I’ve been thinking a lot about per-word rates lately — and where they do and don’t work.
They make sense when the work is straightforward: a clear assignment, defined sources, a known angle. You’re executing.
But not all writing works that way. Some assignments start with ambiguity. The angle isn’t fully formed. The sources aren’t always identified. The throughline has to be shaped before anything can be written.
That’s where most of the work actually happens.
Even when everything is defined, the amount of work often has very little to do with the length of the piece.
A short article can require significant synthesis, interpretation, and iteration to get it right. Per-word pricing doesn’t account for that.
It assumes the story already exists — and that writing is the primary effort. But often, the real work is figuring out what the story is, and how to make it clear.
Lately, I’ve been thinking more in terms of scope than word count, especially for work that requires shaping, not just writing.
The output is visible. The thinking that makes it work often isn’t.
Fellow freelance writers, what are your thoughts? How are you addressing this?