How much should you Charge?

    This may very well be one of questions that writers want to know the answer
to.  Over the years there have been almost as many answers as writers.  It is
up to you to determine the 'right' fee to charge.  There are several methods
you might use.

    You might contact other writers or friends, or you might even find a book
that will tell you how much you should charge.  You can also set your fee based
on, how much you think your time is worth or how much you think the client is
willing to pay.

    One consideration you may forget is your overhead.  By this I mean that
work that is not attributed to a specific work.  You have to consider the time
you spend on interviews, travel, queries, negotiations, correspondence,
planning, purchasing, mailing, filing and maintenance.  These are simular thing
that a secretary, clerk typist, and bookkeepers might perfom for publishing
houses.  They get paid for such work and so should you.  While you are at it,
DON'T forget fringe benifits, insurance, hospitialization, and a retirement
fund.  You you are really serious about freelancing, then quote a fee that has
a 25-30% markup for these expenses.

    Another way to figure your 'hourly billing' is to figure out an annual
salary for the same type of work performed by a staff person.  The divide that
by 2,000 will give you an hourly wage.

    As a last resort, you could use the fees listed below.  These are by no
means intended to be set in concrete, but they can serve as rough guidelines.
This list may also be used to find other freelance work you may not have
considered.  You should check this list against related jobs in your local
community to determine what markets are available in your area.

Advertising Copywriting:  Some ad agencies require part-time assistance during
rush periods.  Some freelancers charge a package price of about $50.00 for a
press release and small ad.  They may go on to charge several hundred dollars
for more complex projects.

Book Publishing:

Manuscript/copy-editing $8-20 and up or about $1.20 a page.
Indexing a book. $8-18 and hour or a flat rate.
Paperback covers or jackets.  $50-80.
Proofreading. $.50-.70 per page or about $13.00 an hour.
Ghost writing.  $500.00 per day or a flat fee.

Business Related Jobs:

Announcements: $50.00-500.00 or a flat fee.
Annual reports: $15-50 per hour for brief reports. $30-75 per hour for a reprot
that has to meet SEC standards or a report that uses legal language.
Brochures: $5,000 flat fee.
Newspaper Ads for small business. $50.00 or $6.50 per hour.
Technical typing. $1.50-$2.00 per page

Magazine and Newspaper:

Reviews: $35-60 for newspapers, $150-$250 for Sunday supplements.
Column:  $1.00 per column inch up to $30.00 per column.