There are lots of reasons to hire freelance writers to execute your marketing plan. Freelancers can fill in gaps until you grow enough to hire full-time staff. A stable of freelance writers can add a variety of perspectives and keep your content fresh. And freelance writers can complete projects your regular staff doesn’t have time for. But what will freelance writing cost you?
The answer depends on the type of project and the skill and experience level of the freelancer, among other factors. When you enter the transaction with upfront knowledge about freelance writing costs, you’re in a better position to manage your budget. In addition, understanding freelance writing pricing will help you negotiate with freelance writers.
Freelance writing hourly rates
Some freelance writers charge for their time by the hour. Hourly rates can vary widely. If you hire someone on a site like Upwork or Fiverr, you could find writers with rates of $25 an hour or lower.
An experienced writer will probably charge hourly rates of $50 to $100 per hour. If you need a writer with technical expertise, such as a medical or legal writer, expect to pay higher rates, usually $100 per hour or more.
An experienced writer with a higher rate can be a better deal than a newbie with a lower hourly fee. Consider this scenario: You hire a writer who charges $20 an hour to research and write a 1,000 word blog post for you. It takes him six hours to complete then job. Then you have to spend another two hours fact-checking and correcting mistakes, so add on an hour of your time.
Or you could hire a seasoned pro who charges $80 an hour. She finishes your job in two hours. After a read through, you are satisfied that the voice and tone are right and the author has the facts down cold. Plus she’s hit SEO out of the ballpark.
In the first case, your cost is $120 plus two hours of your time. In the second scenario, you spend $160 plus less than half an hour of your time. And you end up with better content.
If you have time to groom a less expensive writer with potential, you could gain a valuable team member. However, if you need it done right, fast, a seasoned pro might be worth the extra freelance writing cost.
Most professional writers, however, won’t charge you by the hour. Rates by the word or by the project are much more common. Projects that don’t have a lot of words but can require extra time, such as ad copy, are an exception to this rule.
Per-word rates
Freelance writing costs per word can range from $0.10 to $0.40 for general marketing and content writing, and around $0.50 to $1.00 for magazine writing and specialized content.
The per word rate that freelancers charge depends on experience level and the difficulty of the project. For example, a blog post that takes minimal research might command a lower rate than one that requires extensive interviews.
When you pay for a freelance writer by the word, you can control your freelance writing cost by setting word limits on your projects. Billing by the word benefits the writer as well. If she’s able to complete the project quickly, her hourly rate goes up. If she needs more time to do a thorough job, on the other hand, she can take the time she needs without worrying that she’s costing you more money.
Project rates
Sometimes freelance writing cost is based on a project rate. Project costs are usually based loosely on per-word rates. The specs of your project might include a word count within a certain range and other conditions of delivery. Project billing can work well when an assignment includes additional tasks beyond the actual writing, such as posting to your CMS or sourcing photos and graphics.
I almost always work with clients on a per-word or project billing basis. This gives my clients the benefit of predictable freelance writing costs.
Factors that affect your freelance writing cost
In addition to the difficulty factor, there are other things that can affect your freelance writing cost. Some writers offer reduced rates to nonprofits. If you do a lot of work with a freelance writer, you could put him on retainer and pay a guaranteed monthly fee for a certain amount of work at a reduced rate.
A byline is valuable to a freelance writer, since it helps fill a portfolio. However, if the only compensation you offer your contributors is a byline, you’ll fill your blog with posts from inexperienced or amateur writers. I don’t recommend this if you’re serious about content marketing.
The rate you pay your freelance writers could affect your marketing in another way. If you’re able to find writers who produce great content for below the standard market rates, you may feel like you’ve won the jackpot. If you don’t reward those talented writers for their great work, however, someone else will. You could lose your valuable freelancers to better-paying clients.
If you have a limited marketing budget, talk to your freelance writers. Writers are creative people. A freelancer may be able to help you figure out a way to get top-notch professional content while staying within your marketing budget.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about freelance writing cost – mine or someone else’s.
When I write, the final step is to edit your writing. When I work with an editor, he or she may request additional changes, but it’s my job to turn in a piece that is as clean as possible. In situations where I am the writer and the editor (which is the case for many of my clients and on this blog), my final edits are vital.
Some of the editing I have to do, such as shortening sentences for readability, are specific to the SEO demands of the outlet. I won’t go into that here (though I will talk more about SEO in future posts).
If you want to be a better writer, you need to be a better editor. Whether it’s a term paper for school, a report for work, or even an important email, clear and concise writing will get you the gold star.
One more benefit of editing: it frees me from writer’s block. I’m never afraid to write an ugly first draft because I know I can fix it in the edits. All I have to do is wrestle something onto the paper. Once I have a very rough draft, editing smooths the jagged edges.
Here are six tips for improving your editing. Your readers will thank you.
To edit your writing, print it out
When I was writing for a local news site, a younger colleague was shocked to find out that I printed out all my stories before I submitted them. She didn’t do that. And I could tell. Though she was an excellent writer, her pieces contained unforced errors. I think she would have found and corrected them if she had printed out her work.
If you only do one of the tips on this list, pick this one. And buy a red pen to make your changes.
I can see the shape of a written piece much more clearly on the printed page. When I’m editing someone else’s writing, I print that out, too.
On paper, I get a better feel for the flow of the piece. I see paragraphs that need to move and sentences that can be deleted. Reading on paper helps me find words that were left out and words that were repeated.
If paper is too old school for you, at least read your work on a large screen where you can see a whole page at one time. You need the big view to see and fix the structure of your writing.
Use spellcheck to edit your writing
This is such a simple thing you’d think it goes without saying. And yet, I once worked on a legal case where the opposing counsel included the word “Defednat” in the caption of a brief. The defendant was his client and he could have saved himself a lot of grief by using spellcheck.
You can see the red squiggly line under misspelled words and correct them immediately. However, that’s not enough. Run spellcheck as your final editing step. Spellcheck is an easy way to find grammatical errors or misspelled names you might not catch otherwise.
Read it out loud
If I need to seriously polish a piece of my writing, I read it out loud. If a sentence is hard to say out loud, it’s probably confusing to read. In addition, reading my writing out loud highlights the flow and syntax.
One note: when I write speeches for clients, I read those out loud over and over and over. If you’re writing something that’s meant to be spoken, then speak it as you edit it.
“Kill your darlings”
This tip comes from the fabulous author and writing teacher, Adair Lara. A “darling” is that sentence or paragraph where you nailed it. You found a clever turn of phrase. Or you made a witty reference. Or you used a funny example to illustrate your point.
These are the hardest parts of your writing to edit out. Even when they don’t advance the story, many people are reluctant to cut them.
When you edit your writing, you must be ruthless. If your darlings don’t fit your narrative, you have to kill them. Your allegiance must be to the story, not to your clever prose.
Less is more
I often write more words than an assignment calls for or than I have space for. This leads to tough choices. I cut interesting facts and good quotes. In the end, what’s left is just the most salient facts and the best quotes. A well-honed piece of writing emerges from the rubble. It’s tight, it’s interesting. It doesn’t drag the reader down side streets where they might get lost and give up.
Long reads are wonderful. I enjoy a discursive story told by a great writer. But I rarely have time for that. Your readers don’t either.
Edit your writing like a reader, not a writer
The more I can get into the reader’s head, the better my writing is. Each paragraph has to communicate something that the reader will want to know, not what I want to write. I need to explain concepts clearly for someone who might be new to them.
Ask yourself what questions your intended audience has. Then edit your writing so you answer those questions only.
Delete your ego
As mentioned above, the editing process, if done right, is often bloody. I spend a lot of time writing down words, then I throw away a big chunk of them.
To be a good, honest editor of your own work, it helps to be humble. If my only goal as a writer is to serve my reader, then I won’t mind the red ink.
Now I have to print this out, get out my red pen, and show myself no mercy. You’re welcome.
Marie Kondo has helped us organize our stuff. A custom app can help you organize your time, your data, your projects, your inventory, you money – any part of your daily life that doesn’t exist in the physical world, as well as some things that do.
I design custom apps for myself and for clients in FileMaker Pro. Recently, I created a new custom app for myself. It has reminded me of the transformative power of organization and order. And it showed me, yet again, how a custom app can be life-changing.
Here are stories from my customers and how I designed a custom app that redesigned my work life.
What is a custom app?
There are lots of apps available to help you manage your time, money, projects, etc. A custom app is built to your specifications to solve your specific problem and organize you data in a way that makes sense to you. When I refer to a custom app, I’m talking about a database. I work with a database program called FileMaker Pro, which can create custom apps to run on your computer, phone, or tablet.
Client stories
Before I made my own life-changing app, my clients showed me the transformation that a custom app can bring.
For example, for one client, I updated a billing database and added scripts to automate processes that had been done by hand. I talked with the department about their workflow and figured out what their custom app should do.
To make this billing app work better, I added a system to automatically email other departments a list unclaimed charges. After this change, the number of unclaimed charges dropped to almost zero. I also added a billing form powered by scripts, so they could send bills from their custom app with a click of a button.
A few months later, the department supervisor pulled me aside. She told me that the person who primarily used the database seemed happier now that she was able to do her monthly billing more quickly and with assurance that she wasn’t missing anything. By taking much of the burden of her workload off her shoulders, the database improved her quality of life.
My life before the app
In my freelance business, I have a custom app for billing. But, at the beginning of this year, I was still using multiple spreadsheets to track projects for different clients.
My old system worked well enough when I had just a few big clients. As my business expanded to add more clients and many small projects, I found myself writing lists on pieces of paper to track all my deadlines. When I was ready to start a new project, I had to hunt through emails or open a spreadsheet to review the instructions.
I love my work and I am delighted with my new clients. But I was so stressed by the challenge of juggling deadlines that I began to dread going to work in the morning. I lived in constant fear that I would miss a deadline.
At the same time, I had no idea which clients were profitable and which were not. Most of my work is project-based rather than hourly. I wasn’t tracking the hours I spent on each project to assess whether my fees covered the time each project required.
Something had to give. Since I work alone, project-management software doesn’t work for me. So, I created a custom app.
What I wanted my custom app to do
Before I created my app, I made a list of the things I wanted to accomplish. My list looked like this:
Track all project due dates in one place.
Provide a single place to store instructions on every project.
Estimate how much time each project will take and record how much time it actually took.
Record projected fees for each project and track expected income for my work by the week, month, and year.
Calculate estimated and actual hourly rates for projects billed at a flat rate.
Space to store all the details about a project
My project tracking database isn’t complicated. The detailed information I need on each client is already in my billing database.
I started by creating an Assignment Detail layout.
Over time, as I worked in the database, I added more features . If a project is writing, several extra fields appear to track the details of my writing projects.
There’s a pull-down list of types of writing projects. I also enter the word count assigned for the project. That gives me important information about what a client or editor expects and also the amount of detail I should plan to include.
I enter my projected hours. The database calculates the hourly rate based on the fee I entered. I enter the actual hours worked and the database calculates my actual hourly rate.
Long Description is a button that opens a box with lots of room to enter detailed instructions.
I added a red button to quickly delete an entry, if needed.
When I finish a project, I click Completion date. A script enters the current date and changes the status to Completed.
Reports are the most powerful feature of my custom app
I created two tables to pull all my projects together. These are the power at the center of my custom app.
My Open Assignments layout shows me upcoming deadlines. The report breaks down projects by the week and month. I can see at a glance whether my workload meets my earning goals. I can also see how many hours I have scheduled. When a client asks if I have time to take on a new project, I am able to give a realistic estimate of when I can deliver the work.
The Completed Assignments layout shows me the projects I have finished. I can use this report to look back over past weeks and see how much work I can realistically expect to complete in a week, based on real data and not my fantasy of how much I can get done in one day.
Both of my report layouts include buttons to go back to the Assignment Detail for each assignment. When I’m ready to work on something, I click the arrow and I have all the information I need to start working on the project in one place. When I finish, I mark the project completed and move down my list of open assignments to the next project.
The life-changing power of a custom app
I hoped that this custom app would help me manage my work life more productively. I didn’t expect the profound changes to it has brought to my work and my life.
Within a couple of days of starting to build out and use the app, my anxiety about my workflow left. The app visualized my workflow, including when projects were due, in a simple, readable format. I was in charge of my work week. Instead of hunting for information to start each project, I simply move down the list and click the arrow to see the details of each assignment.
The Completed layout gamifies my workflow. I love pushing the Completed button and watching tasks move from Open to Completed. Each week, as I watch the Open list shrink and the Completed list grow, I have the satisfaction of knowing I’m getting work done for my clients.
I’m clear about how much I can work and how much I need to work. I work more efficiently and my income has gone up.
To my surprise, I’m also sleeping better. I feel calm and ready to get to bed earlier. And I rarely toss and turn because of anxiety about the work I have to do the following day.
I love being a freelance writer. I love designing databases. But the stress of juggling multiple assignments almost made my business unworkable. My custom app has helped me fall in love with my career all over again.
What can a custom app do for you?
Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about your dream custom app, tell me your database success stories, or ask questions about FileMaker Pro. In my next post, I’ll review the questions to ask yourself before you get a custom app.
Great content is the tip of the iceberg. Underneath is great internet research. If you already know your topic inside and out, research should still be part of your process, to see what your competitors are saying. Research will help you create unique content that adds value to the online discussion and positions you as an authority.
Internet research may seem like a no-brainer. Anyone can type keywords into a search window. But good internet research, research that goes beyond the obvious to separate out misinformation and find the best answer, is a skill that requires practice.
Here are seven tips to improve your internet research results.
1. Look past page one
The links on the first page will be the ones that most closely match your keywords. But the most cogent or interesting information on your topic could be on page two or three.
Click around on page two or three and you might find a thread that takes you on a new direction that adds a fresh perspective.
When I don’t have my keywords quite right – when my search results aren’t on topic – I often find better search terms on page two or beyond.
Your search engine has decided that the results on page one are most relevant to your search. But there are nuances that can’t be captured by an algorithm. For better internet research, don’t stay stuck on the first page.
2. Evolve your internet research terms
I recently needed to find a company that would repair a broken car window on a Sunday. My internet research turned up a list of towing companies – not what I wanted. It took me several tries to find the right combination of terms relating to auto glass and repair. When I did, I suddenly had a very different list with multiple companies that could do the repair.
If only one of the websites that comes up in a search is what I want, I search again using keywords from that site.
The same is true when I’m doing research for a client. If I don’t get the results I want the first time, I use Google’s suggested terms to try different searches.
3. Filter your search
There are several ways to filter your search, if you’re getting too many irrelevant results on top. Click on News in Google search to get only news articles. Click Tools and you can filter by the time or limit your results to those that match your search terms verbatim.
Another way to get results that are an exact match for your search terms is to put them in quotes. You can put all or just part of search in quotes.
Searching for Sara J Smith will generate a lot of noise. A search for “Sara J Smith” will return more relevant results.
You can also use a minus sign to filter out unwanted results. For example, if you wanted information about an entity called LION (there are lots), you could eliminate results about African lions by searching for lion – animal.
4. Know your sources
There are lots of statistics and data points swirling around the blogosphere. Good research can separates the verified from the bogus.
Wikipedia is a great source of information on a lot of topics – except when it’s not.
I’ve found helpful information on timelines of historical events and definitions of medical terminology in Wikipedia. In other cases, the Wikipedia page is someone’s opinion.
The page on homeopathy is a good example. While it includes accurate information about the history and theory behind homeopathic medicine, the page also includes opinions such as “Homeopathy is not a plausible system of treatment.” If I want unbiased information about homeopathy, I will need to conduct my research elsewhere.
An easy rule of thumb is that someone’s blog is not a good source. Use information from a trusted organization such as the Mayo Clinic or PEW research over sarajsmithblog.com. Blog posts can be helpful to orient you to the types of information others are citing on a topic. The links in blog posts can also lead you to primary sources.
5. Double check your facts
A data point sourced from a trustworthy web resource is great. A data point corroborated by two trusted sources is a solid fact. Was the 2018 unemployment rate in South Africa really more than 27 percent? According to numerous sources, that information is correct.
If a piece of information strikes you as unusual, it’s especially important to corroborate it.
If a source lists South Africa’s unemployment rate as 40 percent, find the primary source for that statistic and get a second source before you quote that number.
6. Get technical in your internet research
Don’t be afraid to delve into research papers and studies. If you don’t need to go into a lot of detail, you may be able to get the information you need from an executive summary or abstract that highlights the study’s conclusions.
Many scholarly and scientific articles are available for free online. Search through Google Scholarto limit your result to research papers. You may be able to access additional research through your public library’s online resources.
7. Don’t give up
This is the key to good internet research. It’s tempting to go with the first answer you get. It can also be tempting to give up if you don’t find what you’re looking for after a few tries.
The hallmark of a good researcher is that she is dogged.
She will look for clues in online forums and on social media. She will keep trying different search terms until she finds the authority on the topic.
Good search is an education. By the time you finish, you’ll have learned something new and interesting. You’ll be ready to write like an expert.
Pro tip: This is why professional writers don’t have to write on just one industry or area of expertise. Research is our secret superpower that lets us write with authority on a wide range of subject matter. (The exception is writing for an audience that has a high level of technical knowledge. In that case, you might need a writer who has expertise to communicate in the language of the specialty.)
Almost any information you need is available on the internet. Keep digging and you’ll find it.
Once you’ve made the decision to hire a ghostwriter, the next steps are to find the right ghostwriter and get to work.
A good ghostwriter will help you understand the client/writer relationship and set expectations that work for both of you. To get the most out of your ghostwriter, you’ll need to bring clear goals to the table from the start.
Here are six tips to help you work with a ghostwriter to grow your brand.
1. What You Do and Don’t Need in a Ghostwriter
Everyone wants to hire a ghostwriter with subject matter expertise. If you are a plastic surgeon and you can find a writer with a background in plastic surgery, super awesome. A writer who specializes in medical writing is a good choice too.
But don’t discount the writer who has the voice you want, even if she or he doesn’t have a medical background. Technically dense communication may be appropriate if your audience is B2B, but, if your target is consumers, you’ll need a ghostwriter who can translate complex technical concepts into prose that nonexperts can understand.
In fact, a ghostwriter who isn’t well versed in your field can be a blessing. You’ll have someone who can bring an outside perspective to your work and explain it in a way that a non-expert audience finds compelling.
This is the number one issue I come across when I’m writing for clients. When you work in an industry for years, it’s easy to get stuck in the technical jargon of your field. My job is to translate that into content that will engage your potential customers and help them understand and appreciate what you do.
2. Know Your Goals
What do you hope to achieve by adding a ghostwriter to your team? If you want to boost your own personal brand, get clear about where you want your ghostwritten content to position you. If you need page ranking for your business, SEO will be at the top of your list. If you know what you want to get out of your content, you’ll be able to assess the success of your ghostwriting strategy and adjust as needed.
3. Don’t Be a Cheapskate
Yes, there are a lot of freelancing platforms that offer the chance to hire cheap writers. There are blogging services that will pump out content for you for not much more.
If you just need to stuff a website with words, these cheap solutions might work for you (though keep an eye on this content to make sure it doesn’t land you on Google’s naughty list). If you want writing that will add value to your site, however, plan to pay your ghostwriter a reasonable fee.
The fee for a professional writer to produce a 1,000-word blog post or article can be anywhere from $100 to $700, depending on the writer’s level of experience and technical expertise, as well as the amount of research needed. What you get in return is a piece of evergreen content that will keep adding value to your site or your brand for years. What is that worth to you?
4. Tell Your Ghostwriter Everything
The more information you share with your ghostwriter – about your marketing goals, your SEO strategy, your insider knowledge – the more accurately your ghostwriter will be able to write what you would, if you had the time.
Don’t be afraid to course correct. I’m always grateful for feedback from my clients, even when they’re not telling me I’m fabulous. An honest critique is an important tool for building a better relationship with your ghostwriter.
5. Go Steady with Your Ghostwriter
You could go looking for someone new every time you need the services of a professional ghostwriter. This might seem like a good idea, if you don’t need help on a regular basis, but it isn’t.
I have one client who calls on me for help with writing and editing three or four times a year. He’s in a very technical B2B field. Despite the miniscule amount of content I provide for him, I’ve gotten familiar with his industry over the years. We have a nice working relationship that we can pick up after months of no communication. It’s lovely and easy for both of us.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for More
A top-notch ghostwriter can do more for you than take on writing assignments. Your ghostwriter can help you bounce around ideas for blog posts or even pitch ideas to you.
One of my clients recently asked me a great question: “What other skills do you have?” My answer included project management and database development, in addition to newsletter writing and data analysis.
Just because you hired your ghostwriter to provide blog content, don’t assume she can’t also develop a great newsletter or email blast for you. Let your ghostwriter be your secret weapon.
