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attewell-tim
Community Member

Writers Charging Per Word

I've seen it posted about before... Just wanted to include my voice in the request for a system that allows clients to post writing jobs with a per word pay structure. Otherwise, I have to keep explaining to new clients why hourly doesn't make sense. (Edit: ...for me.)

 

...That is all!

 

*Edit: I was only bringing up an old idea, not intentionally attacking writers who charge hourly.

ACCEPTED SOLUTION


Nichola L wrote:

 

The thought  of Upwork's tracking system paralyzes me. I like working on an hourly basis, but on Upwork, there has to be a serious mutual trust between freelancer and client if you work on manual time.   


Nicola, I just hate that time tracker. It scares me to death. I feel like I'm being spied by allien robots.

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16 REPLIES 16
lysis10
Community Member


Tim A wrote:

I've seen it posted about before... Just wanted to include my voice in the request for a system that allows clients to post writing jobs with a per word pay structure. Otherwise, I have to keep explaining to new clients why hourly doesn't make sense.

 

...That is all!


Hourly doesn't make sense? Por que? WAT?

537e6537
Community Member

For people who are questioning why hourly rate is seen as less than ideal: People take different lengths of time for the same size (word count) document, so word count is the actual size of the project, not the amount of time it takes to complete. The type of document and in which phase it's in also impacts the amount of time it takes to complete, so word count prices can change depending on what phase of the writing process a freelancer is working. Maybe this has already been said, but I also prefer word count rates, myself.

colettelewis
Community Member

 


Tim A wrote:

I've seen it posted about before... Just wanted to include my voice in the request for a system that allows clients to post writing jobs with a per word pay structure. Otherwise, I have to keep explaining to new clients why hourly doesn't make sense.

 

...That is all!


____________________________________
Everyone has their own way of working. If you want to give a per word price, explain to your client what it would mean in hourly terms. I have done that with translation and editing.

 

The thought  of Upwork's tracking system paralyzes me. I like working on an hourly basis, but on Upwork, there has to be a serious mutual trust between freelancer and client if you work on manual time.   


Nichola L wrote:

 

The thought  of Upwork's tracking system paralyzes me. I like working on an hourly basis, but on Upwork, there has to be a serious mutual trust between freelancer and client if you work on manual time.   


Nicola, I just hate that time tracker. It scares me to death. I feel like I'm being spied by allien robots.

prestonhunter
Community Member

re: "I have to keep explaining to new clients why hourly doesn't make sense."

 

It may not make sense for you, but it makes sense for many writers on Upwork.

Not just Jennifer.

Nope. Not true. All writers work the exact same way I do. I am the primary authority on payment structures. Milestones/hourly options should be deleted without moment's delay.


Tim A wrote:

Nope. Not true. All writers work the exact same way I do. 


Wrong.

 


Tim A wrote:

I am the primary authority on payment structures. 


Are you now?

 


Tim A wrote:

 Milestones/hourly options should be deleted without moment's delay.


Don't hold your breath.

Oh, Petra... this would have been an appropriately curt and biting reply... if there had been a single lick of sincerity in my previous comment. Rest assured, the internet police are not needed here. I wasn't seriously proclaiming myself the "primary authority on payment structures," whatever that even means.

 

...do people actually talk like that in your world?


Tim A wrote:

 

...do people actually talk like that?


look around the forum lol 😉

 

But yeah, my sarcasm detector clearly hasn't had enough caffeine yet.

Well played, sir. Well played.

kfarnell
Community Member

I laughed...


Petra R wrote:

look around the forum lol 😉

 

Hahaha, fair point. I rarely post here. Didn't realize it was such a viper pit.

Tim, 

 

I dislike tracked hourly time, but when I have trusted a client, I have worked hourly projects that are manual. However, your increasingly acid comments are not only incomprehensible, but IMO the most "viperish" on this thread. Everyone has their own preferred way of working - accept it. Do what's good for you and get over Upwork's tracking system. You are not obliged to use it. 


However, your increasingly acid comments are not only incomprehensible, but IMO the most "viperish" on this thread. Everyone has their own preferred way of working - accept it. Do what's good for you and get over Upwork's tracking system. You are not obliged to use it. 


 

Well, Nichola... I just wrote an awesomely sarcastic response to this. After posting, I realized it was just more viper-on-viper nonsense, and deleted it.

 

Maybe its in your e-mail inbox, but it won't be public.

 

If it's not sitting in your inbox and is in fact lost to cyberspace.... Just know: it was sssooOOOoooo good. 😉

It was a pretty funny post. Cool to see someone around here with a sense of humour. **edited for Community Guidelines**

How do you determine your hourly rates?

tlsanders
Community Member

Tim, I'm a writer and use fixed price almost exclusively. Both on and off Upwork, I charge on a per-piece basis with a word count range rather than per word. It works perfectly with the milestone system, and eliminates the need to count up by pennies and any inclination the client might have to try to cut costs by cutting word count or perception that the freelancer might be inflating for money.

 

The range increases as the count increases. For instance, 600-800 words is one price bracket, and 2,500-3,000 is another.