Skip to content

Words on the Page

a freelance writing resource.

Menu
  • Blogs Worth Reading
  • Courses
  • Ebooks
  • Free Writers Worth eBook
  • Guest Posting Guidelines
  • Home
  • Marketing 365
  • Monthly Assessment
Menu

Uncategorized

Getting Out of the Office

Posted on April 30, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

Starting tomorrow — Writers Worth Month! Come by every day for advice, strategies, and stories on how writers like you improved their businesses by embracing their worth.  And don’t forget to read the posts from years past for even more inspiration! Good morning. Miss me? I’m just seven hours back from the convention, this year…

Read more

Clients: Why Your Projects Aren’t Successful

Posted on April 27, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

Right now I’m in New Orleans. The conference is kicking off today, and I have meetings and parties scheduled. It’s a great time to make new acquaintances and connect with companies that have expressed interest in working with me. Any time we have a chance to be in front of potential clients is an opportunity….

Read more

This Job, Not That Job

Posted on April 24, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: In One Person by John Irving What’s on the iPod: That’s How Strong My Love Is by Taj Mahal My last work day before the annual trade show. For some reason, I don’t feel ready, but the schedule and checklist both say I am. It was the heavy workload coming up to…

Read more

Coming Soon: Writers Worth Month

Posted on April 23, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

We interrupt this blog to bring you some news: Just eight days left! Writers Worth Month starts May 1st! Every year, Writers Worth Month attempts to reach freelance writers and help them gain confidence in the value of their skills. The goal is one more freelancer, one more person improving their business through better choices. This…

Read more

What Your Network is Saying About You

Posted on April 22, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Just As Well by Jackie Greene Over the weekend, I had a nice conversation with one of my daughter’s friends. We were talking about her work, my work, and we ended up on the subject of networking. After listening to her experiences at a local networking event, I came away with…

Read more

Freelance Writing Business Facts

Posted on April 20, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Human Error by We Were Promised Jetpacks It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend, though I wouldn’t know much about that. Colds hit at the worst times, and they pretend to be allergies at first. That means I infect everyone around me. My husband and I missed what was surely a fantastic…

Read more

Writer Mini Clinic: Finding Ideas

Posted on April 16, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: It Doesn’t Matter Anymore by Linda Ronstadt Taxes are done. Amen. Alleluia. Am I done paying? Ha. Ha. Hahahaha… If you asked me right now who I’d vote for in the next presidential election, it would be the first person to simplify (fairly) the tax process. I’d even switch parties —…

Read more

How to Win at Marketing Every Time

Posted on April 14, 2015June 24, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Already Gone by The Eagles Yesterday was a day of planning. I finished a ton of work last week, and now I can take a much slower pace to finish other projects. Plus, I worked on setting up in-person meetings at the upcoming conference. I had one person cancel — not…

Read more

33 Places to Learn New Writing Skills for Free

Posted on April 9, 2015July 6, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Late July by Shakey Graves It’s been a productive week so far. I’ve managed to write five articles for one client (complete with interviews, so I had to be efficient about it) and two blog posts for another client. There’s one more feature article due to the first client, so that’s…

Read more

Raising Your Professional Rates

Posted on April 7, 2015July 6, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Blue Skies Again by David Mayfield Parade Head over to Freelancer FAQs to see my guest post. Thanks, Elna! What a week. I’m working with a new client on a project launch, which means they need content. Lots of content. The launch is in two weeks. They need eight articles by…

Read more
  • Previous
  • 1
  • …
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • …
  • 204
  • Next
  1. KeriLynn Engel Avatar
    KeriLynn Engel
    April 7, 2015

    Love this, Lori. This is exactly what I've been struggling with the past several months.

    Definitely been feeling stretched thin lately, but I'm still getting over all the psychological barriers involved with quoting higher rates. Like worrying that they're too high and I'm being ridiculous, or agonizing over how to turn down clients. I know logically I'm being unreasonable, but I guess it takes time & practice for it to really sink in.

    I just keep trying to tell myself I'm overthinking things, because it always turns out fine after I hit "send." 😀

    I guess it's a good problem to have 🙂

    Reply
  2. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer
    April 7, 2015

    Keri, the odd thing about rates — the minute you raise them, the clients come knocking. It seems counter-intuitive, but it really does work.

    I remember having the same trouble accepting the thought. I was earning $50 an hour and working my tail off. When I raised my rates to $100/hour, I was suddenly working with people who weren't quite so demanding. Nit-picky seems to come at the lower price point.

    Just quote a higher rate when your next client prospect comes around. That's how I did it.

    Reply
  3. Anne Wayman Avatar
    Anne Wayman
    April 7, 2015

    a couple of months ago… more than that in my own mind… got it up on the site a couple of months ago… your hubby is right. If you're overbooked raise your rates.

    Reply
  4. Elna Cain Avatar
    Elna Cain
    April 7, 2015

    Lori,
    Good points! I'm at a place right now that I have enough clients on my plate and now is a good time to raise my rates.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Paula Avatar
    Paula
    April 8, 2015

    Interesting timing. This week I've been swamped with deadlines for not one but two industry listings (gotta love industries that extremely self-congratulatory!). They're not hard, but labor intensive. One pays better than the other, but both will result in decent payments. I also have two more articles to jump on next week.

    I was already feeling stretched in too many directions this morning when my sister called to say her client (part of an international banking chain) needed someone to proof read and copy edit "a few" executive bios, and wanted me to quote a price. Of course, they need to be done by tomorrow.

    There were 14 bios in all, and they looked fairly clean on the surface, but they were all written by different publicists and have no consistency in terms of abbreviations, comma usage, titles, etc. So it's nit picky work. Last year the bank finally provided a style guide, but it contained conflicting information and examples.

    This year I decided to have a minimum fee for jobs like that. I knew it wouldn't take an entire day, but wanted to be prepared for the time it would take to make everything consistent. Not my favorite job, but I could use the extra cash. So I quoted my new minimum. (Which would be a bargain compared to pricing it per page.)

    The client decided to edit it herself.

    The funny thing? Instead of being disappointed to lose the assignment – and money – I was relieved. It really felt like a weight had lifted. Just minutes before I was stressing over how I'd fit in a couple hours to work on it by tomorrow, but I was actually glad I wouldn't have to do it.

    Reply
  6. Weekly translation favorites (May 8-14)
    November 6, 2016

    […] Detailed Guide to Photo & Image Sizes on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & More Ask a Freelancer: How Can I Stand Out at a Huge Convention? 101 Best Blog Posts for Your Freelance Writing Career The I Love Writing Weekly Roundup – 23 April 2015 The Proofreader’s Corner: The Power of the Portfolio Are you on top of your Terms & Conditions? Freelance Writing Business Facts Raising Your Professional Rates […]

    Reply
© 2026 Words on the Page | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme