Every business needs writing. It can be short social media posts, video scripts, business blogs, or more technical writing like case studies and white papers.
But the pricing is all over the place. Not only that, but one writer charges by the word, another by the hour, and still others by the project.
Who’s right?
They’re all right! Each writer has a different approach and some projects work better with different pricing. I prefer per project in most cases because the costs are all up front, so I figure my rates based on the approximate time that type of work takes—and value it provides the customer.
What should you pay for a skilled writer’s talent? We’ll take a look at that, but also at what goes into the writing you love.
You’re “Just” a Writer, Why Charge So Much?
I could be snarky and say something like….”You’re only a plumber, why do you charge so much?”
But I won’t. You see, much like me calling a plumber to fix the leaky pipes, you reached out to a writer to fix your copy.
Sure, I can try to slap the pipes back together with a little bit of glue and a prayer. But my attempt at plumbing might blow up in my face.
The same is true with your copy—hiring a specialist will get the job done faster and better. Doesn’t that leave you with more time to build your business?
Let’s get back to your burning question: “Why do you charge so much?”
First, I didn’t magically wake up one day and say, “Gee, I’m writer, look at me!”
I studied, practiced, got feedback (that sometimes really hurt), and tried to apply the lessons. Like any craft, it’s a process of learning and discovery.
When you pay a writer (or any service provider, really), you’re paying for more than their ability to “plug the leak,” your also paying for all the time and money they spent learning their craft. Most writers spend thousands of dollars on classes, books, and seminars to improve their skills. That stuff doesn’t come cheap.
In the end, you’re paying for their ability to take your random ideas and ethereal dreams and turn them into something fabulous, thought-provoking, and engaging.
How Great Writing Happens
Great writing is never by accident. It happens because your writer (hopefully me!) takes the time to study and learn about your needs. And, more specifically, your customer’s needs. Unfortunately, I don’t wake up with words flowing from my brain to the keyboard—hell, I can barely speak coherently before coffee and yoga.
Nor do I sit down to write for a client without research—sometimes a lot!
For example, if I’m writing a blog for a physical therapy provider about safe post-op exercises, I’ll go through a few steps before I ever write anything:
- Learn about the surgery and what it fixes.
- Study how the body is affected, recovery time, safe movements, etc.
- Research different exercises, and include ways to make them more or less challenging.
- Maybe try them and see how they feel.
- Take lots of notes.
- Do some keyword research, if the client didn’t already provide keywords (hint: you should always provide a thorough brief with keywords!)
- Decide on a working headline and a sections that need to be covered.
After all of that, I’ll let it soak in for a while before I write. Sometimes, I talk it out while I walk the dogs. Researching your project can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the complexity and how well I already know the topic.
Once I start writing, it takes an hour so to get most of it down. But I’m not done yet. It sits for a little while before I read through it and do a few basic edits. Harder edits happen the next morning or afternoon with fresh eyes.
So a 2,000 word article can take up to 8 hours of actual work. That’s a full work day. So offering a writer $150 isn’t reasonable, because that could average to $18.75 per hour. Does that sound like a fair rate to pay a specialist?
Truth: Cost Varies According to the Project
Potential clients always want to know what I charge. I can’t give a flat answer for every project, because every project is different. Some cost more because the long-term value is higher, others cost more because of the amount of research required.
Even if you decide I’m not right for your project, make sure the writer you choose gets at least a little excited about the prospect of learning something new. And don’t shy away from a writer because they don’t have any bylines in your field. Look at their body of work—if their work quality is there and you like them, maybe do a paid test project.
Here’s a table with my most common requests and the average charges. Of course, these are only averages, and some projects may come in higher or (rarely) lower. My pricing is on the low-to-middle of the scale because I love helping small businesses.
Yes, even though their budgets are a little smaller. After all, the big businesses started out small too.
| Project | Approximate Word Count | My Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Blogs & Articles written for readers and SEO | 1,000-2,000 words | Starting at $350 |
| Stand alone email: A single email to reach out, grow sales, etc | 400-600 | Starting at $350 |
| Case Study/Customer Success story: sometimes run 2-3 pages with images and charts. | 800-1,200 | Starting at $950 |
| White Papers/Special Reports | Word count varies. Typically 5-10 finished pages | Starting at $1,500 |
| Monthly Retainers: Can include several products, but ensures content every single month at one price. | Varies according to the contract | Starting at $400 |
These prices mostly apply to one-off projects that you need once or maybe twice. So if you need several pieces written or would like regular content, let me know. I can give a quote based on the project as a whole.
Value Is More Important Than Cost
Some projects look pricey on the surface. Take case studies, for example. If $950 for a case study sounds expensive to you, I get it. But how much value do you place on hearing a satisfied customer’s experience?
If you’re like most people, a lot.
Think about it: How many times have you read someone’s personal account of why they chose a brand to solve their problem? If you had the same or a similar problem, you probably even pictured yourself solving the problem using that brand, because of the case study.
You may have been swayed by the story enough to start researching the brand. Maybe you dug a little deeper to see if it would work for you…maybe your wallet made an appearance…
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. We’ve all wanted to buy the product.
That’s the power of a great case study, and why we charge more for them. They offer companies tremendous value, sometimes for years. If a company is able to use the same case study for two or three years and it helps convert 500 leads into $200,000 in sales over its lifespan, was it actually pricey? Or a worthy investment?
The value of great writing cannot be overstated. We can quibble over cost, but when you can see the value in increased brand awareness, sales, and happier customers, you might want to give your writer a raise.
