers expand their service offerings.
Marcie would love you to read ..Connecting With Your Readers: The First Rule Of Successful Blogging
Hello,
Awesome post,
I’ve been a freelancer for and these tips are very valuable. I am gonna save this post.
Thanks
rakshit joshi would love you to read ..How to Get Google AdSense Account Approval?
Hey Rakshit, you are sure to increase your income by charging clients separately for the services you provide. Good luck to you.
Marcie would love you to read ..5 Must-Have Branding Tools for Bloggers
Hello Marcie,
Interesting post, I am new to freelancing and these tips are amazing. Nice article thanks for writing this post.
Thanks and have a good day
Glad these tips helped, Fassih. There is money to be made and you are ready to earn as much as possible.
Marcie would love you to read ..5 Must-Have Branding Tools for Bloggers
Hello Marcie,
Awesome post, I’ve been a freelancer for 5 years and these tips are gold. I guess I’m just gonna bookmark this post.
Indeed promotion of articles must be charged extra but most of the writers just do it for free.
Thanks
Venu would love you to read ..How to Download Instagram for Windows PC and Mac for Free
And free is what we have to stop doing. Writers have to charge for our time, talent and the value we provide to clients.