Freelance Limbo: Do You Know How You'll Go?

A couple of weeks ago I posted about an offer of several assignments from a (potential) client new to me. Want to know the rest of the story? 

My potential client assigned me four blog posts, with specific topics, and gave me a word count of 500 words for each; she then asked what I would charge for them. Deadline was four days. I expected each to take several hours, and emailed to tell her I'd be happy to do them for $200/each. 

That was too high for her; she countered with $50/each, for a total of $200. I offered to go as low as $150/post, but said that that's as low as I'm willing to go for original content. 

She never responded. 

So, I'm out of a $200 assignment, for 2,000 words--of original content. For $0.10/word? Well, I'm okay with ditching that bullet.  

In the meantime, I accepted three new assignments. One is for 700 words, $1,050, and will require some background reporting and three interviews. The second is for 2,000 words, pays $1,000 and will require significantly more reporting and legwork-but I'm willing to do it for $0.50/word. (Do I wish this market paid a higher rate? Of course, but I can't always control what a market will pay me.) And the third is a short piece, 350 words, for $650, about $1.85/word. It also has a tight deadline and will require some legwork, but I've already starting to pull the research and line up the experts I'll need. 

(For the record, I don't always get assignments that pay so well per-word. One of my regular clients pays about $0.35/word. Another pays about $0.30/word. But I know how long those assignments will take and can usually make close to my $100/hour rate regardless. And with ghostwriting projects, I'm usually paid per-project, not per-word.)  

So, I can't control how high (or low) a market will go. What I can control is how low I will go. And $0.10/word for original content? That's too low--at least for me, right now. 

My advice? Know how low you will go--and stick to it. Because if you're saying "yes" to poorly-paying work, you have less time to pursue the better-paying markets--and that will hurt you in the long run. 

**Want to know more about how to make more money as a freelancer? Check out Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition, a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. 
My newest  book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows writers how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. And if you're brand-new to freelancing, I recommend Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. 

Blast from the Past: Dollars/Word Versus Dollars/Hour

Hi, readers--I'm in the midst of the project that will not end. If I was charging by the hour, this would be good news--I'd be making more and more money. However, I'm being paid a set fee (or a project fee), which means my hourly rate is plummeting. It also means that I have close to zero free time, which is why this week's post features a "blast from the past"--one of my most popular posts--about a semantic difference that many freelancers ignore to their peril.  

So, let's talk about what you're making per-word for the articles you write. Is it $1/word? $2/word? $0.40/word? $0.25/word? Even less? 

You may be surprised that I've taken on assignments that pay $0.40/word, even $0.25/word, and yes, even less than that. I don't care about the per-word rate as much as I care about what I make per-hour.

Per-word rates are the norm in the freelance world. This figure, multiplied by word count, tells you how much you’ll make for writing a particular story. But it may not tell you whether it’s worth it to take it on. The real question is how much time the story will take. The assignment amount, divided by the number of hours you put into it, gives you your hourly rate for the piece.

Knowing how much time an article (or any other project, for that matter) will take gives you a concrete idea of the return on your time. And those $1/word and up assignments can be mighty misleading. Sure, it’s a bigger check than writing for a market that pays a lower per-word rate. But are you really making more money?

For example, let’s say I do a 1,000-word story for a national magazine that pays $1.50/word. Fair enough—I’m getting paid $1,500 for my work. But what happens if between researching and writing the query, writing an outline (per my editor), researching the article, finding sources, doing interviews, transcribing interviews, writing the piece, turning in the piece, revising the piece (per my editor’s request), finding new sources (per my editor), interviewing those sources, turning in the final revision, submitting my backup material, answering additional questions from the editor (say, nine months later…it happens), I’ve put 25 hours into my story? That means I’ve made $60/hour on that story.

Not bad, but here’s the thing—compare that to a 1,000-word piece on the same topic for a smaller magazine that pays only $0.35/word. Yet I know the editor and my query is just a short paragraph. The story requires some background research and several interviews, and takes me a total of five hours to write. (No revisions requested! Yay!) That a total of $350, for five hours’ worth of work—or $70/hour.

At first glance, the $1,500 piece looks like a better assignment—and it is a bigger check. But my experience has been that national markets (and I’ve written for more than 60 of them) expect a lot more work from you to earn that higher rate. In many cases, I’ve found that regional magazines, trade publications, websites, and specialty magazines actually pay better per-hour than big national pubs. And that makes them worthwhile markets for me.

What about you? Are you tracking your time…or just your dollars?

**Readers, I'm working on a list of topics to cover for the rest of the winter. What questions do you have about freelancing? Comment here and I'll be happy to consider them. In the meantime, if  you're serious about turning your passion for writing into profits, check out Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. Already making money as a freelancer, but want to take your career to the next level? Then you need Six-Figure Freelancing, Second Edition: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money. 

My Most Popular Blog Post Ever--For Good Reason

Years ago I met another freelancer at ASJA and we got to talking about the markets we were writing for. She was surprised to learn that I wrote for markets that paid relatively low rates, and told me that she only wrote for markets that paid at least $1/word. "Otherwise, it's not worth my while," she said.

I couldn't disagree more. The question is not what you make per-word; it's what you make per-hour that's critical to your success. So as I reviewed my blog's stats recently, I was happy to see that this blog's most popular post of all time was one I wrote more than three years ago about why I don't care what I make per-word. 

Here it is, updated somewhat: 

So, what are you making per word for your articles for print and online markets? $1/word? $1.50/word? Only $0.40/word?

Who cares? I only care about what I make per-hour.

While blogs typically pay a set rate per-post, Websites, magazines, and e-zines pay per-word. This per-word figure, multiplied by word count, tells you how much you’ll make for writing a particular story. But it may not tell you whether it’s worth it to take it on. The real question is how much time the story will take—the assignment amount divided by the number of hours you put into it gives you your hourly rate for the piece.

Knowing how much time an article (or any other project, for that matter) will take gives you a concrete idea of the return on your time. And those $1/word and up assignments can be mighty misleading. Sure, it’s a bigger check than writing for a market that pays a lower per-word rate. But are you really making more money?

For example, let’s say I do a 1,000-word story for a national magazine that pays $1.50/word. Fair enough—I’m getting paid $1,500 for my work. But what happens if between researching and writing the query, writing an outline (per my editor), researching the article, finding sources, doing interviews, transcribing interviews, writing the piece, turning in the piece, revising the piece (per my editor’s request), finding new sources (per my editor), interviewing those sources, turning in the final revision, submitting my backup material, answering additional questions from the editor (say, nine months later…it happens), I’ve put 25 hours into my story? That means I’ve made $60/hour on that story.

Not bad, but here’s the thing—compare that to a 1,000-word piece on the same topic for a smaller magazine that pays only $0.35/word. Yet I know the editor and my query is just a short paragraph. The story requires some background research and several interviews, and takes me a total of five hours to write. (No revisions requested! Yay!) That a total of $350, for five hours’ worth of work—or $70/hour. Plus it's a lot less of a hassle for me. 

At first glance, the $1,500 piece looks like a better assignment—and it is a bigger check. But my experience has been that national markets (and I’ve written for more than 60 of them) expect a lot more work from you to earn that higher rate. In many cases, I’ve found that regional magazines, trade publications, and online markets actually pay better per-hour than their national counterparts. And that makes them worthwhile markets for me.

**Knowing what you make per-hour is only one aspect of successful freelancing. To learn more about how to set yourself apart from other writers, nab more assignments, create long-lasting relationships with editors and clients,Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets or Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. For a limited time, you'll get half off both titles when you order directly through ImprovisePress.com and use the discount code CHICKENS.

Talking Freelance Money: Per-Hour Versus Per-Word

Hi, readers! Today's post is a flashback of sorts--an updated version of one of my first, and also one of my most popular. It encompasses one of my freelancing philosophies--that it's more important to pay attention to what you're making per-word than per-hour. 

Per-word rates are the norm in the freelance world. You may be paid $2/word for a national print magazine, $0.25/word for an online publication, or, say, $200 for a blog post of about 600 words. The per-word figure, multiplied by word count, tells you how much you’ll make for writing a particular article. story. But it may not tell you whether it’s really worth it to take it on. To know the answer to that, you must also consider how much time the piece will take to pitch, research, and write--and possibly rewrite. Divide your assignment fee by the number of hours you put into an assignment, and you'll have its hourly rate. 

Knowing how much time an article (or any other project, for that matter) will take gives you a concrete idea of the return on your time. Because those $1/word and up assignments can be mighty misleading. Sure, it’s a bigger check than writing for a market that pays a lower per-word rate. But does a higher per-word rate mean you're making more money if you were to write for a market that pays less? 

For example, let’s say I do a 1,000-word story for a national magazine that pays $1.50/word. Fair enough—I’m getting paid $1,500 for my work. But what happens if between researching and writing the query, writing an outline (per my editor), researching the article, finding sources, doing interviews, transcribing interviews, writing the piece, turning in the piece, revising the piece (per my editor’s request), finding new sources (per my editor), interviewing those sources, turning in the final revision, submitting my backup material, answering additional questions from the editor (say, nine months later…it happens), I’ve put 25 hours into my story? That means I’ve made $60/hour on that story.

Not bad, but here’s the thing—compare that to a 1,000-word piece on the same topic for a smaller magazine that pays only $0.35/word. Yet I know the editor and my query is just a short paragraph. The story requires some background research and several interviews, and takes me a total of five hours to write. (No revisions requested! Yay!) That a total of $350, for five hours’ worth of work—or $70/hour.

At first glance, the $1,500 piece appears to be a more lucrative assignment—and it is a bigger check. But my experience has been that national markets (and I’ve written for more than 60 of them during the last 16 years) expect a lot more work from you to earn that higher rate. In many cases, I’ve found that regional magazines, trade publications, custom magazines, and websites pay more per-hour than their national counterparts. And that makes them worthwhile markets, at least for me. 

Another example? I sell reprints to a variety of markets. No, the rates aren't high--and may be as low as $40/story, but last week I got a request for an article of mine. It took me less than 15 minutes to locate the story on my hard drive and email it to her along with an invoice--an hourly rate of $160. That number puts a new perspective on selling reprints, huh? 

To know your hourly rate, you have to know how much time each assignment takes, and thats's why I recommend using a time sheet, especially if you're a new writer. As you gain experience, you'll find you can more easily estimate how long a piece will take and have a better feel for what its hourly rate--its true value--will be. 

**Looking for more advice on writing for money? Check out my latest two books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. 

You'll save money by buying them direct through www.improvisepress.com, my newly-launched publishing company. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps, no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order--and let me know if you'd like a signed copy for yourself or a friend! 

The Sell-your-First-Article Series: Steps 2 Through 5

Last post, I introduced the 14-step process to pitching, selling, researching, and writing an article--whether it's your first or your fortieth. Step 1 is coming up with an idea for an article--and if you read this blog, you already know that I always suggest you pitch something you're uniquely qualified to write. 

What comes after the idea? Finding an appropriate market for it. So let's move on to step 2: 

Step 2: Choose the market.

Idea in hand, I had to figure out where I could sell the story. In this case, I decided Fitness, a market aimed at fitness-conscious women in their 20s and 30s, would be a perfect fit, so I pitched it there first. In chapter 2, you learned about the different types of markets and how to locate potential ones.

I like to start with my “first choice” market (usually the market that pays the most, or that I’ve written for before), but I keep a list of other possible markets in the event my first choice says no. If that happens, I move on and resub the query to another market.

It’s easier than ever before to analyze a potential market; most print and online magazines now have their writers’ guidelines posted online. This is no substitute for actually reading the publication you hope to write for, however.

Review your target market with a critical eye. What subjects does it cover? What types of articles (i.e., features, profiles, service, and short pieces) does it include? How long are the articles? How many articles does a typical issue feature? Do the pieces rely on a lot of expert voices, “real” people (think anecdotal sources), or a combination of both? What kind of “tone,” or voice, does the market have?

Look at the ads, too; they will tell you more about the readers of both print and online publications. The more you know about the market, the more likely you are to pitch an idea that an editor will want to assign.

Step 3: Write a query.

Next up, the query letter. We talked about query letters in chapter 3. Remember that you want to capture the editor’s attention; explain why her readers will be interested; describe how you plan to approach the story; and demonstrate that you’re “uniquely qualified” (yup, there’s that phrase again!) to write the piece.

Here’s the query I wrote. It’s relatively short and simple; my comments appear in brackets:

Dear Heather [I’d written for her before; otherwise I’d refer to her as Ms. or Mr. Last Name]:

You say your best friend can eat anything without gaining weight? Maybe it’s because she can’t sit still. [Brief but attention-getting lead.]

A recently published study conducted by the Mayo Clinic found that fidgeting may not just get your through a boring meeting—it may help you maintain a whittled waist, too. Sixteen volunteers were fed an extra 1,000 calories a day for eight weeks. While all of the volunteers gained weight, participants burned off about half of those calories each day due to increased non-exercise activity thermogenesis (“NEAT”)—things like fidgeting and changing position. Yet some participants burned a lot more calories through NEAT than others, which means that fidgeting may actually help you lose weight. [Because I’m pitching such a short piece, I’m keeping the query itself short as well.]

Interested in a short piece about this new research for “Fit Buzz?” I’ll interview one of the study researchers for this informative piece, which will be about 200 words. [I’ve suggested the section of the magazine I think this story will fit in. This also lets the editor know I’m familiar with her publication. And I suggested a length of 200 words because the guidelines said the section uses pieces up to 200 words. I suggest you always include possible word count as another way of demonstrating market familiarity.]

As you know, I’m a freelance writer who’s written for Fitness before, and believe your readers will enjoy this piece. Please let me know if you have any questions about the story. [I had a relationship with this editor already so my ISG doesn’t have to be that strong. If not, I would have written the best ISG I could, mentioning my long-time interest in fitness and nutrition, for example. The very fact that I came up with this idea on my own makes me somewhat uniquely qualified, too. At least I think so!]

Thank you very much for your time; I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Very truly yours,

Kelly James-Enger

If I hadn’t worked with Heather before, I would have confirmed the name of the editor who was in charge of the “Fit Buzz” section by calling Fitness and asking for her name and email address. (Today, you may be able to find this information from the publication’s Website. Otherwise, call or email to make sure that you’re contacting the appropriate person.) Then I proofread the query, and emailed it.

Step 4: Get the assignment.

In this case, I didn’t need to send a follow-up email. Just two weeks later, the editor called to assign the piece. She asked me to keep it to 150 words, and we agreed on a rate of $1.50/word for the story. I’d written for Fitness before, so I was familiar with the magazine’s multi-page contract. Otherwise, I would have wanted to read the contract and make sure I was comfortable with its terms before proceeding. 

**In the next post, we'll talk about how to start researching this short piece. In the meantime, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, from which this post is drawn, in now in print. (Prefer the Kindle edition?)

If you're interested in writing articles, be sure to sign up for next week's Write Now! Mastermind class. Rochelle Melander will be  interviewing me for How To Pitch And Sell Articles To A Variety Of Freelance Markets. The call is free, but you need to sign up at http://www.writenowcoach.com/resources/write-now-mastermind.html. I hope to "see" you on the call! :) 

What do Markets Pay Today? The Latest Rates

One of the challenging aspects of freelancing is the lack of information about what markets pay. While many freelance markets post their rates online, others do not. And I can tell you that posted rates are almost always the least a market will pay. Publications often pay their regular contributors higher rates, and will offer more money for articles that require writers to perform extensive research or have a specialized background, for example. 

That's one reason I talk about money and encourage other writers to do the same. It also helps prevent you from falling into the trap of writing for pennies, or for "exposure," because you don't know any better. 

Market rates vary, I've gathered some recent rate info to keep in mind: 

Print markets 
Major national magazines: $1-3/word (it's rare to get $3/word but it happens!) 
Smaller/niche national magazines $0.25-$1/word
Trade magazines: $0.20-.50/word
Regional magazines: $0.10-50/word
Custom magazines: $0.50-$1/word+

Online markets 
Blogs: $50-500 for posts of 500-800 words 
Articles $0.25-$1/word

Books (including ghostwriting) Book proposals $3,500-8,000+ (this is lower than a couple of years ago) 
Full-length books $10,000-35,000+ (+royalties, in some cases)

Other work 
Consulting $100/hour+
Editing $25-50/hour, on average, depending on the type of editing and the project
Proofreading $15-25/hour+

Remember that what you're paid (even if it's a lot!) is only one factor when you decide whether to write for a particular market. Consider how long a piece will take to research and write so you have an idea of what you make not only per-word, but per-hour. Aiming for a high per-hour rate (or gradually increasing yours over time) is what will help you develop and sustain a successful freelance career. 

**New to this blog or to freelancing in general? If your'e just getting started, I've got several ebooks that will help you launch your freelance writing career: 

• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling your First Article. If you've ever wanted to see your byline in print or pixels, or want to launch your freelance career, this 10-step process will show you how...no matter how inexperienced you are.     
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer. Based on my annual survey of freelancers, this ebook lists the 10 most popular ways to make money from your words--and how to break into each. 
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates. Early in 2011, I devoted a month to sharing freelance templates; this ebook compiles the 10 you must have in your freelance arsenal. 
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Truths Every Writer Who Wants to Get Published Should Know. This ebook is a little bit of a departure for me, and is aimed at every writer who wants to get published, not those (like me) who write for money. The fact is, even if you don't care about the money, understanding how the publishing business works will boost your chances of publication. 

Or check out my latest full-length book, Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success, for a comprehensive look at what it takes to build a career as a writer of short nonfiction. 

Are You a New Writer? Avoid These Common Freelance Mistakes

I've posted before about the common mistakes freelancers make (including failing to market yourself, missing a deadline, and forgetting what your client wants, but this topic never gets old. So this post I'm talking with Jodi Helmer, who's been freelancing since 2002. 

Every writer makes mistakes, says Jodi. She admits to committing a few faux pas like resending a query to an editor who rejected it a few days earlier. Oops.

Despite the occasional gaffe, Jodi has published articles in National Geographic Traveler, Shape and American Way among others. She also coaches writers to help them achieve freelance success.

Q: What made you decide to work with writers one-on-one?

A: When I started freelancing, I had a great coach who worked with me on the nuts and bolts as well as the emotional side of freelancing. She reviewed my queries, answered panicked emails about contracts and revision requests and helped me figure out a plan to be successful. It was something I wanted to offer to other writers – and judging by the number of emails I get from new writers looking for advice, it’s a much-needed service!

Q: What is the biggest mistake new writers make?

A: I think the single biggest mistake writers make is not treating their writing like a business.

No one opens a bakery thinking, “I love baking cupcakes so I’ll buy the ingredients, mix the batter, bake the cakes and give them away!” But writers do this all the time.

It’s essential to run the numbers: What is your income goal? How much does it take per month/week/day to meet that goal? Once you know the numbers, you can start figuring out the best strategies to meet your goal.

Approaching writing like a business isn’t just about cash flow. When freelancing is a business, not a hobby, your approach changes: You’re more selective about the work you take, more apt to invest in your success.

Q: When it comes to crunching the numbers, what is the best approach?

A: I think it’s a mistake to focus on per word rates. Sure, it sounds impressive to get $2 per word but, in my experience, higher per word rates often result in lower hourly rates thanks to long delays between query and acceptance, specific assignment requirements and multiple rounds of revisions.

Figuring out what a story will pay per hour, as opposed to per word, is a better way to decide if an assignment is worthwhile from a profitability perspective. You’ll have to work with an editor a few times to determine the average hourly rate for assignments.

Q: Speaking of working with editors, what are the biggest mistakes writers make in writer/editor relationships?

A: Writers often fail to think beyond their current assignment. It’s important to develop relationships with editors. You don’t want to be a one-hit wonder with dozens of editors; a sustainable business is built on being the go-to writer for a handful of editors.

To that end, think of ways to impress an editor like including contact information for sources with the piece to help with fact checking, being accommodating during the editing process, thanking the editor for the assignment. Those little things won’t go unnoticed.

To learn more about Jodi Helmer and the mentoring programs and workshops she offers, go to www.jodihelmer.com. And for the record, I agree with all of her advice! Thanks, Jodi, for sharing your insights here. Readers, do you agree with her biggest mistakes? Or do you have others to offer? 

Forget per-word rates

So, what are you making per word for your magazine articles? $1/word? $2/word? $0.40/word?

Who cares? I only care about what I make per-hour.

Per-word rates are the norm in the magazine world. This figure, multiplied by word count, tells you how much you’ll make for writing a particular story. But it may not tell you whether it’s worth it to take it on. The real question is how much time the story will take—the assignment amount divided by the number of hours you put into it gives you your hourly rate for the piece.

Knowing how much time an article (or any other project, for that matter) will take gives you a concrete idea of the return on your time. And those $1/word and up assignments can be mighty misleading. Sure, it’s a bigger check than writing for a market that pays a lower per-word rate. But are you really making more money?

For example, let’s say I do a 1,000-word story for a national magazine that pays $1.50/word. Fair enough—I’m getting paid $1,500 for my work. But what happens if between researching and writing the query, writing an outline (per my editor), researching the article, finding sources, doing interviews, transcribing interviews, writing the piece, turning in the piece, revising the piece (per my editor’s request), finding new sources (per my editor), interviewing those sources, turning in the final revision, submitting my backup material, answering additional questions from the editor (say, nine months later…it happens), I’ve put 25 hours into my story? That means I’ve made $60/hour on that story.

Not bad, but here’s the thing—compare that to a 1,000-word piece on the same topic for a smaller magazine that pays only $0.35/word. Yet I know the editor and my query is just a short paragraph. The story requires some background research and several interviews, and takes me a total of five hours to write. (No revisions requested! Yay!) That a total of $350, for five hours’ worth of work—or $70/hour.

At first glance, the $1,500 piece looks like a better assignment—and it is a bigger check. But my experience has been that national markets (and I’ve written for more than 50 of them) expect a lot more work from you to earn that higher rate. In many cases, I’ve found that regional magazines, trade publications and specialty magazines actually pay better per-hour than their national counterparts. And that makes them worthwhile markets for me.

What about you? Are you tracking your time…or just your dollars?