# Freelance copywriting -- how much do I charge? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334 "2005-10-01T15:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frumpy\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Frumpy\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumpy_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/1 "2005-10-01T15:01:32Z")
Okay. I have an English degree that I never use to its best ability (Though I did use its correctly just there), but a friend of mine has a freelance opportunity for me and I need the advice of the masses. My friend is building a website for a gentleman who runs a _luxury real estate company_. My friend says he is getting raw copy from this guy but he knows the copy will be shite, and wants me to re-write it. It’d be 5 - 8 pages of text. Do I charge by the page or the hour, and how much? Don’t wanna screw my friend, but if this guy’s niche is luxury real estate, and he’s doing well-enough to get a high-end website, I figure he’s got the duckets to get good copy… Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Pinch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@Pinch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pinch)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/2 "2005-10-01T20:32:04Z")
> [@](#): > > I figure he’s got the duckets to get good copy… Something’s pretty wrong here. What were your qualifications, again? ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/3 "2005-10-01T21:02:00Z")
> [@Frumpy Jones](#): > > My friend says he is getting raw copy from this guy but he knows the copy will be shite, and wants me to re-write it. It’d be 5 - 8 pages of text. Do I charge by the page or the hour, and how much? Have a look [**here**](http://media.gn.apc.org/rates/index.html) for some guidelines (you’ll have to click about a bit) - these relate to the UK, but will give you an idea of scale. You can charge by the page or by the word, I generally charge my lowest rates for editing/minimal rewriting. In terms of high-end glossy corporate copy, that usually commands the highest fees. It really is somewhat of a piece-of-string situation though. At the end of the day, work out how long the job will take you. Work out how much on a reasonable regular salary you would be getting per hour - then at least double that. You should always be estimating on a higher rate for any freelance work, because it has to take into account the irregularity of work, lack of benefits, and overheads. You also should consider a minimum fee for any job: if you’re only proofing a hundred words or so, unless the person is a regular client, it won’t be worth your while. ---
**Author:** ![Frumpy\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Frumpy\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumpy_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/4 "2005-10-01T21:27:55Z")
> [@Pinch](#): > > Something’s pretty wrong here. What were your qualifications, again? Oh come now. Alliteration always makes for decent writing, even if the grammar suffers a tad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/5 "2005-10-01T21:33:37Z")
If you’re working off of somebody else’s copy, it’s hard to charge by the word. Hourly makes more sense then. Either that, or take a look at his copy and give a flat quote. It’s hard to give you an exact number, but I’ve seen copywriters paid as little as $15 per hour (OUCH) and as much as $75 if they are well known and highly experienced. > [@Frumpy Jones](#): > > …I figure he’s got the duckets to get good copy… I presume you mean ducats? ---
**Author:** ![Frumpy\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Frumpy\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumpy_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freelance-copywriting-how-much-do-i-charge/324334/6 "2005-10-02T12:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=I presume you mean ducats?[/QUOTE] Crap-on-a-stick! How did I miss that twice? Well, I’m pretty sure I’m charging 15 now! :wally