Its members have also put together a list of rates for common writing- and editing-related tasks, such as PR writing, ghostwriting and fact-checking. Editorial Freelancers Association’s Editorial RatesĮFA, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, offers a membership directory, newsletter, job board and online education. The survey was conducted in 2010, so rates may have changed slightly since then, but they’re still a great starting point. Where did this information come from? Wasnak compiled the chart from responses to a survey of 23 professional writing and editing organizations, such as American Independent Writers, National Writers Union and Writer’s Guild of America. The chapter’s handy chart lists rates for 150+ writing gigs, including both per-hour and per-project options. While online access to Writer’s Market will set you back $39.99 a year and the book version is $23 on Amazon, Writer’s Digest shares Lynn Wasnak’s “What Should I Charge?”. Researching pay rates can be tricky, but here’s a list of useful resources on rates for different writing gigs, projects and publications. Knowing what other people charge helps you determine whether you’re on the right track and prevents you from undervaluing your skills.
While you’ll find a lot of differing opinions on how to set your rates, it’s also helpful to compare your planned rates to those of other writers.
How do you know what rate to set for something like writing a wedding toast, crafting an online dating profile or writing a press release for a corporate client? The problem is, it’s often difficult to figure out how much to charge for different services.
Even within a niche like copywriting, for example, you could provide various services, writing About pages, sales pages, product descriptions, even Kickstarter copy. Building your business as a freelance writer often means offering an array of services.