1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

What to charge per word/hour

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by swingline, Mar 28, 2018.

  1. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    Almost makes me want to get back into freelancing. BTW, you're a moron if you don't believe in evolution. It's not even a debate. You're literally a moron.
     
  2. trifectarich

    trifectarich Well-Known Member

    This is accurate. As someone who hands out freelance assignments almost every week, nothing irritates me more than people who just go through the motions. I realize all spell-check functions aren't perfect, but they'll catch the obvious typos and it takes, what, a minute? The fewer times I have to send a story back for work or the less rewriting I have to do, the better the chances the payment will be higher, too.
     
    LongTimeListener likes this.
  3. swingline

    swingline Well-Known Member

    I accepted for 75 cents per word and will get an assignment early next week.

    I figure if I can report the shit out of it and write it well with one or two revisions, it will be time well spent. The editor mentioned that if everything went well, there could be opportunities for alumni magazine work and possible work on a "research book we're cooking up."

    It will be good to stretch myself again.

    Thanks to all for your comments and advice.
     
  4. swingline

    swingline Well-Known Member

    I turned that 1,200-word story in April 27, my third draft being the last after cutting a good 300 words that helped not at all. I had nine sources and went to see what I was writing about.

    Despite emailing several times a week, I still haven't been paid. Fockers.
     
  5. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Have they responded to your e-mails, at least?
     
  6. swingline

    swingline Well-Known Member

    Yes. Mostly.
     
  7. franticscribe

    franticscribe Well-Known Member

    Welcome to the gig economy.
     
  8. Flip Wilson

    Flip Wilson Well-Known Member

    I just turned in three articles totaling about 5,000 words at $1 a word. Really looking forward to that paycheck -- and remodeling a bathroom in the house. And as a result of previous work for this publication, a person who works for another university magazine saw my name and approached me about writing for her two magazines, one at $1 a word and one at 80 cents a word. Her area of the university is approaching its 100th anniversary in a couple of years, and I'm going to pitch a huge story to her, that should be about 10,000 words. If accepted, that will be the master bathroom remodel.
     
  9. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    Man, looking at the rates I accept, I'm such a cheap whore.
     
  10. typefitter

    typefitter Well-Known Member

    Rule No. 47 of Freelancing: No one is going to pay you more than you ask for.
     
  11. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    I'm sure we've all seen this by now



    which - politics aside - is a stark fucking reminder of the truth of writing for a living.

    The wages almost never change.
     
  12. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    It is still a great assignment. It says to take any approach he wanted, but I am betting he didn't feel comfortable taking the "short-fingered vulgarian" approach.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2018
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page