For various reasons, freelance writing is rapidly becoming increasingly more popular. The chances are plentiful, and the flexibility of being your personal boss is enough to make many individuals wonder – can I actually make a living on a freelance writer’s salary?
I’m not making you read to the end – the answer is definitely yes.
Nevertheless, for those who’re considering diving into the world of freelance writing, you are probably in search of slightly more detail. A freelance writer’s salary varies greatly depending in your goals, skills and experience, the sort of work you do, and the amount of effort you are willing to place in.
Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned freelancer, as you start your profession, it’s helpful to know what the average freelance writer’s salary is so you may determine how much to charge, whether you are making a good wage, what sort of clients you ought to be in search of, and for what you may aspire.
The average salary of a freelance writer
As with most jobs, it’s inconceivable to predict exactly what a freelance writer’s salary can be without knowing who they work for, what number of hours they work, how briskly they work, and plenty of other aspects.
So as a substitute of asking what a freelance writer’s salary is on an annual and even monthly basis, it’s sometimes more useful to match how much different writers charge per hour or per word. Listed below are some average freelance writer salary rates for various kinds of writing to make it easier to get an idea of ​​what to anticipate.
Journalist
Independent journalism is a rewarding profession. Journalists often write about exciting topics, help influence public opinion, and might meet influencers and world shakers.
With the exception of a number of lucky A-listers, journalists don’t earn the highest freelance writer salary in the group. Nevertheless, sometimes you may expect other advantages, resembling travel allowance and networking opportunities.
A freelance journalist earns an average of $56,000 a yr.
Copywriters
Normally in the context of the promoting industry, copywriters write words that appear in supporting materials resembling brochures, flyers, print ads, web sites and more. Copywriters like a wide selection of topics and usually have lots of creative opportunities.
Copywriters earn an average of $21.55 an hour.
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Writing for social media is an interesting beast. On the one hand, it takes lots of talent to create posts that can bring customers return on investment, and expert writers in this category are in high demand. Social media content, on the other hand, is generally short, witty, and never very wordy. With this in mind, most social media creators don’t charge per word or per hour, but somewhat pay.
The average salary of a social media freelance writer is between $1,000 and $3,000 per 30 days.
Technical writers
Technical writing requires a bit more background knowledge to do well. Technical writers take complex data and switch it into easy-to-use material. Think manuals, how-to guides, infographics and stuff like that.
A tech writer may be someone who has worked in a selected industry or simply someone with excellent research skills. Resulting from the additional knowledge needed to finish this job, a technical writer can have a higher-than-average freelance writer salary.
Experienced distant tech writers can charge anywhere from $0.25 to $1.00 per word.
Bloggers
Many blog owners outsource at the very least a few of their posts to freelance writers. Blogging is an amazing entry-level performance for somebody who wants to start out a writing profession. You wish basic search engine optimization knowledge and a good social media presence in addition to your writing skills to be a successful freelance blogger.
Once you discover a distinct segment and blog rotation to contribute to, the average freelance writer salary for bloggers is between $50 and $200 per post.
The best way to Charge as a Freelance Writer
Knowing the various kinds of writing and charges charged by freelancers gives you a wonderful basis for determining what freelance writer salary to expect, but deciding how much to charge is a bit more complex than simply picking an average number.
Usually, there are three things to contemplate before setting a freelance writer rate: your experience, the industry you’re employed in, and your goals as a freelancer.
Experience. Writers with a number of years behind them can expect the next freelance writer salary than someone just starting out.
That said, the period of time you’ve got been an lively writer is not the only factor in how much you earn. Your skill level, any classes you’ve got taken or certifications you’ve got earned, and the strength of your portfolio are all great ways to showcase your expertise.
It’s always clever to start out with a lower rate to achieve customers after which step by step increase fees as you gain experience. Remember to make adjustments if you feel ready.
Industry. As shown in the list of average freelance writer salaries above, not all sorts of writing are value the same amount. Technical writers and copywriters typically earn the most per hour, while content writers might want to tackle more clients to earn the same amount.
Also, the forms of clients you’re employed for will determine how much you may charge. Large corporations often have a dedicated budget for contractors and can have the option to pay more, although competition for jobs is also fiercer. Working with small businesses or other freelancers can mean having to compromise on rates, but these kinds of projects may be an amazing option to construct a portfolio.
Goals. Some freelance writers are in search of a real nomadic lifestyle that is capable of earn enough to travel consistently, work from anywhere, and have complete freedom regarding your schedule. Others hope to earn some extra money on the side of full-time work or stay lively in the workforce while caring for young children.
No matter your reason for entering the freelance market, your goals will impact the way you run your corporation and the way much you pay.
The goals you’ve got in your profession will likely change over time, so just check yourself infrequently to be sure that your pricing structure is sensible.
Once you’ve got determined where your writing profession is on the scale, you will need to make decisions about easy methods to bill your clients. Typically, a freelance writer’s salary consists of hourly rates, project cost, per word fee, or monthly fees. Each of them is option to organize your corporation and every is sensible in different circumstances.
Hourly
Pros:
- Charging per hour permits you to receive payment adequate to the period of time spent.
- You set a rate that you just consistently charge, and then you definately can control your freelance writer’s pay by the variety of hours you set in the work every month.
cons:
- Should you are a quick employee, you could earn less for some projects than you actually deserve.
- It’s essential to fastidiously track all the time you spend on work.
Based on the design
Pros:
- The project-based model means you already know exactly how much money you may make every time you’re taking on a project.
- Often, productive employees earn more by charging per project as a substitute of per hour.
- You needn’t track your time to accurately bill your customers.
cons:
- Accurately estimating how long a project will take may be difficult, so occasionally you may find yourself paying too little for the work.
- Project-based billing is liable to range creep.
Cost per word
Pros:
- Some clients can pay a high rate per word while they would not pay the next hourly or project rate because they prefer to see exactly what they’re getting for his or her money.
- Paying per word can assist limit the scope of your article as customers won’t wish to pay more for longer content.
cons:
- Should you finish the topic in fewer words, you’ll make less money than you thought.
- You won’t be paid for research, client meetings or other interviews conducted as a part of the article.
Monthly fee
advantages:
- A monthly salary gives you peace of mind knowing exactly what a freelance writer’s salary can be.
- You make the same sum of money even when business is slow.
cons:
- It is difficult to seek out regular customers, because the advantage of hiring freelancers is the flexibility offered.
- You possibly can’t charge customers if you have to do more work in a given month.
- It could be difficult to extend the retainer once it is in place.
Application
The average freelance writer salary is excellent information to know if you find yourself starting your freelance profession, but keep in mind that it is just one piece of the puzzle. You possibly can expect to earn kind of than this average based in your experience, your organization goals, and your writing area of interest.
It’s as much as you to take the needed steps to grow as a freelancer. Construct that portfolio, value your personal work, set and meet goals usually, and construct a robust network of like-minded professionals around you, and you may immediately increase your freelance writer’s salary.
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