Fees for Writing Content and Copy

How much do I charge?

It's a simple and reasonable question. Unfortunately, it's not so simple to answer.

Why? Because no two writing projects are alike. Just like companies, each one is unique.

Therefore, each project has an individual worth.

Once I have a clear understanding of your writing or editing requirements, plus the approximate timescale and difficulty of the project, I can give you a customized quote.

Download a rough guide to my fees

I understand that you may like to have an idea of my fees before approaching me for a quote. Everyone has a budget. Therefore, I've developed a guide to my fees for writing SEO-friendly content and copy.

Bear in mind that the project amount I end up quoting may differ to what is listed in this guide because each project differs. My advice is to contact me directly to discuss your unique project in detail.

How I structure my fees

When asking for a quote, some clients think only in terms of word count. Knocking out a 300-word landing page should take only an hour or two, right? Sorry, no. Copy that sells requires more than writing a few sentences or paragraphs. It requires planning, research and creativity, not to mention meetings and phone calls and review rounds.

So, it’s best to see any copywriting fee as an investment: a well-written website or flyer should deliver far more in business than the cost of getting it written. That's why I charge a project fee.

Why pricing by the job?

I believe my rates are fair and realistic. Based on 20 years of copywriting experience, they let me produce clear, targeted and convincing content that delivers real benefit. A flat fee is easy for clients to understand, it doesn’t produce any shocks that pricing by the hour or day can, and it covers all elements of a copywriting job.

Why not charge by the word?

Copywriting is a professional service, not a commodity. You're not buying a text; you are investing in growing your business. The problem with a per-word pricing strategy is that it rarely considers any of the non-writing factors required to produce effective copy and it encourages copywriters to focus on quantity.

Price ranges by type and complexity

The price of a job usually depends on its category (i.e. whether it’s a brochure, website page, press release, direct mail, flyer, sales letter, etc.). Each category has a price range. Smaller, simpler projects are at the lower end of the range and larger, more complex ones are at the higher end. In addition to the category, there are other factors that I take into account when pricing a job. These factors, which are set out below, are listed on the Professional Copywriters’ Network.

Briefing: some clients have a firm idea of what they need me to do; others need some guidance. If I need to help you develop the brief (i.e. my instructions) before work can begin, that time and advice may be included.
Familiarity: If I’m very familiar with your business, I probably require less research or thinking time.
Planning: Does the project need carefully planning before writing begins? For example, maybe your website needs to be structured before content can be developed and then written.
Creativity: Does the project require significant development time as well as writing? For example, an advertising slogan may not take long to ‘write’, but generating options and choosing the right one is a major undertaking.
Complexity: The subject may be highly technical and/or complex.
Review rounds: Some projects are expected to go through a number of review rounds before approval. This may be due to the nature of the topic, the number of people involved in the project or other factors.
Meetings: Will I need to travel and meet you face to face? How long are the meetings?
Third-party liaison: Am I expected to collaborate with other people involved with the project – designers, web developers, PR agencies and so on?
Other support tasks: Will I have other tasks in addition to my writing, such as image selection, uploading content and so on?

Change of scope and upfront fees

If the work turns out to be different from the scope that we agreed at the start, the fee must be reviewed. I may ask for a percentage of the fee upfront, especially for larger projects and always for new clients.

For more questions about my fees or to discuss your content creation needs, please drop me a line at [email protected] or call me on 360-525-8277.

Download My Fee Information Pack