Freelancing Rates: the good, the bad and the truth

 One of the biggest questions I had when I started freelancing a few years ago, was; How much should I charge?

I googled freelancing rates, freelance writer rates, and how much should I charge as a freelance writer daily. I trawled through pages and pages looking for actual answers, and all I could get was vague hints about starting small and increasing pay later. I couldn't find exact numbers anywhere, and if I did get numbers, they were outdated, applied to exclusively US markets, or industry-specific.

Well, with a few years under my belt, I'm here to give you answers. Actual answers with numbers.

So, if you're stuck with what to charge or just want a comparison, here's what you need to know about freelance writing rates.

How to charge as a freelance writer

Before we get down to how much you should be charging (we'll get there, I promise), you need to think about how you want to charge.

Freelance writers generally fall into two camps: charging by the hour or changing by the word. Then you get people like me that use both methods.

You'll probably find that charging by word is easier most of the time. I have standard rates for 500 words, 1000 words and 1500 words. For anything longer, I negotiate on a by-word basis.

However, there are occasions when I charge by the hour. I would switch over to this method of charging if the project required a lot of additional research that was very time-consuming. If something is going to take two hours to research but just under an hour to write 500 words, I'm not going to charge for effectively half an hour when it's taken much longer.

If you work in a specific sector, you might find you prefer charging by the hour as standard and only charging by word for some projects.

What to charge as a freelance writer?

I promised I'd give you actual figures, and I'm going to. But first, you need to understand that freelance rates vary from industry to industry. If you specialise in tech companies, farming or white papers, you may be able to get away charging higher rates. If you specialise in generalised lifestyle blog posts, you probably can't- at least to begin with. I'll explain why in a second, but first, numbers!

This is just a rough guide, but… An excellent guide to freelance writing rates in 2022 in the UK are:

Beginner writer: £0.03-£0.07 per word/ £15-£35 for 500 words

Average price: £0.08-0.15 per word/ £40-£75 for 500 words        

Experienced: £0.16-0.30 per word/ £80-£150 for 500 words

Please remember this is just a guide to get you started. There are many different ways you can calculate your rates, such as skill level, industry, competition, and clients.

Freelancing rates vary from industry to industry and depend on your experience.

How to work out if your freelance rates are appropriate

As I said above, those figures are just a guide if you are a general freelance writer. You can charge above these rates if you feel comfortable. Although I wouldn't advise charging less than these rates.

To help you work out if your rates are appropriate and give you some confidence when it comes to telling clients your fee and owning your skills, here are some top tips for making sure you are charging the right amount.

Evaluate your actual experience

When I started freelancing, I initially told myself I had no experience and should therefore charge the lowest rates. I soon realised that a degree from a top university and four years producing copy in-house at two massive corporations meant I actually had a fair amount of experience. If you're in your first few weeks as a freelance writer specialising in legal papers, your training, education and work experience as a lawyer count. Be honest about your experience, and don't be afraid to start charging higher rates immediately.

Research your industry

If you plan to specialise in a particular area, you may find rates very different. If your industry is booming and requires a lot of industry-specific knowledge, you may find introductory rates are much higher. The more specific the area, the more you can charge. Research how much your industry is worth and how much other writers charge to get a good idea of if you're undercharging.

Is there competition?

Some industries are FLOODED with writers. When blogging became prominent, and lifestyle bloggers and YouTubers became massive, ghostwriters for beauty and lifestyle were everywhere. As such, an elite few writers charged big bucks while everyone else charged low fees just to get in on the action. If you have knowledge and experience in an industry that means other writers can't keep up with what you have to offer, you should be charging more.

Timing

Some clients will want short, fast pieces delivered with fast turnaround times. If you are asked to meet sudden deadlines and have to organise other clients around one specific project, you can definitely charge more for it. Remember that your rates don't need to be consistent for every project. If you have short deadlines, charge more. If a client is more relaxed and lets you take your time, you might be willing to set a lower rate.

Type of work

General blog posts and articles are generally cheaper. White papers, research papers, SEO content and newsletters can be more expensive. You might want to charge more for an entire book, while churning out lots of social media content might be a cheaper rate. Just as your rate doesn't need to stay the same for each client, it doesn't have to stay the same for each piece of work you do.

Your rates don’t have to be the same for different clients and different projects.

Remember… you can always change your rates. The best rates are the ones that end up with money in your account.

Everything after that is just details. You're better off taking the plunge and getting going than debating for ages.