The freelance writer wants to produce excellent work – and pay the bills at the end of the month.

At least, you’ve got common ground: the desire for excellence.

So now we’ve got less to worry about, and that is agreeing to a fee that both you and your writer find to be fair.

Sometimes, bidding out writing jobs can be baffling to a project manager. Why does one writer charge so much more or less than another for exactly the same work? How do writers price their work anyway?

Factors to a Freelance Writer’s Fee

I’ve asked around – not from a representative sampling, I’m sure, but what I’ve found is indicative of what most are doing. Here it is:

Most writers charge a fee per project or assignment, rather than per hour. That said, the project fee is based on their ballpark hourly rate. This is based on what they perceive to be the value they bring, which is a result of their:

• writing prowess
• experience and track record
• familiarity with the topic

But other factors come into play. Some are objective, such as:

• how long it will take to complete the assignment
• the complexity of the project
• how much research needs to be done
• how much time they have to complete the assignment (rush jobs are more expensive)
• how many other writing gigs they have with other clients (if they don’t need work, they’ll stick to their published rates)
• the volume of assignments you’re bringing in (you can save on per-unit cost by requesting bulk work, or getting a writer on retainer)

Other factors, however, are purely subjective:

• whether or not they like you, as a client
• whether or not they like the assignment
• how hungry they are

So from the ballpark hourly rate, the price goes up or down based on these factors.

An Example

Let’s say you approach a writer to write a 450- to 600-word article on a topic which is familiar to him. His ballpark hourly rate is $50 per hour and he estimates it will take 3 hours to complete the assignment, complete with research. He is an excellent writer, and is very familiar with the topic. Hence, the $50 hourly rate. Therefore, he should charge you $150 for the article.

However, you’re a repeat client. You have referred several other clients to the writer. He likes you, and he likes the assignment. Furthermore, he isn’t particularly short on clients right now. His schedule is full but manageable, and your deadline isn’t tight.

Because of this, the writer decides to shave 25% off his usual rate. Therefore, you get your article for $112.50. He might even bring it down further to a mere $100.

As you can see, writer’s fees are usually fluid. Although they have published rates for specific writing assignments, these can go up or down depending on many things.

How to Negotiate Fees

If you would like to hire a particular writer but find his or her fees are beyond your budget, it may be possible to work something out. Try:

• asking for a discount if you agree on a retainer arrangement (such as 4 articles per month for 6 months)
• making the assignment less complex (e.g., by providing all reference materials so the writer won’t have to do the research himself)
• asking if the writer has an intern or assistant writer who could take on the assignment but still work under the writer’s guidance or supervision (many successful freelance writers do have their own writing teams)

If you want quality writing, you have to pay for it. If you’re on a tight budget, you may have to settle for less experienced, less able writers. Be prepared to polish their work to your standards.

Even though it is a buyer’s market out there, the better writers have enough work that they’re able to dictate their fees and decline assignments from low-balling clients. In other words, they work on their own terms.

By being a gracious and reasonable client, you will find that you can often get “preferred client” rates from your favorite writers.

Pricing need not be contentious. Everybody can win.