My Rate for a 500 Word Article
This week alone I have received four emails asking what I charge for a 500 word article. And these emails were not from buyers interested in working with me. Instead, they were from aspiring freelance writers who want to know how much I charge so that they can emulate my rates. As you can imagine, there are many issues with this.
First off, just as I cannot charge as much as others, there are some who cannot charge as much as me. There are many details that go into setting freelance writing rates. I charge what I do based on my experience, knowledge and other benefits that I bring to the table. Some freelance writers charge much more and others charge much less. But no matter what, you need to set your rates based on your income goals and other related details.
Moving on, one 500 word article is not the same as the next. Take for example a 500 word blog post compared to a 500 feature article in a mid-sized, regional magazine. As you can imagine, I would probably receive more money for the article in the magazine. Is this always the case? Of course not. But it goes to show that rates can and will change based on the project. Keep this in mind: 500 words are not always the same when it comes to setting rates. You must base your price on the market, the project topic and complexity, the client, and much more.
My best advice is this: your rate for a 500 word article, and every other project for that matter, should be based on what you are comfortable with while also aligning with your goals. Just because I charge a certain amount for so many words does not mean that everybody else should do the same. If this was the case, some freelance writers would be compromising a lot of income whereas others would be priced out of the market.
