Full-time freelance writing isn’t for the timid. Crave more in-depth assignments? Worried your voice got smothered in editing? Want more pay — or even just the pay you deserve but that hasn’t hit your bank account yet? It’s all on you to speak up. As a freelancer, there’s no managing editor looking out for your career and well-being, or doling out raises simply for continuing to do your job well. And, unfortunately, it’s true that if you don’t want to take on an assignment at a particular rate, someone else will.
During January’s Lunch and Learn, AHCJ’s freelance members discussed how they do (or should) advocate for themselves in scenarios like these. Here are the key takeaways:
Remember it doesn’t hurt to ask for more pay
When one experienced freelance journalist gets an assignment with a proposed fee, she often asks, “Has anyone ever been paid more?” It’s a bold move, but it sometimes works to increase her rate if she can indicate why her experience and expertise is on par with the higher-paid writer. And when it doesn’t pan out, the editor doesn’t rescind the assignment — they just maintain the earlier offer. At that point, the ball is in the freelancer’s court to decide whether or not the story is worth it.
Back up your ask with evidence
Maybe you don’t want to ask whether other writers have ever gotten more money for a similar project, but you can counter the initial offer (“Is there room in your budget to bump up the fee from $1,000 to $1,300?”) and provide evidence of why your proposed fee is fair. For instance, will the required sources be particularly tough to track down? Does your background in trauma reporting mean the sensitivity with which you’ll be interviewing make you extra valuable? Is the deadline quite close? Make your case professionally, and see what happens. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Consider requesting a higher word count
If an editor can’t technically offer a higher rate but does want to support you, they may be able to assign (and pay for) the story at a higher word count than what you actually deliver. You can also propose a sidebar that may be an easy lift for you, but would bump up the word count accordingly. Or maybe you can ask for something — like more time to report — that’s not monetary but does make your job easier.
Know your worth
If you’re brand new to freelance writing, pushing back on every fee might not be so reasonable. But for the freelance members of AHCJ — many of whom have decades of experience and consistently deliver strong, clean drafts editors love — asking for more than the standard rate just makes sense. After all, as one participant said, “In what other profession would you get the same rate as someone who’s right out of school?”
Beware of scope creep
Freelance journalists also have to speak up for themselves when the scope of an assignment exceeds the original plan. This goes back to reviewing contracts carefully. If you’re on a fourth round of edits, enduring intensive fact-checking or asked to include multiple more sources — and your original agreement indicated the work would be more minimal — you can ask for more pay. Or, as one writer does when appropriate, you can suggest an additional story or sidebar rather than continuing to expand on the original ask without bringing in any more money.
Protect your time
Since us freelancers don’t get directly paid to come up with story ideas, pre-report and develop pitches, we sometimes have to check ourselves to make sure we’re spending our time in worthwhile ways.
“Some of us spend way too much time researching or thinking about or planning to write an article — that needs to be built into your hourly rate,” one AHCJ member said. A pitch rarely needs four expert interviews and an encyclopedic knowledge of all research on the topic. “In an environment where we’re not being paid what we should be paid, [ask yourself]: How can I make sure my time is being used efficiently for this article?” the member said. Sometimes, that means ethically turning to AI during the pre-reporting process for insight on things like the top experts in the area, what research is out there and what news outlets have already covered.
Break up with clients who don’t meet your bar
Sometimes you don’t know whether working with a particular editor or publication is worth it until you try. The pay may be low, but if you always grow from the editor’s guidance or bring in additional assignments due to the outlet’s visibility, it may be a win. And the pay may appear high, but if the editing process is laborious or whitewashes the writing skills you value, it may be too stressful for the cost.
The clearest message you can send in a situation like the latter is to ditch the client. While it’s not always possible when you’re trying to pay the bills, remember that cutting off not-so-great clients often makes room for more good ones.
“I do have sympathy that the journalism industry as a whole is in big trouble, but the editors are still making money, the staff writers are making money,” one Lunch and Learn attendee said. “So as long as [the publication is] still standing, we shouldn’t be the bottom of the barrel.”
