Hello friends! I hope your fall is off to a lovely start and you’re as excited as I am for ~spooky season~ (cue millennial cringe comment).

This week we’re talk about what can be a sometimes contentious topic among freelancers: kill fees. Some folks like them, some don’t, but they’re always a factor.

I’ve invited veteran freelancer Lola Mendez to make her case for trying to get them out of contracts or negotiate them up to 100%. Take it away, Lola!

***

Contracts can sometimes subject writers to terrible terms, like one-sided indemnification clauses, net-90 payment schedules, and the dreaded kill fees. Some freelancers hate them, some find them a lifeline in situations gone awry, but they’re worth reconsidering. (And yes, you can fight to have them removed. As with most things in life, everything is negotiable.)

As a veteran journalist and a consultant on the Business of Freelance Writing with clips all over the internet, I usually try to negotiate kill fees out of contracts. I’m running a small business and a key to my success is trying to eliminate them whenever possible.

What is a kill fee?

The “kill fee” is a clause in a contract that typically states that if the publication doesn’t publish the commissioned article, it will only pay a fraction of the agreed-upon rate. Generally, this is less than half of the fee. Writers create work for a set fee, but do so without a guarantee of full payment. Every freelancer runs a small business and carries a significantly larger financial risk than a multimillion-dollar publisher.

Many kill fee clauses are onerous for journalists with language stating that if the publisher, in its sole discretion, decides not to accept a complete and reasonably acceptable work, the writer shall be subject to a kill fee. I’ve had articles killed because a publication decided the piece posed a legal risk to publish, or the piece never ran because of editor layoffs and it got lost in the shuffle, or because the section the piece was commissioned for was no longer in publication. They were completed pieces that met the brief, were within the scope of work, and had been edited. In none of those scenarios was it my fault the piece was killed, yet I was expected to bear the financial burden. All of these instances happened with major, multimillion-dollar publishers.

I’ve never had a piece killed because the draft wasn’t up to par, which should be the sole purpose of paying out a kill fee. But kill fees tend to protect the publication, ensuring that if a writer submits a poorly written draft and fails to address comments and edits, the publication can pay a partial fee.

Want to learn how to write pitches editors will actually read — and commission? Join me this Thursday for an in-depth pitching workshop that will cover everything from structure and what to include in a pitch to how much pre-reporting you should do and how to find editors to pitch, and much, much more. All registrants will receive a full playback of the event, and paid subscribers get 50% off admission.

Click here to register

To kill or not to kill (a kill fee)

Still, some writers do feel that kill fees protect them from not receiving any payment, since sometimes it’s better than nothing.

“I turned down an assignment because they wouldn’t include a kill fee,” said Joni Sweet, a freelance writer. “Instead, the language of the contract basically said that if they didn’t want this story after I submitted it, they had no obligation to publish it or pay me for it.”

Pris Blossom, a freelance journalist, agrees. “I’m usually pretty happy if there’s a kill fee mentioned in the contract, so at least I have something to fall back on even if it’s not the full rate,” she said.

But Kaitlyn Rosati, a freelance writer, added that the onus for situations in which a kill fee could be implemented should fall on publishers, not freelancers.

“As long as there’s no breach of contract, journalists shouldn’t be penalized with a kill fee for decisions out of their control,” she said. “When taking on assignments, there’s often thorough communication on factors like deadlines, word count, rates, and whether sourcing photos is necessary. If the journalist meets all of these requirements, and the publication subsequently decides to kill the story, we deserve to be paid the agreed-upon rate."

Negotiating kill fees out of contracts

Here’s the language I use that’s worked for me: “I can only agree to a 100% kill fee as I cannot agree to work for only a guarantee of partial payment” and “I cannot sign a contract that doesn’t guarantee full payment for completed work. Can you please drop the kill fee or make it a 100% kill fee?”

You have the right to advocate for your business and request amendments to a contract before signing. When requesting to amend a business contract, use direct, clear, affirmative language. By being courteous yet firm, I’ve successfully negotiated kill fees out of contracts or changed them to a 100% kill fee. Of course, it doesn’t always work, but I’d say about 75% of the time I’ve requested to amend the kill fee clause the publication has agreed. For my business, it’s always worth a shot.

Lola Méndez is a queer Uruguayan-American freelance journalist who writes about sustainability, travel, culture, and wellness for CNN, USA Today, NatGeo, ArchDigest, Refinery29, and more. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, and Substack.

Oh, a few other things …

• A brief programming note: I’m in the process of moving, so I’ll be taking the week of Sept. 22 off and I’ll be back the following week. I’m heading back to New York for a while, see y’all soon!

• Sell a pitch recently? I want to see it! If you had a story picked up not long ago, I’d love to feature you and your story in our ongoing series highlighting pitches that sold. Email me at tim@freelancingwithtim.com and let’s talk!

• I offer one-on-one coaching! Is your story falling apart and you need a second eye on it? Want a seasoned perspective on a pitch you’re kicking around? Interested in talking about careers and building your freelance business? Maybe just want an edit on a story draft? I’ve got you covered! Click below to book a one-on-one coaching session to talk about pitches, story ideas and development, editing, careers, or anything else you might need help with!

  Click here to book a session

• How much were you paid for last assignment? Feel free to contribute to our ongoing freelance rate database here!

• If you like what you’re reading, please consider subscribing to the paid version of this newsletter. Paid subs get an extra newsletter every week, access to all past and future paid-only posts, 50% off all Zoom workshops, a guide to avoiding the 7 most common mistakes in freelancing, a must-have checklist for getting your assignments right, the exact text of a pitch I sold to The Atlantic, practical tips for diversifying your freelance income, and much more.

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Updated 12/15/25

Hello friends, and welcome to the FWT freelance rate database!

This is an ongoing project to collect up-to-date freelance rates for hundreds of publications. These community-submitted rates range from tiny, niche blogs and trade magazines to national publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Science, CNN, The Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, National Geographic, Wired, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Guardian, Forbes, The Boston Globe, Travel + Leisure, Time, and literally hundreds more. All of these rates were paid within the last 12 months or so, and I’ll remove outdated rates on a rolling basis.

To contribute some recent rates you’ve gotten, click here to share. Transparency about money helps us all out!

If you like what you’re reading, please consider subscribing to the free or paid version of this newsletter. Paid subs get access to all past and future paid-only posts, including the archive of recorded Zoom panels, an analysis of this very database, an expert panel on launching and growing a newsletter, a post about the 10 best things I did for my freelance career, the exact text of a pitch I sold to The Atlantic, practical tips for diversifying your freelance income, 50% off all Zoom workshops, and much more.

Subscribe now

Before we dive in, I want to throw out some quick thoughts and caveats about this whole project, as well as rate databases in general.

The first thing to keep in mind is that, as we all know, budgets industrywide have been in freefall for years, and it’s only going to get worse. But remember that your editor at a given publication doesn’t typically have a ton of control over what they can pay. Decisions about budgeting and establishing rates often happen many layers above your editor, so in a lot of cases their hands truly are tied. They want you to get paid just as much as you want to be paid, and good editors will fight for your rates. But sometimes awful rates are, tragically, just how things go.

That said: Always ask! I wrote a newsletter a while back on how to ask for more money, but the gist is that it never hurts to ask, and good editors will do everything they can to get you more. It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a shot. (And if the editor makes you feel bad or greedy or weird for asking, that is not an editor you should work with, and you should tell all your freelance friends what a dick that editor was.)

Next, the rates in this database reflect what a specific freelancer was paid, but there are a lot of factors involved, including story type and scope, amount of reporting, whether a freelancer has worked with the publication before, and so on. All praise and admiration to that industrious freelancer who got $3/word from Bloomberg Businessweek, but a rate like that is the exception, not the rule.

Finally, this database will be continually updated as more rates come in, so again, please feel free to contribute here.

With all of that out of the way:

Here is the database of freelance rates for nearly 450 publications!

Now go forth and get paid!

Oh, a few other things …

• I offer one-on-one coaching! Need help developing an idea or sharpening one you already have? Or want to talk about careers and building your freelance business? Just want an edit on a story you’re working on? I’ve got you covered! Click here to book a one-on-one coaching session to talk about pitch reviews, story development, editing, and anything else you might need help with.

• Got a question about freelancing or the wider world of journalism? Let’s hear it! Once or twice a month I’ll be doing Q&A posts in the newsletter to answer all of your questions, comments, and thoughts about freelancing and journalism in general. Drop any and all questions in the comments section below this post or email me at tim@freelancingwithtim.com, and I may feature it in a future newsletter.

Leave a comment

If there’s one thing I love to celebrate, it’s freelancers getting PAID — and goodness do we have someone to celebrate today.

A while back a freelancer reached out about an unrelated topic, and after we started talking, they dropped a bomb on me: In one month they made $27,000.

My first reaction:

Read more

Hello friends! Welcome to the first in a series of Q&A newsletters, in which I’ll pick out a few reader-submitted questions and offer my take. We’ve got a couple of heady topics today, so let’s dive right in.

(Leave a question in a comment on this post or email me at tim@freelancingwithtim.com and I may feature your question in a future edition.)

An editor wants me to write on spec. Should I?

I recently pitched an editor for an online ‘magazine’ that’s really just the content arm of a business. He offered me an assignment, but agreed to pay the fee ($500) “if we agree to move forward after the first draft.”

I’ve been published in some of the bigger names among magazines, newspapers, and websites, and these editors all hire me based on my previous work. I'm not cool with working on spec, and I told him so. He amended the offer to $200 for a draft, and the remainder, again, if he likes it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Every part of me screams no way; if he can’t do his own reading to vet me, and out of the gate doesn’t value my work, this won’t go well. The bummer is that it’s a place I’d love to write for and a topic I am super passionate about.

Oof, writing on spec, a specter that haunts so many of us freelancers.

If you’re not familiar, writing on spec generally means completing an assignment for a publication without any guarantee that the publication will actually buy the assignment. There are lots of nuances and caveats to that, but it basically just means doing unpaid labor without any promise of payment. A variation of this comes during the pitching process, too: Whether freelancers should submit a full draft of a story along with the initial cold pitch. The answer is (almost) always no: You’re doing unpaid labor on something that may never sell, and the editor wants to work with you to flesh out the idea (it’s their job!). However, there are two exceptions to that: opinion pieces — most opinion editors want to see a draft — and personal essays — some editors want to see a draft. A little different, but not wholly unrelated, to this freelancer’s situation. 

Asking freelancers to write on spec is a pretty awful practice! It backs freelancers into a corner with a super high-risk, possibly low-reward endeavor, it puts all of the power in the assigning editor’s hands, and, if they’re the type of editor who asks for work on spec, they’re probably not going to budge. (Fear the freelancer who takes an editor’s notes on spec; now that is power.)

In most cases, I’d say: Nope, onto the next one. That said …

If you like what you’re reading, please consider subscribing to the free or paid version of this newsletter. Paid subs get access to all past and future paid-only posts, the archive of recorded Zoom panels, a piece on the three questions you should end every interview with, tips on how and why to create your ‘Shit List,’ advice on growing and monetizing your platform, 50% off all Zoom workshops, and more. (This Thursday’s newsletter: How much pre-reporting should I do for a pitch?)

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But this one is a little more complicated. The writer says, “The bummer is that it’s a place I’d love to write for and a topic I am super passionate about.” That is a bummer! It brings to mind the Pay/Prestige/Passion formula, which I learned about years ago from Wudan Yan of The Writers’ Co-op. In a nutshell, when you’re evaluating whether to take on an assignment it should check off at least two of those three boxes. In this case, the assignment in question ticks off only one, the Passion of it all. Does that give us an answer? No, but it is one of a few things to take into consideration. Plus, the editor did come back with a new offer of $200 for a draft, with the remaining $300 if he wants the story. Not your average writing-on-spec arrangement.

In this case, and only this case, I would say writing the story on spec is prooobably, maybe worth the time and effort, but with some major caveats. In the worst outcome, this writer will still end up with $200, and in the best outcome, $500 total for the story. However, those caveats are indeed major: 1. The writer didn’t specify the word count or scope of the story, which may turn my very apprehensive yes into a full-stop no. (But considering this is the content arm of a business, I would guess the per-word rate is pretty decent, as content work tends to pay better than news writing.) 2. What is the difficulty of the story? If the story would take a day or less to turn around, sure, why not; if it would anything more than that ... that’s gonna be a no.

Where would you land on this one? Leave a comment and let me know!

N.B.: After I asked permission to use this question, the writer added a little bit of the aftermath. She wrote,

I spent a few days trying to find a way to convince myself this was okay, and that I should accept these terms so that I could write a story that's meaningful to me. In the end I just couldn't feel good about it though, no matter how I tried to spin it, especially since his decision on moving forward or not after a draft seemed — at best — nebulous. I'd rather write my own story with my own terms on my Substack (for free!) than take this gamble with an editor who didn't feel that the gamble with me was worth it.

How do I sort out sourcing for a pitch?

When might you need to secure sources (or even conduct interviews) before pitching vs. just noting the “types” of sources you'd want to include or who you plan to reach out to? How many sources should you typically include for different types/lengths of articles? What kind of details/updates on the piece should you offer the sources (if any)?

Great questions all! Thankfully, this one is a little more straightforward.

First, remember that figuring out sourcing for your pitch is all unpaid labor that may never pay off. (See this Thursday’s paid-only newsletter for more details on how much pre-reporting you should do.) As a rule of thumb for pitching, I always say that you should do the absolute minimum amount of pre-reporting required for you to understand the shape, complexities, and nuances of your story, and be able to explain them in the pitch to the editor. Why do more work than is necessary, especially when you have no idea whether it’ll pay off?

Let’s break this question down into four parts:

1. When should I secure access to sources before pitching vs. just noting the “types” of sources I’d want or who you plan to reach out to? 

   In general, it’s usually not necessary to single out specific sources you’d want to include in the story, unless you feel it’s especially germane and/or you know for sure you want to potentially include them. If not, usually just noting the “type” of source you’d reach out to is good enough. For example, when I’m pitching stories about careers, I’ll most often just say I’ll interview a career coach, HR specialist, résumé consultant, and so on, rather than the specific people in those categories I’ll reach out to. (That’s what I do in basically every pitch.) Finding sources to speak with you after you’ve sold the story is rarely a problem (unless it is … more on that in a future newsletter.)

   The exception here is whether the story hinges on a specific person. If you’re pitching, say, a profile, or a story featuring one specific person’s perspective or insight, or an investigation that couldn’t exist without XYZ’s participation, yeah, you wanna secure access before pitching. 

2. Should I interview sources before sending the pitch/getting the commission?

   Not usually, but with exceptions. Most pitches don’t usually require that kind of pre-reporting, but sometimes they do. In those cases, something as simple as a cold email to your source saying something along the lines of, “Hi, I’m researching a story around X topic, and I’m wondering if you might be up for an off-the-record 10-minute phone chat to help me shape my thinking around this topic.” Keep it simple, and keep the stakes low.

3. What is the “right” number of sources for a given story?

   Who knows! There is no right answer to this. All I’ll say is that for a shorter story (say, 1,000 words or less), I’d never publish anything with fewer than three or four sources. On the other hand, it’s common — and usually necessary — for big features and stories to feature dozens and dozens of sources. Basically: Talk with your editor about it.

4. Should I tell the sources what I’m including from them in the story?

   This is a very tricky one, with far more nuance than would allow here, and it truly varies by story. If you’re having this question, absolutely bring it to your editor and get their take. As with all things freelance: It depends. (I feel like that should just be the new tagline for this newsletter.)

That’s all for this week. Remember to leave your questions in a comment below or email them to me. Good luck out there!

Oh, a few other things …

• I am open for one-on-one coaching! Book a 30- or 60-minute Zoom call to cover anything you want, including pitch feedback, writing and/or editing coaching, story development, story editing, social strategy, and anything else. Book a timeslot here.

• How much were you paid for your last assignment? I'm putting together an anonymous database of rates freelancers have been paid recently. If you wanna throw in a rate or two you’ve gotten lately, I would love for you to fill out this quick little survey! I'll publish a regularly updated database weekly so we can all get a little more insight into who pays what and what we should be asking for. Click here to share your money talk.

• Psst … I’m soft-launching the beta version of the FWT Slack. It’s still very much in the planning and iteration process, but I would love for you to join and start participating! Click here to join. (And I’d love any and all feedback you might have!)

Bye ily!
Tim❤️

When you take on a freelance assignment, do you accept the first rate you’re offered?

If so, let the most recent time you did that be the last. You won’t get more money every time you ask, but you’ll never get more money if you don’t ask.

First, let’s look at why you should always ask for more on (almost) every assignment.

But before we get there…

Read more

Hello friends! Last week I was on a panel for the Institute of Independent Journalists’ annual conference talking about growing your platform as a freelancer in a useful, strategic way that allows you to, well, make enough mon…

Read more

This assignment is simple: All you have to do is send an email. That’s it! It probably won’t even take you 15 minutes!

For years, one of my main hobbyhorses around freelancing has been getting paid what you’re owed no matter what — in particular, chasing down payments you’re owed. Especially when the publication is dragging its feet, or an editor has ghosted you, or it’s just been too damn long since the story was published.

The fact is, you did the work and you need to be paid for it, even if it feels like the time has passed or you’ve already written off payment for that assignment. Because truly, it’s never too late to follow up on a payment you never received, even if you’ve followed up multiple times and heard nothing in response.

Case in point: In 2018 I wrote an article for Harvard’s NiemanLab about best practices for writing pitches. (If you’ve ever been to one of my pitching workshops — like the one I have coming up on March 12 — you’ve surely seen it before.) I signed the contract, I was in their system, and I had an agreed-upon rate with the editor. I filed, we edited, and the story was published, but a month passed and I realized I hadn’t been paid for it. So I followed up asking about payment, but I didn’t hear anything back. Knowing how busy editors are, I let it slide for the time being and followed up a month or so later. Nothing back. Another follow up a few months later, nothing.

At this point I was ready to write it off. I was just happy to publish an article I was passionate about in an exemplary publication and work with a fantastic editor on it. I knew that was the wrong path to take, but I was ready to move on.

If you like what you’re reading, please consider subscribing to the free or paid version of this newsletter. Paid subs get access to all past and future paid-only posts, the archive of recorded Zoom panels, a guide on how and when to follow up with editors, an exclusive workshop on selling and writing a book, tips for diversifying your freelance income, 50% off all Zoom workshops, and more.

Subscribe now

Cut to two and a half years later and I was on yet another Twitter crusade encouraging freelancers to follow up on late payments no matter how old they are, and I tweeted this: 

LMAO y'all okay i just can't not tweet: i never got my payment for this story, OF ALL STORIES https://niemanlab.org/2018/10/how-to-successfully-pitch-the-new-york-times-or-well-anyone-else

so 2.5 years later i figured i should practice what i preach and i emailed them and, lol, they're processing payment 

chase down your money, y'all!!!!!!!

Now, to be clear: I absolutely did not, and still don’t, hold any ill will toward that editor or the publication. They were utterly wonderful and helpful once they realized the oversight, as are most outlets in this situation. And, as someone who has been on the editor side of this, I understand that sometimes things do fall through the cracks regardless of how hard you try not to let them. (I even still feel bad about a few super late payments that I screwed up as an editor at The Times; in fact, an old freelancer of mine at the time saw that tweet and reminded me I was over a year delinquent on paying them for a story. Profuse apologies and immediate payment followed.)

SO. This is all to say: Please do yourself a favor and spend 15 minutes today writing a follow-up email to an editor who is overdue on paying you. Need a little more motivation? Think of it this way: By not (tactfully and kindly, but forcefully) requesting an overdue payment, you’re essentially giving that publication — or, more accurately, that publication’s corporate overlords — an interest-free loan for the amount you’re owed. Nope, no thank you, hard pass.

Now fire up those emails go get fking paid!!!!

Bye ily!
Tim❤️

How many organizations currently pay you?

Every freelancer knows not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Yes, it’s great to have a few anchor clients — those clients you work for regularly for a dependable source of income — but building a successful freelance business can also mean building out different types of income.

Here’s something I l…

Read more

How many organizations currently pay you?

Every freelancer knows not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Yes, it’s great to have a few anchor clients — those clients you work for regularly for a dependable source of income — but building a successful freelance business can also mean building out different types of income.

Yesterday I joined a…

Read more

Hello friends!

This week I’ve invited two of my favorite people, Jenni Gritters and Wudan Yan of The Writers’ Co-op, to talk about the value of your work. A few weeks ago on their wonderful podcast they covered this topic, and I was in awe at how thoughtfully and practically they both view the concept of assigning value to your work. Take it aw…

Read more

“What do they pay?”

This is the most important question for freelancers. We don’t do journalism because it’s a capital-c Calling or because we’re ~meant to write~. We do this to get paid. So let’s get fucking paid!

Last year I asked editors to be transparent about their rates, and a ton of them stepped up and dished abou…

Read more

If there’s one thing I love to celebrate, it’s freelancers getting fucking paid — and goodness do we have someone to celebrate today.

Last week a freelancer reached out to me about an unrelated topic, and after we started talking, they dropped a bomb on me: This month they’ve made $27,000.

My first reaction:

I’m sorry, what?! As in, twenty-seven thousand U.S. American greenback dollars?!

Yes, dear reader, that is correct. On top of that, this person regularly has $15,000 months. Lmao whaaaaaat.

So, of course, my first instinct was: Please let me interview you so you can teach us how to be like you. They requested anonymity, which I have granted, and below is a transcript of an interview conducted over Gchat last week. Go forth, freelance friends, get fucking paid.

***

Tim Herrera: Hello! So before we get to the goods, can you tell me a little about the type of freelancing you mostly do? And how long have you been doing it?

Anonymous: I've been freelancing for about 10 years. I started out contributing to small blogs that paid basically nothing, but over time, I've grown my workload to several different higher-paying clients. I mostly do journalism (stories I pitch or I'm assigned) and content writing for startups of various types. I've written for schools, universities, healthcare organizations, software companies, and everything in between.

TH: How do you find work, particularly things that aren't with editors you already work with?

Anonymous: I subscribe to a lot of newsletters with writing opportunities, and I keep my resume and clips at the ready so I can email editors looking for new writers as soon as they put out a call. In those emails, I explain my background, why I'm a good fit, and clips I've published at similar publications. Finding non-journalism work can be trickier. In the past, I've cold emailed the content managers at companies I admire (apps I use on a regular basis, for example). Once I establish relationships with editors I'm writing for, I ask if they have any colleagues looking for writers or continue freelancing for them wherever they are. That's a great way to get plugged in at a new pub!

TH: Which newsletters do you like?

Anonymous: I subscribe to Sonia Weiser's Opportunities of the Week and Write Jobs PLUS+!

TH: Okay so, now the question we're all wondering: Literally how the fuck did you make $27,000 in a single month?!

Anonymous: Over the past few years, I've started getting regular work for $1/word or higher clients. I try to prioritize those, of course, but I also do lots of work for lower-paying clients. So a combination of a few high-paying things a month and LOTS of lower-paying assignments a month (and some in between) is how I usually hit $10-15k a month. I took a month off over the summer to, you know, not be burned out, and by the end of the summer I was feeling kind of frantic about finding new work to make up for the lost income. So I aggressively started introducing myself to new editors and stacked that work on top of my existing workload! September is usually a busy month for me, but this is my biggest month yet.

TH: That is insane! Okay so I have many follow-ups. First, how do you manage so much work? What does an average day look like when you have so many assignments, and how many hours per week do you end up working?

Anonymous: I probably work about 50 hours a week. [Update from Tim on 9/21: This person said they produced around 60-ish individual pieces over the Big Month.] I try not to work nights so I can get sleep and spend time with friends, but I end up working some Sunday afternoons (which I actually kinda like — prepping for the week is a good way to get rid of the Sunday Scaries). Usually, I work on emails and simple, shorter articles in the morning, do calls and reporting for new stories late morning, and dig into bigger pieces in the afternoon. I use Evernote and an Excel spreadsheet to track my work, and that's worked pretty well for me! That said, I don't follow a strict routine for any of it. I sort of fly by the seat of my pants in most of my life, but I'm also a pretty efficient person and I thrive with a bit of stress.

Breakdown of a $27,000 month:

TH: Can you be a little more specific about how you find high-paying clients? I feel like one of the most common questions I get on panels is: Where are all the big payers?

Anonymous: Trade journals usually pay more than, say, huge media conglomerates. I also do a lot more print work these days, which always pays more than online stuff. That didn't happen right away — I started out writing for sites, and over time, editors started asking me to contribute to the print editions, too. I also use Crunchbase to find startups that might need content. I check out their blog to see if they're publishing already, then I reach out to them. Once I hook them, we talk about rate. If they have tons of seed funding, I don't feel bad asking for more money. (Actually, a good reminder: No journalist should ever feel bad asking for more money.) Also, if I've been working with a pub for a while at the same rate, I ask for an increase after several months of working together. Most editors are respectful enough to consider it, and if they don't or can't, I'll focus on work that pays more.

I'm also at a point in my career where I've come to terms with the reality that, for me, money is more important than prestige. I care more about paying off my loans and building savings than, say, writing for prestigious or "cool" publications that may pay less. (It also helps that I literally never want to write a book, so I don't have to think about bylines or building a platform.) I also care more about building relationships with editors than simply accumulating more work with editors who make me feel horrible. Focusing on these things has helped me earn more and be happier while I do it!

If you like what you’re reading, please consider subscribing to the free or paid version. Paid subs get access to all past and future paid-only posts, the full archive of recorded Zoom workshops and panels, a guide on how and when to follow up with editors, an exclusive workshop on selling and writing a book, tips for diversifying your freelance income, 50% off all Zoom workshops, and more.

Subscribe now

TH: So, on money: Can you talk about what you charge? Since you've been doing this for 10 years I would imagine the overall average per story you make has increased, but now, what is a "good" rate? And how much does that vary depending on the place you're negotiating with?

Anonymous: I think more about the value of my time than anything else. I don't charge by the hour — I only do flat fees these days — but every rate involves a certain amount of work (and headaches). I do $200 articles, but they're usually really simple and don't need much heavy lifting other than the actual writing. I also do $2,000 articles (usually with $1/word clients) that require a lot more reporting and revision. I don't have a formula, but in general I try to focus on work that pays me for the actual time and energy I'm putting into it. I generally don't do work for under 50 cents a word unless I really like the editor, it's relatively easy, or I'm super interested in the topic. One dollar per word or above is ideal, but those are much harder to find!

TH: I love that you mention working with specific editors — I think finding editors you like to work with is almost more important than finding the work in the first place. How do you build a long-term working relationship with an editor? And, as has happened to many people in the pandemic, what do you do when an editor you've worked with a ton leaves that position?

Anonymous: Many times, maintaining good relationships with editors is as easy as filing clean copy on time and following through on what you said you'd do. But I think I also have a pretty good nose for good people. If an editor makes me feel bad about myself or doesn't understand I'm a human who makes mistakes, I usually don't work with them again. That makes it easier to maintain a long-term relationship, because we respect each other!

I've definitely had editors leave publications I've loved working for. If the pub still pays freelancers, I'll usually email an intro to another editor at the publication and let them know I'd like to continue working with them. When editors go to other publications, I sometimes continue working with them there. Other times, like if an editor gets laid off or goes freelance and there's not an opportunity in the same pub, I'll say goodbye and seek new work. It's always tough to move on, but I'm grateful to have work to fall back on.

TH: As a matter of personal philosophy, I think we should all ask for more on (almost) every assignment. When do you think is the right time to revisit a rate at somewhere you regularly write for? And, just because this comes up all the time — has an editor ever reacted badly to your asking?

Anonymous: If I've been doing solid, ongoing work at the same rate for an editor for six months or so, I'll usually ask for a rate boost. It doesn't have to be a lot; for example, I could bump a $500 flat fee up to $600. Sometimes, they can't swing the $100 increase, but they'll offer $550. If the relationship is worth it, I almost always say yes (then ask for another increase later!). I've never had any editor react poorly, but I've had people say they just can't swing it. The folks I choose to work with are usually respectful and understanding, and I really think they'd pay me more if they could.

TH: This is a complicated question because it really varies, but generally speaking, how often are you pitching in a given week? And how much of your work comes from editors assigning you rather than you pitching? 

Anonymous: I'd say 70% of my work is assignments and 30% is pitched. I don't have a pitching routine, but I do keep a document of story ideas with potential sources for when editors put out a call for pitches. That way, I can beat the crowds a bit. I probably pitch once a week, or whenever I see an interesting call for pitches that pays well.

The assigned work is key because it not only keeps coming but it cuts down on the mental labor of coming up with story ideas and going back and forth with an editor about something that might not get picked up.

TH: What are your top three pieces of advice you'd give to someone just starting out?

Anonymous:

• Only write for pubs you actually care about or read. When I first started out, I wasted so much time pitching "cool" or "respected" publications I didn't keep up with because I wanted amazing bylines. Editors can tell when you don't read their pub, and you'll do better work when you actually care about the place you're writing for.

• Master the art of a solid pitch email. I use the same formula every time: a subject line with PITCH and my idea, a brief elevator pitch of the story, why it fits at such and such pub, and relevant clips. I also include potential sources when I can to show the editor I've already done some homework on the topic.

• A "no" isn't always personal. [Note from Tim: Extremely true!] Often great ideas just don't fit the editor's calendar or budget, or the pub has already done something similar. Or, maybe it just doesn't fit the vibe of the publication (you'd know that if you read the pub!). If you care enough about the story, pitch it around until it lands somewhere.

TH: I love this! And now a quick lightning around: 

1. Did you hold a staff editor or writer job somewhere before going freelance? 

2. Did you attend a private or Ivy league school? 

3. Is any of your income passive? 

4. How do you balance working with a home life?

Anonymous:

1. No! I’m self-made!

2. I went to a private school, but not even close to Ivy league. I didn’t have any help from my family, so I paid my way with student loans I’m still paying off today.

3. No, it’s all from writing.

4. I’m not perfect at it. I try not to work at night or on weekends, and I try to get as much sleep as I can so I can function in work and in life. Also, I go to therapy weekly to stay on top of my mental health!

TH: Wonderful! Thank you so much for chatting. Any last words you'd like to share about making those big bucks as a freelancer?

Anonymous: Making money is obviously important, but don't say "yes" to anything that will harm your mental health. Protect your own well-being at all costs, even if it means taking less work or saying no to a great opportunity. Your future work will be better for it.

Oh, a few other things …

• [Update 9/21: This has been claimed] Student journalists! DAME Magazine is sponsoring two yearlong subscriptions to FWT here on Substack. Email me at freelancingwithtim@gmail.com to claim one. (First responses get them, so act quick!)

• [Update 9/21: This has also been claimed.] Additionally, a very kind and generous journalist who wishes to remain anonymous has offered to sponsor yet another yearlong subscription for a student — email me to claim it!

• Our pal Jessica Huseman has launched a fantastically helpful series of trainings on digital skills, including lessons on records requests, interview techniques, project management, and more. Check them out here!

• For paid subscribers: The only pitch template you’ll ever need. Not sure how to write out your pitch? This post details my favorite structure for pitches. Also for paid subscribers: The full archive of recorded Zoom panels and workshops, and The dos and don'ts of writing the perfect pitch.

• I am now offering one-on-one coaching! This can include anything you need help with: pitch feedback, writing and/or editing coaching, story development, story editing, social strategy, and anything else. Book a timeslot here.

Okay bye ily!

-Tim ❤️

When you take on a freelance assignment, do you accept the first rate you’re offered?

If so, let the most recent time you did that be the last. You won’t get more money every time you ask, but you’ll never get more money if you don’t ask.

First, let’s look at why you should always ask for more on (almost) every assignment.

If you’ve been to a FWT…

Read more