In over five years of freelancing, I’ve only had one editor not raise the pay when I asked. Yet I’m surprised how many writers have told me they never negotiate for more money. They are missing the gravy train. And below, i will give you some chase in how to negotiate the price. And some chase conversation with your client.
CLUES THAT THEY WILL PAY YOU MORE
So how do you do it? The ideal situation is when the editor throws out a fee first. I typically counteroffer with a rate 20% higher. Watch for words or phrases in the following examples that tip you off that an editor can pay more than the offered $100:
“We usually pay $100. Is that OK?”
“Our fees are a little low. How about $100?”
“I can offer you $100. Does that work for you?”
“You are a writing goddess! We wish we could pay you a million dollars, but it’s not in our budget.”--OK, that one was just for fun.
HOW CAN YOU REPLY?
Here are some responses I’ve used to editor’s offers that have garnered bigger paychecks:
“That fee is lower than I anticipated. How about $120?”
“Make it $120 and we’ve got a deal.”
“Could we work on the fee?”
“I typically charge $140 for this length of an article. How about we compromise at $120?”
WHEN THEY DON’T GIVE A PRICE
What if the editor doesn’t offer a fee up front, but wants to know what you charge? To get them to state a figure, try:
“What is the range you usually pay for this size of an article?”
“What is your budget for this assignment?”
"I’m looking forward to working on this article, but I’m sure I can work within your budget."
“What fee are you comfortable offering?”
If they really balk at quoting a fee, seriously consider what you would be happy getting paid for the article. Then put that fee at the lower end of a range in a response like:
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