How Much Do Freelance Writers Usually Get Paid?
What are the Going Rates for Articles or Freelance Writing Jobs?
Aug 18, 2009
There was an era when journalism and freelance writing was regarded as a profession, with a “going rate” for a professional job. Things are rapidly changing. Newspapers are closing their print operations and switching to the Internet.
The burgeoning of Internet has led to
- a demand for words and articles to fill webspace
- a army of budding “writers” – sometimes based in third world countries – who are happy and willing to work for nothing or next to nothing
Decreasing Rates
The National Writers’ Union recommend that journalists look for a minimum of one dollar per word. They mention, however, that rates are effectively reducing all the time, citing examples such as Good Housekeeping who: “reported offering $1 a word in 1966 and the same $1 a word in 1998”.
In fact, what a writer will get paid for a freelance writing job, depends on what they decide that they are worth, as it is normally up to the writer to accept the rate that is offered or to hold out for more, knowing that they might end up with nothing.
What is a Writer Worth?
It’s impossible to put an estimate of what a writer might be paid “per word” or “per article". It’s incumbent upon freelance writers to decide what their writing is worth and refuse to sell their articles for less.
To work out the value of an article, the writer must take account of several factors:
- The writer’s yearly budget of living costs and professional expenses.
- The number of articles the writer is likely to sell on average each month across a year.
- The length of time required for research.
- The length of time required to write.
- The “value” of the article (unique qualities increase value e.g. an exclusive interview plus photographs of a reclusive celebrity would be worth thousands of dollars more than a “how-to” article about making healthy salads)
- The value of the job to the writer (a writer might accept a job in a high profile magazine for little or no money because of the exposure - and possible rewards - it will provide).
Ways for Writers to Increase their Value
Writers can ensure that they get the highest possible rates for their writing by
- Learning their craft and presenting themselves as professionals
- Learning about the marketplace and being fully apprised of jargon, professional practices, and possibilities.
- Targeting specific publications with specialist articles (it is important to study back issues of magazines and only offer articles which would appeal to them).
- Building a strong portfolio of clips to back up their credibility and demonstrate their talent
- Concentrating on a subject, and becoming an expert in a field
- Finding new and unique stories or angles.
Things to Remember
It’s important, when putting a price on their work, for writers to remember that everything is variable. A considerable amount of thought and judgment is required. There is no mathematical formula.
A high profile article in a high profile magazine could bring a writer a flood of work as a result of the exposure it bring. Writers who are at the beginning of their careers might considering writing articles for less than they are in theory “worth”, in order to get the exposure and prestige attached to writing for a particular publication.
Knowledge and research are the fundamental tools for every writer. It’s important
- to know the jargon of the profession
- to know how to win bid on sites such as Elance
- to recognize scams designed to take advantage of writers
Find out more about all of the above in the basics of freelance writing. The more professional the writer, the more he or she can expect to be paid.
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