If you need professional writing, but you can’t wait to hire someone one permanently, or if you don’t need enough content to add a writer to your team, you may need to hire a freelance writer. Most of the time, freelancers are hired by businesses who don’t have the time or expertise to create the documents they are looking for. For example, a busy web entrepreneur knows that in order to rank well with the search engines that he needs fresh, useful content. Yet, running the business, filling orders, and keeping the website code and functions running is already a full-time job.
Hiring Professional Freelance Writers
That is where a freelance writer comes in. A professional freelance writer can produce solid content quickly. The biggest catch for most people is that they have never hired a freelance writer before. Therefore, they do not know how to hire a freelance writer.
In some professions there are definitive standards or associations that can help with contacting a solid professional. For example, you can look to the CPA designation to ensure that an accountant meets a certain level of training and experience. With writers, there isn’t really a specific standard out there. Therefore, many of those looking to hire a professional writer attempt to use other concepts as a way to screen writers, often to their own detriment.
Freelance Writing Degrees
Without a standard writing certification, many employers turn to college degrees as a way to find quality writers. Many job postings or RFPs require a degree in English, or other “writing” type degree. The flaw in this strategy is readily apparent. While it is true that an English major may require more writing than other majors, it is not a writing degree. A person who completes an Bachelors of Arts in English can be reasonably assumed to have taken several classes in which reading is the primary focus. Most writing comes in the form of writing about what you have read. Again, this is not a bad thing, but does it help determine if some is a good choice to write for your business?
Academic writing is both very traditional and structured in nature. Does your brochure need a 5-paragraph essay structure? Should each of your paragraphs on the website begin with a topic sentence? Will Google rank your page higher if the conclusion refers back to all main points raised in the body of the essay?
Another frequently sought degree is a journalism degree. This may be a useful way to screen out certain writers when you require news article-type writing. It may also suggest a certain ability to interview people about, or research about certain topics. However, many businesses looking to hire writers are not looking for journalism.
Consider instead whether a degree, or other experience in what is being written ABOUT would be more useful as a way to help screen writing applicants. For articles about engineering or marketing, engineering or marketing degrees may imply a certain depth of knowledge that would actually be more helpful than a writing degree. That knowledge may be more useful than classical training in writing.
Freelance Writers and Buzzwords
When I read through various ads or postings requesting writers, I can see that the person who posted the ad did a little bit of research first. Unfortunately, this research can take the form of simply copying terms or phrases that have been seen often enough to look important.
One of the most common terms is “familiarity with AP Style.” This does indeed sound impressive, and it is likely to be seen on ads from important companies like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal. Of course, there is a reason it is seen on those job postings. AP Style, is literally, the style used by the Associated Press or AP.
Most people know AP from their local newspaper. The AP service writes news articles and allows others who subscribe to the service to either reprint them, or use them as the basis for their own articles. Not surprisingly, then AP Style is very tailored to writing for news. AP Style isn’t necessarily that helpful for copywriting, or technical writing.
Curious about what AP Style is? There is actually a book. The Associated Press Stylebook, details the AP Style and contains the rules for how to use various terms and phrases.
For example, in stories about wildfires, there will often be a reference to a firefighting technique known as a backfire. This raises some issues. Is it back fire, backfire, or back-fire? In that same sentence are firefighting and wildfire, also both in the AP Style guide (as well as the dictionary).
What about words a little closer to home?
According to AP Style it should be Web site. Do you need your articles to use a capital W and a space between ‘web’ and ‘site’? Then, maybe you don’t need AP Sytle.
Samples, Samples, Samples
In real estate, they say the three most important things are location, location, and location. When hiring or contracting with a freelance writer the most important things are samples, samples, and samples. Nothing will give more insight into a person’s ability to write than seeing examples of what they have written. Don’t worry if the writing isn’t exactly what you are needing. If an author can clearly explain technical medical jargon, it is a good bet that they can also explain technical financial jargon and so on.
If the position requires the ability to turn over material quickly, a “live” example of such writing can also prove useful. For example, if a writer has links to several websites that have writing samples clearly produced in rapid fashion, then that is extra assurance that he/she will be able to turn around the projects quickly as well.
How Much To Pay a Freelance Writer
How much to pay a freelance writer could be its own article. (I’ve written several.)
The short answer is that you should pay a freelance writer the amount necessary to get the kind of freelancer you want to work with. This is a function of the content you need, your budget, and the way you need to work with a freelance writer.
I’m also a web developer who cranks out websites filled with quality content, and monetized with ads. Blogs hiring freelance writers do the same by doing the technical work and promotion, but hiring writers to create content.
I see forum posts from others who want to build websites full of content looking to pay writers 3 cents per word. This rate makes me laugh out loud, but obviously works for some of them. Of course, many of them complain about the quality of the writing they get, and the lack of professionalism among the writers they hire. That isn’t surprising at that rate.
If you need a professional writer that meets deadlines, and delivers quality content, you will need pay more.
Freelance Writing Rates
One dollar per word, is the base rate in the world of print publication. That’s only fair considering such articles can take months to shepherd through research, drafting, editing, and publication. Online publications publish more quickly and may pay half that by hiring freelance writers per article.
For website content writing, rates vary based upon skill, difficulty, and research.
For my freelance writing business, I break content down into various types.
If you want content that I already know about without researching anything, that is the lowest priced tier.
If you want content that I have to research in order to be able to write about it, that is the second priced tier.
If you want content that requires me to interview someone, or otherwise interact with another person, that is the highest priced tier; not because it is any harder, but because I inevitably spend a large chunk of time chasing them down and getting them to provide the information I need to write an article. Basically, the difference between writing something without interacting with another person, and having to work with someone is at least two or three hours. Thus, the much higher rate.
Within those tiers, price depends upon the type of content, and how much my expertise is worth.
Writing about spaghetti recipes could be very inexpensive writing. I already know something about cooking spaghetti, and if research were required, it is trivial. However, if the assignment requires photos, that increases the price, because it increases the time required, even though the topic isn’t harder. Finding and using stock photos would be the cheapest. Creating and editing my own photos would be more.
A spaghetti article that requires interviewing a professional chef would be more expensive. There might even be two tiers here, if you provide the (willing) chef to interview that would be less than me having to find my own chef to interview.
As you can see, the most important thing in pricing freelance writing work, is a detailed understanding between you and writer about what you want.
Freelance Writer Job Ads
Hiring a writer with an ad can be tricky business. Screening out those who can’t really write well will be the first order of business. Then, figuring out which writers will come through in a professional manner — and meet deadlines — is the second.
My best advice for hiring a freelance writer through an ad is to think of it as a way to entice a good writer to apply, rather than a way to keep poor writers from applying.
Believe it or not, quality writers are actually screen your job postings out as they go through them. There are a LOT of writing ads out there that sound good, but turn into a, “We hire everyone, and pay them minimum wage to generate piles of content.” A successful writer has no need to apply for such positions, and in fact, can’t afford to waste time on those applications.
Best Writer Job Ads
Avoid being screened out by quality writers by including a pay rate or salary. This is the number one thing you can do to attract quality writers. When we know this isn’t some, 10 cents per word, six articles per day, gig, we will look further. The second thing you can do is to make your posting sound like you are hiring a professional teammate. Include in your posting not only duties, but details about the work environment, especially if it isn’t a remote position. Finally, be clear about what the position really is.
Do you want content cranked out? Do you need detailed research and highly technical writing? Do you need someone to create and fill in a writing calendar, or do you have a calendar you need followed?
When you have the writing job posting ready, make it easy for the writer to apply. Unless it is absolutely necessary, don’t force writers to fill out some application. The best writing jobs ask for a resume, and a writing sample. Professional writers already have those ready to go, so there is no time burden to apply.
Go ahead and ask for a cover letter. It not only serves as a writing sample, it may show the level of passion the writer has for the kind of work you need. Believe it, or not, there are many writers out here who love having a calendar of topics to write about, just as much as there are writers who love the idea of being given carte blanche over your corporate blog. Finding the writer who fits ensures that both of you are very happy with the writer you end up hiring.
Questions About Professional Writing
If you have any questions about professional writing, whether hiring or being one, please don’t hesitate to ask.
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