Anytime I take on a new client, I wonder whether or not they will pay me when the time comes. While there are some measures that you can take in order to ensure payment, you never know what a client is going to do down the line.
Keep this in mind: persistence is the key to receiving payment from a freelance writing client that is attempting to dodge you. When it comes down to it, if you forget about the payment the client will probably do the same. But if you stay on top of them, you will more than likely get what is owed to you in the end.
What does it mean to stay persistent? How can I do this without being overbearing? First and foremost, you need to realize that this should be handled on a case by case basis. With some clients, I never have to remind them to pay me; even the first time. They know what they owe me, and send it upon completion. On the other side of things, some clients need a push from time to time. You need to consider when you submitted your invoice, as well as how you will be paid in order to determine when to follow up. For instance, if you are planning on receiving payment by check, you will want to wait a few weeks. Of course, with a PayPal payment you can receive funds instantly. In this case, you may want to check up with a client after five to seven days.
Make sure that you do not accuse the client of nonpayment before you give them a chance. Remember, not everybody pays invoices on a daily basis. I work with many large companies that only send payment once per month. If you are worried about payment, you may want to ask the client their policy. In most cases, this will ease your mind.
In rare cases when a couple months go by, you need to start checking in with the client on a more regular basis. If you are lucky this will never happen because waiting months for payment can be difficult. Again, if the client is being responsive make sure you ask them for a clear cut answer on when your payment will arrive. If they are ignoring you altogether, you will want to get creative. Try to send emails, call on the phone, and even rely on snail mail.
All in all, if you complete a freelance writing project you are entitled to the agreed upon payment. While most people are honest and prompt when it comes to sending payment, there will always be those who are a bit behind. When dealing with these clients, make sure you are persistent until you receive your funds.Â
As an aspiring freelance writer, you are probably interested in breaking into the “$1/word market†sooner rather than later. While it is difficult to find clients that pay in this range, they are out there. Believe it or not, some companies and publications pay in excess of $1/word. It would be nice if every client fell into this category, but that is wishful thinking.
If you are striving to break into this market, there are several things that you can do to help your cause. Here are four tips that should help you to earn $1/word or more soon enough.
1. Use a resource such as Writer’s Market in order to find publications that meet this pay scale. This is the best way to break into the $1/word market because you can see which publications offer this pay, and what exactly they are looking for. In my experience, this is the easiest way to break into higher paying markets. A simple query letter is all that stands between you and hitting it big!
2. You can always start at the bottom, and work your way up the ladder as time goes by. I have several clients that increase my pay-per-word as time goes by. While most of them started out by offering $.10 to $.15/word, many of them now pay more than $.50/word. By sticking with a client over the long haul, you may find that your pay will increase every so often.
3. To go along with number two, do not be afraid to ask for a pay increase when you think you deserve it. Many freelance writers increase their prices at the beginning of every year so that they have an “excuse†for doing so. This allows them to tell clients that their prices have gone up across the board, and hopefully talk them into doing the same.
4. New freelance writers are not going to find it easy to locate jobs that offer $1/word or more. You need to exercise patience when building your freelance writing career. It is common to start by writing for regional publications that pay $.05/word. But as your career and portfolio grow, it will be much easier for you to command higher rates.
Earning $1/word is possible. Many freelance writers balk at anything that pays less than this. Although I am not one of them, this is a mark that I strive to hit on a regular basis. When you begin to break into markets that pay $1/word, it is safe to say that you will be earning a solid freelance writing income.
Day after day I receive emails from aspiring freelance writers begging for work. Some of them have even gone as far as offering to work for as little as $1/word. While you may want to get started on your way to freelance writing success, you should never beg for work. The reason for this is simple: you do not have to beg in order to find clients and achieve success. There is enough work to go around, and if you continue to market your skills you will find clients.
There are a couple of things working against you when you beg for work. First and foremost, the person who you are directing your inquiry is not going to understand what you are getting at. Personally, I can never figure out what somebody really wants when they send me an email asking for work. It would be much easier if they would just outline their experience, tell me their goals, and ask if I can help.
Moving on, the time that you spend begging for work is time that you could spend on other tasks. An email is an email. Why not spend your time getting in touch with editors who are looking to take on new freelance writers? You will be much better off targeting people who are hiring writers, as opposed to hoping that you can beg a job from somebody else.
Simply put, you do not need to beg for freelance writing work. Instead, use your skills to obtain projects from companies and webmasters who are hiring.Â
