62: 5 Best Strategies to Price Yourself (Freelance Writing Rates)

62: 5 Best Strategies to Price Yourself (Freelance Writing Rates)

Author: Michael Leonard: Copywriter & Freelance Writing Coach March 4, 2020 Duration: 23:01

In today's episode of writing, Wednesday, we cover exactly how you should price your freelance writing rates even if you're a beginner. 

Once you get freelance writing clients, you need to learn how to actually charge them and what kind of rates to charge them. 

There is not set standard for the freelance writing industry but how you price yourself has a direct impact on:

  • your total income
  • your rate per hour
  • your happiness
If you price yourself to low, you might quickly become jaded and give up on your goal to become a freelance writer or just experience burn out. I don't want you do that! 
 

There are five ways that I like to think about freelance writing rates:

    1. Hourly
      I don't recommend this strategy, unless you really feel passionate about the writing gig and want to get your foot in the door!
    2. Per Word
      I think is one of the best ways to charge as it allows you to scale your income. Most clients are very familiar with this type of content writing rate structure.
    3. Tiered Pricing
      I use this model of freelance writing pricing often. I have 3 packages (tiers): intro, basic and premium and the pay matches the output on my end.
    4. Fixed Rate
      Go into a fixed rate contract carefully. Find out all that will be required of you, how long that will take and determine if the pay outweighs the work put in!
    5. Retainer
      Retainer freelance writing usually applies to more novice writers. In a retainer model, you paid a set amount every week (or two weeks, monthly etc) for a certain amount of deliverables. 

Don't let clients push you around. Go into conversations knowing what your rate is, what you are willing to do at that rate, and they will respect you more and you will actually get paid good money to be a writer.

Listen to these episodes to give you more insight into pricing structure!


Michael Leonard was a professional copywriter earning a solid salary before he walked away from that career in 2017. With no safety net, he built a thriving online writing business from the ground up. In his Inspire Your Success podcast, he gets into the real work behind that transition, moving beyond simple inspiration to offer a practical roadmap. Each conversation is grounded in his experience as a freelance writing coach, focusing on the actionable steps needed to build a sustainable independent career. You’ll hear honest discussions about the mental shifts required to leave a traditional job, the systems that actually generate income, and how to navigate the common pitfalls of entrepreneurship. This isn't about vague motivational talk; it's a detailed look at creating a business that affords more freedom, whether that means paying off debt, traveling, or simply designing a life with more flexibility. Tune in for a blend of strategic business advice and personal development insights, all drawn from Michael’s own journey from a structured 9-5 to successful self-employment. The podcast serves as a direct mentorship for anyone feeling stuck, providing the tangible tools and mindset needed to turn professional aspirations into a working reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inspire Your Success
Podcast Episodes
57: How to Work a 9-5 and Write on the Side [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:04
In this episode, I talk about a strategy to work your 9 – 5 job while building your freelance writing business. Whether you want to freelance so you can earn extra money or scale your writing business to leave your 9 – 5…
56: How to Build Confidence as a Writer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:55
In this Writing Wednesday episode, I share five simple actionable tips that will give you more confidence as a writer. I used these same tips to scale my freelance writing into a thriving business. 5 Confidence Building…
55: Broke Blogger to Wealthy Writer - 5 Easy Steps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:11
In this Monday with Michael episode, I share my story of going from broke blogger to wealthy writer. In this day and age, there is actually no excuse to just be an aspiring writer or aspiring blogger. You can be a succes…
54: Do THIS to Start Landing Freelance Writing Clients [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:37
In this writing Wednesday episode, I go over four simple steps so you can make more money writing so you can land your dream clients and you can build that momentum to not only get started but scaled your freelance writi…
53: How Starting a Blog Changed My Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:53
In this Monday with Michael episode, I share how starting a blog four years ago had a domino effect and led me to be a successful freelance writer. I Failed at Blogging, But Found Success as a Freelance Writer When I sta…
52: Should You Write on Medium.com? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:19
In this episode, I go over what Medium.com is, how it works and how you can get started writing on this platform. Medium is a no-fuss content platform where writers can publish their content. There is both a free version…
51: New To Freelancing? 10 Tips to Help You Succeed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:45
In this episode, I go over 10 tips to help you succeed as a new freelance writer! I wish someone had told me these tips when I first started my career as an entrepreneur. Going from a structured 9 to 5 to making your own…
50: How I 10X'd My Writing Income in 12 Months [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:29
In this episode, I go over 10 strategies to 10x your income in one year. I used these tactics to scale my freelance writing business while only working part time and I was able to double my income year over year. If you…
49: Blogging vs. Freelance Writing in 2020 (How to Choose) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:04
During this episode of Monday's with Michael, I dive into the main differences between blogging and freelance writing. I am frequently asked this question and I wish someone had explained to me at the start of my entrepr…