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Writers: Did you charge less when you first started out?

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by Joanna Humphreys, Apr 22, 2015.

  1. #1
    Hi everyone,

    I've been freelance writing for a couple of months now, and I've been told I'm working for 'peanuts' and could possibly get a lot more for my work because it is high quality.
    However, I've not got a large client base, I've not got years of experience behind me, and I'm still finding my feet with the whole thing.

    So, I'd just like some opinions really! Do you think I'm right to charge less for my work (I'm charging $3 for a 400-450 word article at the minute) or should I put my prices up?

    Any other help and advice I could get from all you experienced freelance writers out there would also be really appreciated!

    Thanks in advance :)
     
    Joanna Humphreys, Apr 22, 2015 IP
  2. syda

    syda Well-Known Member

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    #2
    Hi Joanna and welcome!

    I think that your rates depend on so many things and I can't tell you if you charge too little or not. But if you are a native English writer based in an English speaking country, like you profile shows, you should not have any trouble getting lots of work for at least $1 per 100 words. The thing with starting low is that most likely your existing customers won't be very happy if you start charging them more after a while.

    As far as I can see, charging low in the beginning is justified in one case, when you have just signed up for a freelancing site where you have to bid to get work. Then I would start low to get the feedback. Still, I would try to get only small jobs for low prices, not bid for a 100 article project at $2 per article. I would do it for a 5 article project, just to get some positive reviews to be able to bid on more high end projects.

    Specializing also helps to raise your rates and make it easier for you. For example, I started out 7 years ago writing 500 word articles for $1. It took me the whole day to make $5. But soon I specialized in short SEO articles with zero research and as I was able to write 30-50 of these per day. As I was charging $1 per one 100-200 word article, my earnings jumped from $5 per day to $30-50.

    Soon I discovered product reviews and started mostly writing these. I got paid around $2 per 100 words and on some days made $100 by writing 5 product reviews.

    Good luck with your writing career!
     
    syda, Apr 22, 2015 IP
  3. Joanna Humphreys

    Joanna Humphreys Active Member

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    #3
    Hi Syda,
    Thanks for the advice!
    I'm trying to stay away from freelancing sites and find private clients, simply because the cheaper jobs are full of very low quality writers which the buyer won't mind accepting because they just want cheap work, and the better jobs have a lot of competition from writers who've had tons more experience than me :eek:

    I did wonder that about how current clients would feel if I put the price up, so I guess that the best thing for me to do would be to find short term clients in order to get recommendations for future clients who'd be willing to pay more. I'm similar to you at the moment, as I'm starting to find a specialization in short SEO articles that require little to no research as well. I'll definitely take that on board when I start advertising, I'm currently waiting for my profile to be authorised on here :rolleyes: and because I'm new to the industry, I'm still trying to figure out where's the best place to advertise my services.

    Thanks so much for the reply, really appreciated :)
     
    Joanna Humphreys, Apr 22, 2015 IP
  4. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #4
    Just a quick and short reply.
    What you charge is TOTALLY up to you. If you're sure you can deliver good quality or precisely what the clients want, then you should up your rates. Some people might balk initially to pay you what you ask because you're a novice. But don't let that disappoint or discourage you and don't let it become a limitation. NEVER ACCEPT ANY WORK THAT YOU THINK IS PAYING ANYTHING LESS THAN YOU DESERVE. It takes a little time to come across a good-paying opportunity but if you're patient and persevere till you get one, everything will work out properly in the end.
    I'll point you to a doc which I've linked here a couple of times before - http://www.writersdigest.com/wp-content/uploads/WM_HMSIC.pdf. It has some good advice on how you should set your rates and what writers charge for various types of writing. The stats are a bit old but enough to give you an idea of what the rates are.

    Hope it helps.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
    Content Maestro, Apr 22, 2015 IP
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  5. EverestOnlineMarketing

    EverestOnlineMarketing Active Member

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    #5
    Content Maestro's right. If you know you deliver high quality work despite having limited experience, charge accordingly. It may take time, but you will find clients willing to pay the amount you ask for. Don't charge less to get work. If you do that, you may end up stuck writing for less money than your work is worth.
     
    EverestOnlineMarketing, Apr 23, 2015 IP
  6. deltamas

    deltamas Well-Known Member

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    #6
    If you're a native, then the grammar is not a problem for you. All you have to do to raise your price is to find a very good idea for your article. From there, they will understand your qualities. In my case, I have a lot of ideas regarding topics in the article, but not all can be realized due to limitations in the grammar. So I should be quite satisfied with the low pay that I received at this point and focus on quantity, and perhaps I can raise my prices when my English skills grow
     
    deltamas, Apr 24, 2015 IP
  7. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #7
    For the life of me, I cannot figure out why some people think that being a native means you don't have any problem with grammar!!!!???? I've seen some native writers who couldn't write to save their lives and I also know a lot of non-native ones who write so well that they can easily give the natives a run for their money. If you think you're weak in grammar, you just need to practice more and bring your skills up to the mark. This “native & non-native” bullshit has got NOTHING to do with how well a person can write. Yes, natives do have the edge over others as they speak their language day in and day out and that's why it comes naturally to them. BUT THAT'S IT. Non-native writers can make up for the difference by applying themselves more diligently.
    If you think you'll never be able to express your ideas just because you're weak in grammar, you're deluded big time. Roll up your sleeves and start working on your skills.
     
    Content Maestro, Apr 24, 2015 IP
  8. syda

    syda Well-Known Member

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    #8
    I completely agree with Content Maestro on this. But still, one of the main reasons I can't land high end gigs is because I'm not a native writer.

    However, if you can't write down your ideas because of bad grammar..... then I really don't know how you can say you are a writer and expect people to pay you. C'mon :confused:
     
    syda, Apr 24, 2015 IP
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  9. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #9
    It's mostly about perseverance or being patient till the prospect gets convinced that you're as good as a native. It's also about how you sell and present yourself. If you let the fear of rejection dominate you even before you make an attempt, you're finished. Request the prospective clients to give you a chance to prove yourself. Most of them will listen. Give it your best shot. Even if you don't make it, don't get dejected. Rejection is just a part of the whole game. Use the failure as an opportunity to learn what went wrong and to improve. Use it as a stepping stone to success. Again, expectations differ according to every client. Just because a few prospects turn you down DOESN'T mean everyone will reject you. Keep on trying. Yes, there ARE some people too obsessed with the “native” tag. You MIGHT test the waters to see if they get convinced, but don't push too much.
     
    Content Maestro, Apr 24, 2015 IP
  10. WLEadmin

    WLEadmin Active Member

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    #10
    You suffer from the same thing most new freelancers feel: lack of confidence.

    Assuming your work is not crap, it's worth more than $3 per article. Simple as that. Of course, the practicalities of finding clients who will pay you more is another question, but that's a huuuuuuge discussion.

    If you're worried about charging more, why not do what I did when I first tried it? I sent my bid/proposal and gave them the price - let's say $10 per article - with an "All rates are negotiable" at the end of the text (I charge less for charities, for example). If they just accept, you're sorted. If not, you can negotiate. :)
     
    WLEadmin, Apr 24, 2015 IP
  11. pianogirl

    pianogirl Well-Known Member

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    #11
    If you want to get lots of work and just spend hours churning it out, then you can charge around $1 per 100 words and get loads of work (providing people are able to find your services or you advertise).

    Non-natives will pay native English writers more even though, as @Content Maestro rightly said, being English doesn't mean you automatically know the rules of grammar. Rates any lower than $1 per 100 words are what I would describe as 'non-native rates', in other words, the kind of prices that non-native 'writters who can write good article for cheape rate' are forced to charge in order to lure in stupid people who have no idea what Google and their readers like/love/hate.

    I can almost guarantee that whoever you work with now won't still be around in the next few months. That's just how it works. People are trying out different websites, different niches, different ways to make money. I worked for people 4 years ago who just aren't even into the whole website business anymore.
    That makes it easy to charge $1 per 100 words now while you get some experience and reputation behind you, and then you can start introducing higher prices of $1.50, $2, $3, whatever you want to charge, to your new clients.

    It all depends on what you want to write and how you want people to see you as a writer. I'd rather have two projects a week paying me a decent wage, rather than burning myself out writing 100-200 articles a week, getting $500 for it but being totally exhausted and feeling like all I've done is rewrite all the content on the internet.

    I also had some clients who were still with me a few months after I started writing. I told them my prices would be increasing. Some left, some agreed, some negotiated, but you can always find more if you're smart.

    Peace out.
     
    pianogirl, Apr 24, 2015 IP
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  12. energeticinnovator

    energeticinnovator Greenhorn

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    #12
    The best thing you can do for yourself is work on establishing a portfolio. You don't have a lot of experience, so you're going to have to work a little harder to prove your paid writing chops. If clients can see your best work, it may help you prove your case when pushing for higher rates.

    You might want to wait until you begin working with clients who pay you more before you start referencing past jobs; if future clients see that you only take jobs from those charging $1 to $3 for a 400/500 word article, that's likely the tone you'll set going forward.

    Also, have you considered actively responding to jobs advertising for better paying positions? I didn't go anywhere near the "bidding" sites for this very reason. I just realized that it must be ESPECIALLY competitive among non-native English speakers, especially those who are new and come into freelance writing not knowing they're underpaid to begin with.

    I understand the confidence issue. You may look at a job and just assume because you're not a native English speaker you won't get a better paying position. Unless a client or company outright says they want local/native English speakers, you don't know that to be true. My mom always said, "Nothing beats a failure but a try."

    Good luck!
     
    energeticinnovator, Apr 25, 2015 IP
  13. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #13
    Your idea is no doubt good but the problem is, when you mention “negotiable”, a lot of prospective clients understand or take it very differently. I've experienced this often. Most of the times when I say my rates are negotiable, they bargain so much that the final price at which they want the deal closed is way lesser than the price I initially quoted. And if I tell them square 'I can't work for this price', they object - 'Oh! But you said your rates are NEGOTIABLE?? You're not a guy who's true to his words!' (Needless to say I have to decline the offer ultimately.) So, in my view, a better way is to quote a price range within which you can work. For example, if you generally charge $20 for 500 words and in any case can't go below $15, even if it's writing for a charity/social cause/non-profit corporation, specify your price range for 500 words as $15 to $30 or to whatever you think should be the maximum. This sets the limit or keeps the negotiation process in check and buyers know that they can't negotiate further below a point.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2015
    Content Maestro, Apr 25, 2015 IP
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  14. SCookAAM

    SCookAAM Active Member

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    #14
    Hi, Joanna,

    I have a few things for you:

    1. When you're new, it's natural to start low - I did. Started at $15 per hour.
    2. As you go along, you raise your rates. However, it's tough to raise them with exaiting clients, accept by small degrees. While it may be justified, you do have to honor your agreements - so when you want to charge more, you go out and find new clients at that rate. if you get too busy with higher paying gigs, you can always go back to the older ones and ask for a higher rate. if they don't want to pay it, you say that you're very sorry, but your current work load at your current rate means you have to let them go. Some will be fine with that - especially at less than $1 per 100 words - but you aren't losing much anyway.
    3. never let anyone know you're new - there's no rule that says you have to go out with your hat in your hand and let people know you're a fresh new writer. Act as if you're seasoned and you'll not only make more money, your clients will have more faith in you. There are lots of ways to do this.

    As for the freelance sites - it's a good idea to get your own clients independnatly. However, I still use ODesk and generally make $4K to $6K per month just from there. I charge $116 per hour now - so you really can do this.

    The advantage of a site like OD is that all the logistics are handled. You just have to work and as you develop projects and a rating, people will come to you with work.

    Even if it's only a fraction of your income, don't turn away from these sites. There are 15K jobs posted on OD for fwritersright now.

    Here's something else to ponder, while I'm on my soap box :)

    Never, EVER be afraid of competition. Competition is great! Do you know why? Because if you're good, 80+% of your competition is already beaten. And I'll give you another hint: if you're friendly, polite and perform your tasks on time and as requested, you are so far ahead of the game it's not even funny!

    you'ldbe amazed how many "professional" freelance writers are slcac asses. That probably doesn't apply to anyone here, but in most service industries, amazingly, the majority of people are lazy and unscrupulous. If you aren't, you're well on your way to success.

    So go out there and get what you're worth! You can't make a living charge $3 for an hour's work, Joanna. My advice: charge $20 for a 500 word article, or $20 per hour right now and work up from there.

    you can do it if you believe you can!
     
    SCookAAM, Apr 26, 2015 IP
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  15. Equatorial

    Equatorial Active Member

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    #15
    Provided you are a decent writer, the key actually lies in finding the right clients. And by that I mean, clients who

    • can afford to pay premium rates
    • appreciate syntactical, grammatical and factual accuracy

    [​IMG]
     
    Equatorial, May 3, 2015 IP
  16. Rado_ch

    Rado_ch Well-Known Member

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    #16
    Here is one way you are limiting yourself - assumptions. Sure, the freelance sites are full of cheap offers just as it is with cheap writers. Why should that concern you though? They are not your target market so you will just skim through such offers and bid only on the interesting ones. @SCookAAM gave you great insights about oDesk - this is where I started my freelance experiences too. And yes, it is an invaluable source of gigs that will build both your skills, contacts and portfolio. I raised my rates on literally the second client I landed. And did it a couple more times in my next 10 gigs. Did I lose on any jobs because my rate was too high for the one hiring? Yeah, maybe a few. But I wouldn't want it any other way.

    Do not fear competition - it exists just so YOU can be motivated to get better ;)
     
    Rado_ch, May 4, 2015 IP
  17. bojan92

    bojan92 Guest

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    #17
    For gaining experience than yes i think that you may need to lower the prices. What i would i is just for the first article or two. When you get the hang of it you should be slightly above average with prices. My philosophy is that if someone need a good writer he should pay more money to get one. And the serious contractors are willing to pay more. So i would go with , first lower prices learn the trade, and then go above average. I generally think that writing has been underrated lately and it is not an easy task to do.
    Hope this helps.
    Cheers.
     
    bojan92, Oct 21, 2015 IP
  18. variannas

    variannas Member

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    #18
    If you are just starting to write online as a freelancer, you may be tempted to lower your prices. That's how I started out and I am a U.S based writer. The issue with having prices too low is that you are missing out on other opportunities.

    Clients are willing to pay you more because they value your work. The clients who have you working for peanuts are often the ones who demand too much. I know right away when a client will be a problem for me and steer away from them, even if they want to give me a lot of work. You spend most of your time revising everything because they want a top quality article and point out what you shouldn't say in the article and even try to change your style of writing.

    For example, I also write on Fiverr and all of my gigs are different. Some writing gigs offer keywords and formatting although the cost is higher for these extras. Other gigs are basic articles that don't require research. This means I have a list of topics they can choose from. The gigs that include heavy research require an extra $5 for my time.

    Everyone is different when they get started but most of the time you will learn from your mistakes.
     
    variannas, Dec 21, 2015 IP
  19. Ray Edwards

    Ray Edwards Member

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    #19
    Business has little to do with logic. You'll think that because you are just
    starting out then you have to charge low fees, but clients don't care
    about your experience as much as you think. They want RESULTS. Are
    you delivering results? Then charge for it.

    Almost every rookie makes that mistake. I did when I first started
    a decade and a half ago. I charged $300 for a sales letter that is
    still online today and has generated millions in sale. The owner has
    now retired and living on that one sales letter. Do I get royalties or
    a bonus? NO WAY!

    Always charge what your WRITING is worth, not what you think
    you are worth.

    -Ray Edwards
     
    Ray Edwards, Feb 9, 2016 IP