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In areas that I freelance the most -- design, front-end, digital growth -- it's still fairly hard to find good, long-term clients. Sometimes, it takes a year or

In areas that I freelance the most -- design, front-end, digital growth -- it's still fairly hard to find good, long-term clients. Sometimes, it takes a year or two until an opportunity comes around that's actually worth your while. Content is in an extremely high-demand for many different niches, but the problem is that brands/people never want to pay the price you set. I have learned to simply ignore such people and keep looking for opportunities that actually reward my time appropriately. I recently had someone throw snarky comments at me because I told him that I charge on a per-word basis. Mind you, my work can be found in HuffPo, Entrepreneur, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few of you have read my stuff across many different startup blogs. But, apparently, it's me who doesn't know a thing!

corbet 8y ago
At LWN we try to pay generously, and would love even to bring on somebody full time. But we don't pay per word; we see that as being a lot like paying developers per line of code. Words are consumed to create an article, not created, and we value conciseness. Giving authors an incentive to pad things out just seems silly.
- skilled 8y ago
  What do you mean "pad things"? Most of my clients have a set word limit for each article. They set the limit, and I simply don't go over it, although sometimes I do because there is a lot more to say. And sometimes I write a lot less because there isn't much else to add to the topic. I find that clients are more receptive to the per-word system because it gives them some control over how much they have to pay. If you write some bullshit articles about "1000 ways to be happy instantly must-see immediately" -- then sure, pad away. Personally, I take great pride in my portfolio and want my content to be read, shared, promoted, etc. It's an entirely different attitude. And certainly a lot less straining on your brain.
bosie 8y ago
Why did you decide to charge on a per-word basis?
- pjc50 8y ago
  This is entirely standard in the commercial writing world.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
    It's based on the fact that print articles are typically a set size based on a semi-standardised page layout which only allows a certain number of words per page. Editors plan print magazines on something called a flat plan, which is a mockup of the project with page numbers, ad content, and content spaces of x pages each, which translate to specific word counts. Writers - often freelancers, but not always - are assigned one or more of the content pieces to write. Content spaces are typically made of a small number of predefined article/feature templates. Each template has specific requirements for headings, main content, boxes, pull quotes, diagrams, photos, and/or screen grabs for certain kinds of work, captions, and so on. Each item type has its own separate word count. Being able to write to a template is a very useful talent. It means someone on the editorial team doesn't have to add extra words to fill in a gap, or make significant cuts to force a piece to fit on the page. It's less relevant in content marketing, where you get points for hitting keywords over and over, something something SEO etc.

corbet 8y ago

At LWN we try to pay generously, and would love even to bring on somebody full time. But we don't pay per word; we see that as being a lot like paying developers per line of code. Words are consumed to create an article, not created, and we value conciseness. Giving authors an incentive to pad things out just seems silly.

skilled 8y ago
What do you mean "pad things"? Most of my clients have a set word limit for each article. They set the limit, and I simply don't go over it, although sometimes I do because there is a lot more to say. And sometimes I write a lot less because there isn't much else to add to the topic. I find that clients are more receptive to the per-word system because it gives them some control over how much they have to pay. If you write some bullshit articles about "1000 ways to be happy instantly must-see immediately" -- then sure, pad away. Personally, I take great pride in my portfolio and want my content to be read, shared, promoted, etc. It's an entirely different attitude. And certainly a lot less straining on your brain.

bosie 8y ago

Why did you decide to charge on a per-word basis?

pjc50 8y ago
This is entirely standard in the commercial writing world.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
  It's based on the fact that print articles are typically a set size based on a semi-standardised page layout which only allows a certain number of words per page. Editors plan print magazines on something called a flat plan, which is a mockup of the project with page numbers, ad content, and content spaces of x pages each, which translate to specific word counts. Writers - often freelancers, but not always - are assigned one or more of the content pieces to write. Content spaces are typically made of a small number of predefined article/feature templates. Each template has specific requirements for headings, main content, boxes, pull quotes, diagrams, photos, and/or screen grabs for certain kinds of work, captions, and so on. Each item type has its own separate word count. Being able to write to a template is a very useful talent. It means someone on the editorial team doesn't have to add extra words to fill in a gap, or make significant cuts to force a piece to fit on the page. It's less relevant in content marketing, where you get points for hitting keywords over and over, something something SEO etc.