Writing fees: beware of charging too little

Over on Writing Hacker we're discussing writing fees.

This got me thinking that I've never, ever met a writer who over-charges.

Why is this? I think it's a lack of experience of negotiation, combined with a lack of self-confidence. (If you've got any input on this, please leave a comment to this post.)

Other professions charge outrageously - just go to a hairdresser in an up-market location and compare his fees with a hairdresser in the suburbs.

Yet many writers (especially on the out-sourcing sites) seem to feel that if they're charging more, this is somehow wrong. If you feel this way, ask yourself WHY you feel this way.

Here's what I just posted on a forum about charging too little:

If you charge too little:

* You will burn out. Writing is hard work - you get drained. When you're under-pricing it removes your motivation.

* You'll have constant client churn.

It's easier to get and keep good clients if you charge what you're worth. I'm still writing for clients I first wrote for 15 years ago. If you charge too little, your clients, to be honest, usually aren't worth keeping. :-)

Get a few solid clients, and you can relax, because your basic expenses are paid and those clients will stick with you for years - a good, reliable writer  is GOLD to clients.

There's a hierarchy of clients too. Clients are not equal. The clients you want are those who dovetail with your own experience and skills. Some clients will never be for you, because writing for them is just too difficult - as when for example, you have no interest in a topic.

So if you feel you're in competition with writers who are charging minimal fees, please realize that this has nothing to do with you - you set your own fees. And if you set appropriate fees, you will prosper.

What if you're a completely NEW writer? (Update)

Thought I'd add this nugget for you, if you're new to writing.

If you're new, you need credits, and you need to get those credits any way you can. This may mean writing for low rates, until you've written three or five items for your portfolio.

Once you've got that, raise your rates.

Write another five to ten projects, and raise your rates again.

You see how this works? Your experience makes you more valuable. You'll get to the point where you know a lot more than 99.9 per cent of your clients... then you become a consultant.

So start where you are, and go from there. And never be afraid of charging too much. ;-)

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