The Article Writer

Freelance writing can certainly be a rewarding career option. You get to set your hours, choose which jobs you want to work on, and you can make a decent living. You can also find yourself overwhelmed by a project, burning the late night oil, and waiting weeks to get paid. Freelance writing can certainly be an aggravating career choice.

It is impossible to exert complete control over a project from start to finish. While you may have an idea how a job should flow, a customer could insist on making critical changes midway through the project that essentially forces you to start over. If you cannot pass this extra expenditure of time to the customer, then you will be forced to eat your losses.

Contracts and Email Agreements

Yes, I have been burned on a few occasions as the original project morphed into something else. With these situations there was something vague in our agreement, a loophole that I did not foresee. From these unfortunate situations I have learned to do the following:

Be very explicit — leave nothing to chance. If your price includes 1 or 2 draft revisions, then spell that out. A complete change in the project or additional revisions or other work should be charged accordingly.

Get it in writing — some agreements can be established through email exchanges while others should entail a printed and signed contract. The larger the project, the more detailed the contract should be.

Obtain an advance — a retainer for services or “up front” money should be included, especially for larger projects. Find a decent blank invoice template and modify it for your own use.

Use a calendar — I use Google calendar to record hours, post upcoming meetings, and to set up billing reminders. Just make sure that your calendar isn’t available for public display!

Other Fees and Costs

Meeting Fees — My initial consultation/meeting with a client is free. Upon establishing a work agreement, I may charge for a teleconference meeting and I will certainly charge for all on-site meetings. I do not charge for travel time; I keep record of my mileage for tax purposes.

Travel Fees — If required to work in a distant city, I charge a daily rate for my work. Hotel, meals, airfare, and related expenses are billed to the client. Larger clients usually have their travel department call me to make flight and hotel arrangements; in these cases all of the expenses are handled on their end.

Miscellaneous Fees — Almost without fail you will incur a cost with a project not mentioned in the contract. This could include printing charges, an unplanned interview with a third-party, or some other expense. Smaller charges can usually be passed through without approval; anything that raises a warning flag should be run past the person who approved the contract.

Being Creative Doesn’t Mean You Aren’t Business Savvy

Some of the most creative people that I know stink at business. They can paint, write, or sculpt to their heart’s desire but when it comes to charging for their work, they fail miserably. Maybe the starving artist label appeals to them, but it does nothing for me. Chances are you feel the same way and have a business plan in place that assures you won’t be begging for your next meal.

Related: Not sure what to charge for your writing services? Check this article out for information on setting fees.