Check your traps!

When you have several irons in the fire or, in freelance speak, submissions pending, be certain to check for your own publishings. Around the same time I started this blog, I submitted a newbie article to LifeToolsForWomen.com on making money with words. I never heard back from the Editor and hadn't checked out their site in a while, so I had no idea my piece had been published. While checking my visitor statistics here, I found that people were actually accessing this blog from a link published with the article. I have no idea how long it's been up. It wasn't a paid piece, but I got the warm fuzzies upon discovering my baby there all the same. Check it out when you get a chance, but more important (to you at least) is a reminder to regularly check out the markets you submit to because you never know. ;)

Speaking of making money with words, I came across another paid blogging site called Blogsvertise. I requested feedback from the ladies at WAHM.com, but didn't get much of a response initially. However, I checked back today and discovered another topic devoted to them with a greater response. For those of you interested in paid blogging, do read the thread and check them out.

My word of caution for the day, however, is to please beware of getting stuck with paid blogging, content writing, etc. I understand that the fast money helps, but my greatest desire is for all of us to go so much further with our writing careers. I'm not knocking such work (not completely, that is), but please don't get stuck in the rut of depending on them, and ONLY them, for income from your writing. Your work is worth far more than what they pay! So, start with them...or even use them to pay off a few bills from time to time if you must, but please continue to write and submit to greater markets. Promise?

Hope everyone enjoys a great weekend!

~BabyBlogger

Is It Worth It?

Now and then when I tell others that I'm a freelance writer, I get that, "Oh you poor thing" look. For some, freelance writer translates into starving writer. Some of you may be able to relate (not to the starving part, but to the misconceptions some hold about the profitability of this business). Well, Lynn Wasnak wrote an excellent article in Writer's Market detailing the rates for various freelance markets. Whether you're looking to prove disbelieving folks wrong or if you're just trying to figure out what to charge for your next project, Lynn's research is sure to assist.

She writes:

The following report cites current fees paid to professional writers for their work. This report is based on input from sales finalized in 2003 and 2004 only. The data is generated from voluntary surveys completed by freelance members of numerous professional writers' and editors' organizations and specialty groups. We thank these responding groups and their members for generously sharing information. Also, we welcome any writers who would like to contribute their rate experience to request a survey anytime. Your figures will be included in the next edition of Writer's Market. Request a survey from lwasnak@fuse.net.


ADVERTISING, COPYWRITING & PUBLIC RELATIONS


Advertising copywriting: $150 high/hour, $43 low/hour, $83 average/hour; $4,500 high/project, $215 low/project, $1,273 average/project; $2 high/word, $1 low/word, $1.50 average/word.

Book jacket copywriting: $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $67 average/hour.

Campaign development or product launch: $125 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $76 average/hour; $7,500 high/project, $1,500 low/project, $3,740 average/project.

Catalog copywriting: $150 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $70 average/hour.

Copyediting for advertising: $55 high/hour, $33 low/hour, $40 average/hour.

Direct-mail copywriting: $125 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $78 average/hour; $15,000 high/project, $500 low/project, $5,000 average/project; $2 high/word, $1 low/word, $1.50 average/word.

Event promotions/publicity: $100 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $80 average/hour.

Fundraising campaign brochure: $100 high/hour, $45 low/hour, $85 average/hour; $2,000 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $1,500 average/project.

E-mail ad copywriting: $95 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $62 average/hour.

Political campaigns, public relations: $150 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $85 average/hour.

Press kits: $100 high/hour, $45 low/hour, $86 average/hour; $5,000 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $2,334 average/project.

Press/news release: $125 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $74 average/hour; $500 high/project, $125 low/project, $280 average/project.

Public relations for businesses: $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $73 average/hour.

Public relations for government: $60 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $50 average/hour.

Public relations for organizations or nonprofits: $100 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $60 average/hour.

Public relations for schools or libraries: $100 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $85 average/hour.

Speechwriting/editing (general—based on 30-minute speech): $167 high/hour, $85 low/hour, $110 average/hour; $6,000 high/project, $2,700 low/project, $4,064 average/project.

Speechwriting for government officials: $125 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $76 average/hour.

Speechwriting for political candidates: $150 high/hour, $60 low/hour, $92 average/hour.


AUDIOVISUALS & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS


Book summaries (narrative synopsis) for film producers: $800 low/project; $1,161/15-minute speech, $1,934/30-minute speech, $3,666/60-minute speech.

Copyediting audiovisuals: $85 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $53 average/hour.

Business film scripts (training and info): $100 high/hour, $65 low/hour, $84 average/hour; $500 high/run minute, $100 low/run minute, $300 average/run minute.

Educational/training film scripts: $100 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $60 average/hour; $500 high/run minute, $100 low/run minute, $300 average/run minute.

Corporate product film: $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $70 average/hour; $500 high/run minute, $100 low/run minute, $300 average/run minute.

Movie novelization: $10,000 high/project, $5,000 low/project, $7,500 average/project.

Radio editorials & essays (no production): $70 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $60 average/hour.

Radio commercials/PSAs: $85 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $56 average/hour.

Screenwriting (original screenplay): $97,068 high/project, $52,705 low/project, $74,887 average/project.

Scripts for nontheatrical films for education, business, industry: $100 high/hour, $55 low/hour, $75 average/hour; $5,000 high/project, $3,000 low/project, $4,083 average/project; $500 high/run minute, $100 low/run minute, $300 average/run minute.

TV news story/feature ($1,201 Writers Guild of America minimum/story): $100 high/hour, $70 low/hour, $90 average/hour.

TV scripts (nontheatrical): $150 high/hour, $70 low/hour, $100 average/hour; $1,000 high/day, $550 low/day, $800 average/day.

TV scripts (teleplay/MOW)—TV scripts 30 minutes or less average $6,535/story, $19,603 with teleplay; TV scripts 60 minutes or less average $11,504/story, $28,833 with teleplay: $500 high/run minute, $100 low/run minute, $300 average/run minute.

TV commercials/PSAs: $85 high/hour, $60 low/hour, $73 average/hour.


BOOK PUBLISHING


Abstracting and abridging: $35 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $33 average/hour.

Anthology editing: $3,000 high/project, $1,200 low/project, $2,050 average/project.

Book proposal consultation: $150 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $69 average/hour; $500 high/project, $350 low/project, $425 average/project.

Book proposal writing: $100 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $73 average/hour; $12,500 high/project, $2,500 low/project, $5,857 average/project.

Book query critique: $50 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $38 average/hour.

Book query writing: $500 high/project, $120 low/project, $200 average/project.

Children's book writing (advance against royalties): $4,000 high, $800 low, $2,760 average.

Children's book writing (work for hire): $75 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $63 average/hour; $5 high/word, $1 low/word, $3 average/word.

Content editing (scholarly): $63 high/hour, $23 low/hour, $43 average/hour; $10 high/page, $4 low/page, $6 average/page.

Content editing (textbook): $63 high/hour, $19 low/hour, $42 average/hour; $5 high/page, $3 low/page, $4 average/page.

Content editing (trade): $100 high/hour, $15 low/hour, $49 average/hour; $6 high/page, $3.75 low/page, $4.75 average/page.

Copyediting: $60 high/hour, $17 low/hour, $34 average/hour; $7 high/page, $2 low/page, $4.20 average/page.

Ghostwriting, as told to—Per project figures do not include royalty arrangements, which vary from publisher to publisher: $100 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $55 average/hour; $100,000 high/project, $10,000 low/project, $40,555 average/project.

Ghostwriting, no credit: $113 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $67 average/hour; $100,000 high/project, $7,500 low/project, $37,091 average/project.

Indexing: $40 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $35 average/hour; $8 high/page, $2.35 low/page, $4 average/page.

Manuscript evaluation and critique: $150 high/hour, $20 low/hour, $56 average/hour; $2,000 high/project, $200 low/project, $840 average/project.

Nonfiction book writing (own—advance against royalties): $100,000 high, $1,000 low, $25,475 average.

Nonfiction book writing (collaborative—advance against royalties): $160,000 high, $2,000 low, $33,750 average.

Novel synopsis (general): $60 high/hour, $45 low/hour, $51 average/hour.

Proofreading: $45 high/hour, $15 low/hour, $25 average/hour; $3 high/page, $1 low/page, $2.25 average/page.

Research for writers or book publishers: $100 high/hour, $17 low/hour, $44 average/hour.

Rewriting: $200 high/hour, $20 low/hour, $62 average/hour; $15,000 high/project, $3,000 low/project, $8,500 average/project.

Translation (fiction): $10,000 high/project, $7,000 low/project, $8,500 average/project; 12¢ high/word, 6¢ low/word, 9¢ average/word.

Translation (nonfiction): 15¢ high/word, 8¢ low/word, 10¢ average/word.

Translation (poetry): $15 high/page, $0 low/page, $7.50 average/page.


BUSINESS


Annual reports: $125 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $81 average/hour.

Associations and organizations (writing for): $150 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $67 average/hour; $17,600 high/project, $250 low/project, $5,130 average/project.

Brochures, fliers, booklets for business: $100 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $72 average/hour; $6,000 high/project, $330 low/project, $2,276 average/project; $375 high/page, $125 low/page, $271 average/page.

Business editing (general): $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $59 average/hour.

Business letters: $100 high/hour, $45 low/hour, $74 average/hour.

Business plan: $100 high/hour, $88 low/hour, $94 average/hour.

Business-writing seminars: $200 high/hour, $65 low/hour, $83 average/hour; $3,500 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $2,250 average/project.

Catalogs for businesses: $90 high/hour, $60 low/hour, $78 average/hour; $10,000 high/project, $2,000 low/project, $5,000 average/project.

Consultation on communications: $150 high/hour, $60 low/hour, $98 average/hour; $1,200 high/day, $500 low/day, $850 average/day.

Copyediting for businesses: $100 high/hour, $24 low/hour, $52 average/hour; $4 high/page, $2 low/page, $3 average/page.

Corporate histories: $100 high/hour, $75 low/hour, $92 average/hour; $160,000 high/project, $30,000 low/project, $84,375 average/project; $2 high/word, $1 low/word, $1.50 average/word.

Corporate periodicals, editing: $75 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $63 average/hour.

Corporate periodicals, writing: $100 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $79 average/hour; $2 high/word, $1 low/word, $1.50 average/word.

Corporate profile: $100 high/hour, $75 low/hour, $85 average/hour.

Ghostwriting for business (usually trade magazine articles for business columns): $150 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $95 average/hour.

Government research: $75 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $60 average/hour.

Government writing: $75 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $55 average/hour.

Grant proposal writing for nonprofits: $80 high/hour, $19 low/hour, $57 average/hour; $3,000 high/project, $1,800 low/project, $2,400 average/project.

Newsletters, desktop publishing/production—Per project figures based on four-page newsletters: $100 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $73 average/hour; $3,800 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $2,520 average/project.

Newsletters, editing: $100 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $59 average/hour.

Newsletters, writing: $125 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $73 average/hour; $5 high/word, $1 low/word, $2 average/word.


COMPUTER, SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL


Computer-related manual writing: $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $67 average/hour.

E-mail copywriting: $100 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $76 average/hour.

Medical and science editing: $100 high/hour, $21 low/hour, $54 average/hour; $4 high/page, $3 low/page, $3.50 average/page.

Medical and science proofreading: $100 high/hour, $20 low/hour, $44 average/hour.

Medical and science writing: $150 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $75 average/hour; $5,000 high/project, $2,500 low/project, $3,750 average/project; $3 high/word, 50¢ low/word, $1.71 average/word.

Online editing: $75 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $50 average/hour; $4 high/page, $3 low/page, $3.50 average/page.

Technical editing: $75 high/hour, $21 low/hour, $42 average/hour.

Technical writing: $160 high/hour, $68 low/hour, $84 average/hour.

Web page design: $75 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $56 average/hour; $4,000 high/project, $500 low/project, $2,000 average/project.

Web page editing: $100 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $62 average/hour.

Web page writing: $120 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $73 average/hour; $1 high/word, 50¢ low/word, 80¢ average/word; $150 high/page, $50 low/page, $100 average/page.

White Papers: $125 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $89 average/hour.


EDITORIAL/DESIGN PACKAGES


Desktop publishing: $150 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $65 average/hour.

Greeting card ideas: $300 high/card, $25 low/card, $125 average/card.

Photo brochures: $75 high/hour, $65 low/hour, $70 average/hour.

Picture editing: $100 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $70 average/hour.

Photo research: $70 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $48 average/hour.


EDUCATIONAL & LITERARY SERVICES


Educational consulting and designing business/adult education courses: $200 high/hour, $30 low/hour, $87 average/hour; $20,000 high/project, $600 low/project, $7,700 average/project.

Educational grant and proposal writing: $100 high/hour, $19 low/hour, $51 average/hour; $2,500 high/project, $600 low/project, $1,550 average/project.

Manuscript evaluation for theses/dissertations: $95 high/hour, $20 low/hour, $50 average/hour; $1,550 high/project, $250 low/project, $700 average/project.

Poetry manuscript critique: $200 high/hour, $75 low/hour, $100 average/hour.

Presentations at regional writers' conferences: $10,000 high/event, $50 low/event, $200 average/event.

Presentations to local groups, librarians or teachers: $250 high/event, $35 low/event, $112 average/event.

Readings by poets, fiction writers (highest fees for celebrity writers): $3,000 high/event, $50 low/event, $200 average/event.

Short story manuscript critique: $150 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $75 average/hour.

Teaching college course/seminar (includes adult education): $335 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $70 average/hour; $25,000 high/project, $500 low/project, $2,000 average/project; $550 high/day, $150 low/day, $367 average/day.

Writers' workshops: $284 high/event, $60 low/event, $123 average/event.

Writing for scholarly journals: $450 high/article, $155 low/article, $300 average article.


MAGAZINE & TRADE JOURNALS


Article manuscript critique: $100 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $55 average/hour.

Arts reviewing: $300 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $142 average/hour; $1.25 high/word, 25¢ low/word, 75¢ average/word.

Book reviews: $500 high/project, $25 low/project, $133 average/project; $1 high/word, 5¢ low/word, 44¢ average/word.

Consultation on magazine editorial: $200 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $103 average/hour.

Content editing: $60 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $43 average/hour; $6,500 high/issue, $2,000 low/issue, $4,250 average/issue.

Copyediting magazines: $95 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $43 average/hour.

Fact checking: $80 high/hour, $15 low/hour, $45 average/hour.

Ghostwriting articles (general): $175 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $100 average/hour; $3,500 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $2,167 average/project; $1.50 high/word, 80¢ low/word, $1.08 average/word.

City magazine, calendar of events column: $150 high/column, $25 low/column, $75 average/column.


Consumer magazine column: $3.50 high/word, 30¢ low/word, $1.35 average/word; $500 high/column, $100 low/column, $317 average/column.

Consumer magazine feature articles: $3,000 high/project, $300 low/project, $1,325 average/project; $5 high/word, 25¢ low/word, $1.61 average/word.

Magazine research: $100 high/hour, $50 low/hour, $67 average/hour; $150 high/item, $100 low/item, $125 average/item.

Reprint fees: $1,500 high/project, $100 low/project, $568 average/project.

Proofreading: $50 high/hour, $20 low/hour, $41 average/hour.

Rewriting: $95 high/hour, $25 low/hour, $50 average/hour.

Trade journal column: $70 high/hour, $35 low/hour, $56 average/hour; $1.50 high/word, 60¢ low/word, 90¢ average/word; $550 high/column, $100 low/column, $340 average/column.

Trade journal feature article: $200 high/hour, $40 low/hour, $122 average/hour; $3.34 high/word, 26¢ low/word, $1.03 average/word.


NEWSPAPERS


Arts reviewing: 60¢ high/word, 10¢ low/word, 37¢ average/word.

Book reviews: 60¢ high/word, 25¢ low/word, 40¢ average/word.

Column, local: $300 high/column, $25 low/column, $150 average/column.

Copyediting: $35 high/hour, $17.50 low/hour, $25 average/hour.

Feature: $1,000 high/project, $85 low/project, $410 average/project; 75¢ high/word, 25¢ low/word, 57¢ average/word.

Obituary copy: $225 high/story, $35 low/story, $112 average/story.

Proofreading: $22 high/hour, $18 low/hour, $20 average/hour.

Stringing: $400 high/story, $78 low/story, $288 average/story.

Syndicated column, self-promoted (rate depends on circulation): $35 high/insertion, $4 low/insertion, $8 average/insertion.


MISCELLANEOUS


Comedy writing for nightclub entertainers: $50 high/joke, $5 low/joke, $38 average/joke.

Cartoons (gag, plus illustration): $575 high, $15 low, $100 average.

Craft projects with instructions: $350 high/project, $50 low/project, $200 average/project.

Encyclopedia articles: 50¢ high/word, 30¢ low/word, 65¢ average/word; $200 high/article, $50 low/article, $125 average/article.

Family histories: $40,000 high/project, $1,000 low/project, $5,000 average/project; $80 high/word, $30 low/word, $65 average/word.

Manuscript typing: $2.50 high/page, 95¢ low/page, $1.27 average/page.

Published plays: $100/10-minutes; $300/1-act; $400/3-act.

Résumés: $500 high/project, $200 low/project, $300 average/project.

Writing contest judging: $250 high/project, $0 low/project, $55 average/project.

So, as you can see, freelancing is worth it! Hopefully, Lynn has also helped some of you think of other niches you can explore. So, no excuses...write, write, WRITE...and may you be paid handsomely!

Take Care,

BabyBlogger