What to Charge Per Word for Freelancing

Freelance rates depend on the size of the writing task.

Deciding upon a fee to charge per word as a freelancer is not as simple as just quoting a random price. A writer needs to establish a fair rate per hour, as well as per word, and to account for revisions and vacation periods.

Fee Per Word

Prices per word can range from 2 cents to $2 on average. To establish a price per word, decide upon an hourly rate and divide that figure by the average amount of words written per hour to reach a fee per word. For example, $50 per hour divided by 700 words per hour equals a word fee of 7 cents.

Types Of Fee

Alternative fees to charge are hourly fees, price per page or a total project fee. It is standard practice to charge a total fee for large projects, rather than price per word.

Considerations

Freelancers do not get paid if they do not work. So a writer needs to account for vacation periods when setting fees. Raise your word fee accordingly. Consider setting a flat fee for revisions of between $50 to $200 depending on the size of the writing task, so not to lose out financially for completing the job.

References

• Writers: Professional Fee Guidelines
• Ask Meta Filter: Cents Per Word or Bucks Per Document?
• All Freelance Writing: Setting Freelance Writing Rates The Right Way