Setting Rates as a New Freelance Writer

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11 Jul 2026

Setting Rates as a New Freelance Writer

Start with research, not with a guess

Most new freelance writers pick a number out of thin air. It is usually whatever the first client offered, or a figure borrowed from a friend in a completely different sector. That number then quietly sets the ceiling for the next few years, because it is far harder to raise a rate than to set it properly at the start.

Instead, spend a week gathering evidence. Look at published rate surveys from writers' unions and professional bodies, which often break figures down by region and by type of work. Join a few UK freelance writing groups online and search their archives for threads on pricing — people are surprisingly candid. Ask three working writers what they charge, and make it clear you are not asking them to share client names. You will get a range, and a range is all you need.

As a rough starting point for UK work, many beginners report £80–£150 for a short blog post, £150–£400 for a researched feature of around 1,000 words, and £200–£350 for a day of straightforward copywriting. Specialists in technology, finance, health and legal writing can command considerably more. Treat these as a compass bearing, not a rulebook.

Do the maths on your own numbers

Market rates tell you what is possible. Your costs tell you what is survivable. Sit down and work out your minimum viable rate — the price below which you are effectively paying a client for the privilege of working.

Say you need £28,000 a year to live on. Add tax and National Insurance, then add business costs: laptop, software subscriptions, broadband, a desk, insurance, accountancy, memberships, and the occasional course. Call it £3,000. Your turnover target is now around £38,000.

Next, count your billable days honestly. Of 46 working weeks, you might spend 40 per cent of your time on admin, pitching, invoicing and learning. That leaves roughly 120 billable days a year. Divide £38,000 by 120 and your floor is about £317 a day.

That single figure is clarifying. A 1,000-word feature that takes a full day including research and edits needs to be worth roughly £300 to make sense. If a client offers £80, you are not being fussy by saying no — you are doing arithmetic.

Choose a pricing model that fits the work

Different jobs suit different structures, and being flexible here makes you easier to buy from.

Per word: common in journalism and content marketing. Simple, but it can penalise you for efficient research. Anchor it to a minimum fee so a 200-word piece is still worth your time.
Per hour: useful for consulting, editing, or open-ended work where scope is genuinely unclear. Track your hours for a month first so your estimate is based on reality rather than optimism.
Per project: the most common arrangement for copywriting. Work out how long it will take, add a buffer for revisions, and quote a single figure. Clients love certainty, and you keep the benefit if you get faster.
Retainers: a fixed monthly fee for an agreed volume of work. Wonderful for cash flow, but be precise about what is included and what triggers an extra charge.

Whatever the model, put the scope in writing: number of drafts, number of revision rounds, and what happens if the brief changes halfway through.

Practise saying your price out loud

Confidence is a skill, and it is built by repetition. Write a short script and rehearse it until the words feel ordinary.

Something like: "For a piece of that length, with research and two rounds of revisions, my rate is £350. I can send a full quote today." Then stop talking. Silence after a price is uncomfortable, and new writers fill it by discounting. Do not.

Avoid the softening words — "just", "only", "I was thinking maybe". Do not apologise for charging, and never explain your rent or your bills. Clients buy outcomes, not your outgoings. If you quote a day rate, say "my day rate is £350" rather than "I charge £350 a day, but I'm flexible".

Handle the awkward conversations

Some pushback is normal. A client who asks "is that your best price?" is often testing, not rejecting. A useful reply is: "That's my rate for this scope. If the budget is fixed, I can suggest a shorter piece or a different format that fits it." You keep the rate and offer them a choice.

If you do not know the budget, ask early: "What range have you set aside for this?" It saves everyone time. For new clients, request a deposit — 25 to 50 per cent is standard — and state your payment terms clearly, usually 14 or 30 days. Late payment is a business problem, not a personal one, so chase it politely and promptly, and consider adding a late fee to your terms.

Review your rates every few months

Your rate is not a tattoo. Review it twice a year, or whenever you notice you are turning work away, filling your diary weeks ahead, or taking on jobs you resent. A small, annual increase of 5 to 10 per cent is easier to ask for than a leap.

Raise prices for new clients first, then give existing ones plenty of notice. Some will leave, and that is fine — the ones who stay are usually the ones who value the work. Every writer I know who is paid well got there by quoting a number slightly higher than felt comfortable, and then getting on with the job.

Freelancing

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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