lwidmer | Words on the Page

4 Ways to Stop Being a Whiny Freelance Writer

Posted on by lwidmer

I’m about to piss off a few people. And I’m okay with that. That’s because I’m here to tell you if you’re still cruising job boards for work, if you’re still arguing with clients over your rates, if you’re still taking a verbal beating over simple edits from over-demanding client, if you’re still thinking that…

The Year of Living Dangerously

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What’s on the iPod: Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love by Carlos Santana w/Los Lonely Boys I’m about to admit something to you that I’ve hidden for close to a year — I haven’t marketed at all this year. Maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement. Yes, definitely an overstatement. Let me rephrase: I haven’t had…

When September Ends

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What I’m listening to: Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day It was that song (link above) that inspires this post. Well, that and the few documentaries playing when I woke up this morning. When it came up on my iPod, I knew this post had to happen. It’s been fifteen years. Somehow,…

3 Easy Freelance Writing Hacks to Improve Productivity

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What’s on the iPod: Hell and Back by The Airborne Toxic Event Today is one busy day. I started the first two days of September on vacation, but that’s not where I’ve ended up. Since Tuesday, I’ve juggled three projects (now four) and have a full day of interviews and writing ahead of me. Time…

Writer Wednesday: How Old Are You?

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I’m back. I had a lovely week along a river in Ontario with my mom. It’s something we’d never done before — spent a week together with no one else. I will say this — we found out we’re much more alike than we are different. We both love to debate! But we both love…

Freelance Writing Advice Redux: Your Favorites

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I’m still out of the office, so today I’m sharing some posts from the past that garnered the most response from you, this blog’s peeps. I’m basing it solely on comments logged (and randomized searching the archives), so feel free to add your favorites in the comments section. And no, your favorites do not have…

Guest Post: Does Lazy Networking Litter Your Inbox?

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I’m away this week, and it’s a shame. You see, Cathy Miller has left us a guest post, and I’m not connected where I am. I can’t comment beyond what I’m doing here (days before I leave town). Cathy and I chat a bit offline (quite a bit). In one recent conversation, we recognized some…

Free Advice Friday: This Job, Not That Job

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What I’m listening to: I’m a Mess by Ed Sheeran Short week for me. My son is visiting, so we’re off to enjoy what’s left of summer while he’s in town. It’s funny how sometimes, you and a friend are on the same page. I received a job listing from a site I belong to,…

Why Your Freelance Writing Career is Stalled

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Drive by The Cars Interesting week. I’m trying to locate off-the-record comments for a client project, but no one is talking. I had to come up with an alternate plan for the client, which he likes, but I really wanted to get feedback from these people so we could hit on a…

5 Reasons Why Increasing Your Freelance Writing Rates Matters

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Where the Streets Have No Name by U2 Oh, joy. A long-term project I just started a few months ago may be coming to a close, and about three months shy of when it was due to end. Ouch. There goes about $9K in earnings. However, as one door closes, another…

Anne Wayman

Your experience mirrors mine, Lori. Raising rates seems to be good for everyone… except maybe those left behind – but maybe not them… who knows.

1. lwidmer
  
  Anne, it was years ago when you first mentioned it that I thought “Huh. That’s just crazy enough to try.”
Paula Hendrickson

I’m going through one of the blog vs copy writing issues right now. A client I’ve been writing blog posts for now wants me to write some web content. From what he’s said so far it sounds like landing pages for various areas of the website. He seems to think using the word “articles” for the blog posts and the content somehow makes them equal. Um…nope. Unless he wants me to knock the content out as quickly as the lower-paying blog posts.

What was it Leon Sterling used to say? Fast, cheap, or good. Pick two.

1. lwidmer
  
  It was Leon. Man, I miss him.
  
  I agree with you, Paula. That’s a different beast from a blog post, and it requires a good bit more skill and possibly keyword integration. I guess it’s easy for clients to assume it’s the same thing, but I would take far more time on a landing page — where your clients are going to get a first impression of your business — than I would on a blog post on a particular topic.
Jake Poinier

So, so important for your sanity and financial viability. My philosophy is that if I haven’t been rejected on price in a while, my prices aren’t high enough. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but I don’t think enough freelancers realize that prices aren’t just about what they get paid, but about signalling their value to the market.

That stinks about the early-eject project!

1. lwidmer
  
  Keep preaching, Jake. It’s a message all freelancers — writers and otherwise — need to tattoo into their being. This line in particular is a memorable one: “….prices aren’t just about what they get paid, but about signalling their value to the market.”
Yuwanda Black

EXCELLENT post Lori.

I don’t tolerate much from any client — high-paying or low-paying, but I have to say, a problem I don’t see with higher paying clients nearly as much as I see with lower-paying ones is “scope creep.” This will make me drop a client like a hot potato!

You soon learn that if you don’t value your time, no one else will. 🙂

1. lwidmer
  
  Amen, Yuwanda! That problem disappeared when the rate went up.
  
  You’re right — we have to be the first ones to value our own time, or it’s pointless.
Weekly translation favorites (Sep 2-8)

[…] Types of Content You Can Use to Promote Your Product, Service, Business, or Self 5 Reasons Why Increasing Your Freelance Writing Rates Matters Five Analog To-Do List Systems for Better […]

Gabriella F.

Hi Lori.

Been crazy busy, and I haven’t been able to check into your blog lately. But I got your email with the summary of recent topics and am checking back in. Love the new look!

On this rate thing, man, I wish I could get up to $100 or $150 an hour. I finally–finally!–got all my clients up to $75 an hour. The last remaining holdout, who was paying $50 an hour, I simply told, “Look, I love working with you, but you’re way below every other client’s rate. I need $75. I understand if you can’t do it, but if not, I’ve got to move on. No hard feelings.” The next day, it was approved.

Now, my next task is upping that. Do you recommend I do an incremental increase, like starting in January, I charge $85 an hour, doing that for a year and then moving to $100 the next January? Or do you recommend this January, I jump to $100 without fanfare?

And by the way, I used to have a client who was paying me $55 an hour. I pushed and pushed for an increased rate, and the manager there just kept complaining about budget. The last time I brought it up, she said, “We can raise you to $57.50 per hour.” I took it for that current project we were working on and haven’t accepted a project with her since. Wonder if she realizes she shot herself in the foot by nickel-and-diming me?

1. lwidmer
  
  Hi Gabriella! Great to have you back!
  
  Here’s what I’d do — I ‘d keep the current clients at $75 for now. New clients are charged $100 per hour. Also, I’d start quoting per project and not per hour. People see that hourly rate and suddenly, you’re on the clock.
  
  Once you get more clients paying you at $100/hr., you can raise the rates on the established clients. If you lose them, it won’t hurt so badly as you’ve replaced the income already.
  
  And I doubt your former client realizes her mistake. The people focused on the money will always focus on the money.
2. Gabriella F.
  
  Thanks, Lori. That’s a solid plan, but with one glitch particular to my business. I have lots of long-term clients. It’s rare that I add a new client. And when I do, it’s like this: I’m consulting managing editor for a trade magazine for litigators, and say my contact is Sue. Sue manages another magazine at the trade association, this time for estate planning lawyers, and asks me to take it on, too. So I’m getting new business, but not really new clients. Given that, I fear it’ll take forever to up my rates again without just biting the bullet and upping them some amount. I think I just have to bounce to $85 in January and see the pushback I get…. On the other hand, if I’m doing that, maybe I go for broke and go to $100, expecting to be negotiated down to $85 or $90. This is hard!
3. lwidmer
  
  Gabriella, that is a glitch, for sure.
  
  Why $85? I’d inch it up further — $95. It’s closer to what you need to be making, and you’re still a bargain, if you ask me. You concentrate in the legal field, right? Hell, you’re an attorney from what I recall. You should be commanding at least $150 an hour.
  
  It’s never easy to raise rates, particularly with current clients. I’d say if it worries you, switch to per-project rates. A little more work on your end, but a set rate for a client is usually easier on their blood pressure anyway.