The One Freelance Writing Number You Need to Know

It started with an email from a local contact. They needed a writer onsite.

Yea, that’s not happening. I declined, saying if the client needed someone on a virtual basis, I might be interested. The response: yes, they’re quite open to virtual arrangements. Except….

The time commitment and the pay; neither were going to work for me.

Time commitments, typically, I can work around. The client wanted 20-40 hours of my time per week. However, judging from the way the project was described, there wasn’t 20 hours of work in each project section. I could be wrong, but it sure sounded like a fairly straightforward job.

This time it was the pay.

I knew before even picking up the phone. A writer friend and I were on the phone just before the call, and I was telling her I was pretty sure this was going to be a thanks-but-no-thanks kind of interaction. Not that the client did anything wrong or was suggesting anything ridiculously unfair.

But the pay, compared to my hourly rate… yea, no. Not going to work at all.

And I have wiggle room. In fact, I went into that call knowing the one number that I think all freelance writers should know each time there’s a new client prospect involved —

Your absolute minimum acceptable rate.

It’s not a number I set and stick with, either. I’ve done jobs for the exact same amount these people were offering. Yet what made their offer a no-go?

Refer to the time commitment mention above.

And the fact that when the term “W-2” was mentioned I recoiled both mentally and physically. That’s the closest I’ve been to “employee” status since 2004.

So how do you get to your absolute minimum acceptable rate? Here’s what I do when making that decision:

• The work involved: That kind of information can make or break a project. I remember saying yes to a project for a decent amount of money only to find out the workload was four times what I’d realized.
• The requirements: Do I have to be at my desk for a certain number of hours? Are there phone calls, interviews, revisions or any other requirements? Will I be given help or guidance along the way (if needed) or is it up to me to just wing it?
• The number of contacts: This one can sink a project. Do I have one person I run this by and if so, who is it? Who else will see it? How many other people are going to sign off on the project? Then I ask myself if it’s not a good idea to involve them at the outset — maybe have a conversation with them or work directly with them on project sections they’re in charge of.
• The pay: Once I know the answers, I can then decide if the pay is worth my time. In this case, it wouldn’t be because I’d have to work nearly double time to keep up with current client work as well as get this client’s work done. It’s not enough money or control over my own time.

Before I start any negotiating with new clients, I know in advance a little about what they’re looking for. I won’t give a price on the first call. I will promise an answer within 24 hours, and I’ll consider each aspect of the project and look at each one through the lens of what may be understated or what may be misinterpreted. I ask plenty of follow-up questions.

A little bit of homework, along with slowing down, is a good idea.

Have you been approached by a potential client and had something — pay, time commitment, personality, etc. — become the deal-breaker?
How do you determine if a job is worth taking? What other things do you consider?
How do you get to your minimum acceptable rate?