From $0.30 to $1 a Word: How I Scaled My Freelance Writing Rates

Picture this: It's 2023, and I'm completely swaddled in blankets, running on a steady diet of Pedialite and panic. I'd just given up the full-time job search and decided brilliantly, “Hey, nbd, I’ll freelance!" Except unlike most success stories you hear, I had no side hustle, no existing clients, and not much of a reputation to tap into. Just me, LinkedIn, and blind optimism.

My first gig came from someone in Superpath (a Slack content marketing community). They saw my (somewhat desperate) call for work and told me they knew someone who needed a white paper for the clinical research industry — a niche I knew absolutely nothing about. I quoted that prospect $1250, about $0.30 a word, figuring since it was my first white paper it would be fair to charge less. They said yes; I was ecstatic. 

I spent feverish hours digging through the primary research, Googling terminology, and second-guessing every sentence. I even leaned on Ronald Barba, an editor and ex-colleague, to look it over for me — for which I’m forever grateful. 

When I finally delivered the project, the client was thrilled. But looking back, I hadn't charged for any of the research, revisions, or the mental energy it took to teach myself a completely new content format.

Indeed, I fell victim to one of the classic blunders: undercharging as a freelancer. 

Those first few months were a blur of SEO blogs for a flat rate of $500 a post. I thought volume was the key to success. If I took enough projects, surely it would add up, right? 

What I didn't realize was that burnout comes fast when you're charging too little and doing too much.

The Reality of Rate Progression

Hi, I’m Hsing. I’m a B2B SaaS content writer who’s been freelancing for two years now.

If you're reading this while taking whatever projects come your way (been there), or wondering how to raise your rates without losing potential clients (done that), you're in the right place. Those early days of undercharging and overworking lit a fire under my ass to figure out sustainable pricing. Over the next two years, I developed a strategy that tripled my rates.

Let's talk real numbers upfront, because I don't believe in gatekeeping pay transparency, especially with how historically opaque freelance writer rates are . I now charge about $1200 per blog post up to 1500 words, which works out to about $1 per word on average.

But my journey from $0.30 to $1 a word wasn't a straight line (more like a zigzag across a complex matrix of rates) — and it definitely wasn't overnight. 

Here’s how I did it.

Working with Existing Clients

With established clients, I've learned the art of the graceful rate increase. Here's what works:

• Incremental raises of 10-20% annually
• Clear communication about the increase
• Framing it as a natural progression: "I'm so excited to work together again! Just a heads-up — my rates have increased slightly since our last project to better reflect the time and effort I put into each piece."

So far, all of my clients have said yes without hesitation.

Setting Rates for New Clients

New client acquisition is where I've made the biggest jumps. While I started at $0.30 to get clients on my books, I slowly worked my way up, quoting new clients slightly more each time. 

As someone once said, if all you ever get are yes’s, then you’re probably not charging enough. 

I now quote around $1 per word for new writing projects. If they balk, I'm willing to negotiate – but I still never drop below $0.60 per word.

Being Flexible on Rates

I know this sounds hypocritical, considering what I literally just said, but one of my long-term clients pays me lower rates of $0.40 per word. Still — hear me out — here's the math that makes this pricing model work:

• Zero client management (as an agency, they handle all feedback and client revisions)
• Minimal editing (limited to one round of internal revisions, and often I don’t have to do even that)
• Reliable, on-time payments every time
• Consistent monthly work I can count on

Sometimes, a lower per-word rate actually means a better per hour rate when you factor in the full scope of work, number of hours involved, and the consistent flow of incoming projects. It's about balancing my average rate, convenience, and longevity of the working relationship.

Factors That Influence My Rates

I offer new clients two project pricing "buckets": $1200 base rate for a 1500 word blog post, and $2200 for an up to 3000 word article. But I don’t necessarily charge clients that exact amount and my pricing isn't just about word count.

Here's what affects my project rates:

Scope of the Project

• SME interviews required? That's a higher rate
• Complex how-to guides ($$) vs straightforward SEO articles ($)
• Type of content (ebooks and white papers - $$$, case studies - $$)
• Number of revision rounds expected
• Amount of client communication needed (tons of stakeholders? $$$)

Business Value

• Portfolio potential (Can I use their name and clips on my portfolio? If not, $$$)
• Industry reputation and brand recognition
• Potential for regular, ongoing work
• Payment terms and reliability

Breaking the $1 Barrier

The jump to $1 a word came when I stopped selling writing and started selling outcomes based on what my portfolio of work has achieved.

When you can show how your content has:

• Helped previous clients 10x their organic traffic
• Landed page-one Google rankings
• Generated qualified leads
• Enabled sales teams in their conversations with prospects
• Acquired thousands of views
• Supported successful funding rounds

...suddenly, $1 a word feels like a bargain for the value provided.

What I Wish I'd Known About Rates When I Started

1. Don't undercharge just because you're new. Your expertise and time have value. Even if you're a beginner, you're still providing a solution for your clients and should have the hard skills and writing experience to back up your rates.
2. Your rate sheet should be flexible. Different projects and clients warrant different rates. It’s not shady; it’s just good business sense.
3. Consider the total package. Sometimes a lower per-word rate with an easy client is worth more than a higher rate with high maintenance requirements.
4. Value isn't just monetary. Portfolio pieces, testimonials, and industry experience can be worth their weight in gold.

Know Your Worth

These days, when I look at my rate range from $0.40 to $1+ per word, I think back to that flu-ridden newbie freelancer, panicking hard and taking whatever work blew in her direction. Sure, I’ve grown and become even better at writing, but the biggest difference is in understanding that I’m worth it. 

I don’t do content mill work. I’m not just churning out words to hit word count. I’m a tenured writer with over nine years of experience. I research, strategize, and pour my heart and soul into each piece of high-quality content I produce. And that’s worth what my clients pay me.

And if you need a little encouragement along the way, I'm here to tell you (at the risk of sounding like a L'Oreal commercial): you're worth it, too.

Remember: your starting rate isn't your forever rate, and your top rate doesn't need to be your only rate. The key is building a sustainable business that works for both you and your clients.

Just don't settle in at those starter rates. You've got places to go.

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