C_B_B

I may have the opportunity to have the occasional article published in a local paper, working on a freelance basis. At the moment I’m in the fairly early stages of discussions but I have no idea of what I should be charging them! I don’t want to sell myself short, nor do I want to ask so much that the editor laughs hysterically and runs away.

Does anyone have any idea as to the going rate?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

You don't say what circulation is or how many words you are writing. At around 1,000 words I think you will be paid somewhere between £50 and £150. Local papers don't pay that much.

It was a while ago now - but I used to write features for a national magazine and even ten years ago £150 was the going rate. Top circulation magazines were around £250.

Of course if you are a famous named author then you may get paid a little more

Rannoch

C_B_B

Thank you. I was hoping it was around the £100 mark.

Hoppy

double post

Hoppy

Most publications have a 'standard' rate, but it can vary a lot depending on what the paper's budgets are.

They are unlikely to rip you off as you'll find out sooner or later what other freelances are getting.

Richard.

BTW, I when I was commissioning stuff I would discuss and agree a fee up front regardless of word count. Paying a freelance per 1,000 words is just asking for (bad) over-writing and other work may require a couple of day's research before you write a single word. It depends. Local papers often don't pay much for either words or pictures because many freelances just do it for the glory of a by-line.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Richard,

I wasn't meaning to imply pay by word count - it was more of a view as to whether he would be providing Parish Notices or a four page special once a month

R