Setting Fees for Article Reprints
How Much Charge for Reprints of Freelance Articles
Reprint rights are an often overlooked source of income for freelance writers. Reprint fees can range from a few dollars to several hundred dollars or more, depending on the topic, the market, the scope of the article, and the author's business savvy and experience.
The Author's Price: Issues in Setting Fees for the Sale of Reprint Rights
On the writer's side of the equation, the expense and complexity of the story should factor into its selling price. There is a difference between a 500-word piece that was dashed off in an hour, and a 500-word piece that required two interviews, a site inspection, three rewrites, and technical knowledge. Such an article is obviously worth more than a quick-and-dirty 10-point service piece because it can't easily be re-written economically.
Many authors take any old fee for reprint rights, reasoning that it's extra money for an article that's just sitting around. But that's no different than selling a $500 antique at a garage sale for $5.00 because it was just sitting around. A reprint article can sometimes even be worth more than the initial fee paid for it. Authors who are relatively new to the business, especially those working for poorly-paid websites, are likely to underprice themselves in the print world
Additional issues to consider include:
- Where is the writer in his or her career? An experienced writer who has been published by the New York Times has no need of a story in the Podunk Gazette. In fact, being published in such a market may send a message to potential clients that the writer has lost A-list clients and is scavenging for work in lesser markets. On the other hand, a new writer trying to amass clips may welcome the chance to be in print, no matter where.
- In specialized or academic fields, a small magazine may offer non-monetary rewards such as prestige, good will in the community, and platform building.
- What rights are being sold? Be sure that the sale of any reprints rights doesn't conflict with the contract with the original publisher. And be sure to charge more for more rights (for example, print plus Internet rights).
- Marketing benefits might include having a byline that promotes a new book or project to a target audience.
The Publisher's Price: Knowing What the Market Will Bear
A publication that offers $50 for a reprint is unlikely to accede to a demand for $500. However, a publication that is willing to pay $500 will happily accept a suggestion of a $50 price tag from an uninformed writer. The first step is to understand the publication's budget.
- Start by checking the publication's Author's Guidelines. These can sometimes be found on the publication's website. They also may be listed in Writer's Market, an annual resource available for a fee on the Internet and in print. It includes prices for both original and reprint material for thousands of paying markets.
- If the magazine is not listed, try to check out its closest competitors. Look for publications with similar topic matter, page counts, advertisers, and circulations. Their writer's guidelines may provide a starting point for understanding that particular market niche.
- Writers' rates are usually higher at thick and glossy magazines with full-page color ads than at skimpy black-and-white publications with spotty ads. Higher circulation, trendier topic matter, and wealthier demographics also count. But it's the smaller local magazines that are most likely to buy reprints, as big glossy magazines usually commission their own stories.
- Non-profit groups will almost always mention that they are non-profit to justify a lower fee. If this is a group the writer supports, offering a reprint for a lower price may be a way of giving back. But even non-profits have budgets. Just as an example, a $50 or $100 reprint fee for a well-reported story of 1000 words is not an uncommon reprint fee for a healthy national non-profit. A local non-profit may pay $25 to $50 for the same story.
- Writers' networks are a great source of information. However, be aware that most people tend to give advice based on their personal experience. So if a writers' network is full of beginners writing for the typically low-paid beginners' markets, the advice, and the prices, are likely to reflect that. Writers who can qualify for the American Society of Journalists and Authors or specialty writers' organizations will find much more seasoned advice than they will on Internet forums with looser entry requirements Even so, advice needs to be considered within the context of the particular market.
- Do not apply Internet fees to work that will be republished in print; the pay scales are entirely different.
- Don't be afraid to ask what the budget is.
The bottom line is that a reprint is worth what the market will bear. A glossy, financially healthy market can afford to pay more than a struggling non-profit. Writers need to balance good business sense, a level-headed evaluation of what their work is worth, information from guidelines and colleagues, and the realization that reprints mean more dollars (even if only a few) and more readers.
Writers' Resources Can Help Set Reprint Fees
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