Negotiating Boundaries & Payment
Posted: March 2nd, 2021, 4:03 am
Hello all,
I feel like I'm fumbling around in the dark here and could REALLY use some feedback and guidance.
Background on the job:
The client recorded four video tutorials, which I then summarized on his blog. In addition, I added to and/or revised content, including the formatting. Others provide all images and graphics and the client's assistant put all of the pieces together in Word Press. I have a very distinctive writing style/voice, so the client has given me the byline for this post on his blog. Fyi - the client has never hired a writer before - so we are both trying to figure this out together.
Issue/Question:
The client has repeatedly gone back into the published blog to make changes. Given my name is on the piece, I feel compelled to follow-up by revisiting the post AGAIN - to fix new typos and make revisions, to ensure voice consistency. We have gone back and forth so many times now, that the piece is like a patchwork quilt - with this segment moved here and that heading switched there, which has really eroded the cohesiveness and flow. Is this the reality of writing for hire? Should I get used to having my work shuffled around, my words changed? Is it worth it, just to have something to add to my portfolio?
Issue/Question:
I have spent countless days and nights working on this assignment. So many drafts and revisions and rewrites - it just goes on and on. I understand that entry level copywriters can make $50 - $80 hour, but I'm not providing the graphics, nor am I inserting all of the various pieces into Word Press. I have absolutely NO idea what to charge for this project.
My time consisted of: watching 4 videos (25 minutes tot, without stopping); creating an outline, combining all four videos; creating a draft blog (based on the revised outline, where client makes a note of where screenshots and images will go); responding to feedback/comments, making revisions (multiple times); reviewing the "final" blog, once loaded with images on Word Press and making revisions; responding to more feedback/comments and making further revisions - which has been ongoing.
The client just sent me $200 as payment in full. (And I still need to go back in and clean up the latest changes.) $200 feels WAY low to me, but I honestly don't know. What is a reasonable rate to charge for this? I'm going to include the link here, just in case it proves helpful: jankeck.com/zoomguide/ (I appreciate you holding all of the info shared here in confidentiality.)
Sorry for the loooong post and I apologize if this level of detail is inappropriate here.
THANKS for reading - ANY and all thoughts and suggestions GREATLY appreciated!
:-0. Cheri
I feel like I'm fumbling around in the dark here and could REALLY use some feedback and guidance.
Background on the job:
The client recorded four video tutorials, which I then summarized on his blog. In addition, I added to and/or revised content, including the formatting. Others provide all images and graphics and the client's assistant put all of the pieces together in Word Press. I have a very distinctive writing style/voice, so the client has given me the byline for this post on his blog. Fyi - the client has never hired a writer before - so we are both trying to figure this out together.
Issue/Question:
The client has repeatedly gone back into the published blog to make changes. Given my name is on the piece, I feel compelled to follow-up by revisiting the post AGAIN - to fix new typos and make revisions, to ensure voice consistency. We have gone back and forth so many times now, that the piece is like a patchwork quilt - with this segment moved here and that heading switched there, which has really eroded the cohesiveness and flow. Is this the reality of writing for hire? Should I get used to having my work shuffled around, my words changed? Is it worth it, just to have something to add to my portfolio?
Issue/Question:
I have spent countless days and nights working on this assignment. So many drafts and revisions and rewrites - it just goes on and on. I understand that entry level copywriters can make $50 - $80 hour, but I'm not providing the graphics, nor am I inserting all of the various pieces into Word Press. I have absolutely NO idea what to charge for this project.
My time consisted of: watching 4 videos (25 minutes tot, without stopping); creating an outline, combining all four videos; creating a draft blog (based on the revised outline, where client makes a note of where screenshots and images will go); responding to feedback/comments, making revisions (multiple times); reviewing the "final" blog, once loaded with images on Word Press and making revisions; responding to more feedback/comments and making further revisions - which has been ongoing.
The client just sent me $200 as payment in full. (And I still need to go back in and clean up the latest changes.) $200 feels WAY low to me, but I honestly don't know. What is a reasonable rate to charge for this? I'm going to include the link here, just in case it proves helpful: jankeck.com/zoomguide/ (I appreciate you holding all of the info shared here in confidentiality.)
Sorry for the loooong post and I apologize if this level of detail is inappropriate here.
THANKS for reading - ANY and all thoughts and suggestions GREATLY appreciated!
:-0. Cheri