Pricing Commissioned Writing
I do a lot of commissioned writing (see me about details, eh? EH!? PLEASE!?) and how I base my pricing is really dependent on what I’m doing, writing wise..
Freelance writing rates are very good, and I think if you’re writing for business entities you should demand standard freelance rates! For fics and social-media type stuff, I get wanting a different price-point. Hourly minimum wage as a start is always a safe and awesome way to start (include research time for the love of god, please!)
But for fics, another great way to think about it is to look at how the artists are pricing things. Just like their art, your fics are gestural, and as you add more detail, it becomes more expensive.Think about it like:
Sketch = Drabble (800 words)
Line Art = One-shot (2000 words)
Color = 3500 words
Shading = 5500 words
Just like with artists, the more complicated the background of the story, the more characters, the more involved: the more money.
Complex Backgrounds, Extra Characters = Big Bang-ready fic (10k words)
Highly Realistic = Novella (25-30k words)
Oil on Canvas = Novel (50k)
Like artists do, consider what adds a lot of time to YOUR work, and maybe add price modifiers on for those things. Spitballling here, but maybe something like:
Complex Hair/Scars = Unique Character traits
Different Perspective = AU requiring extra research
Bust vs. Waist-up vs. Full body = Character Study vs. Romance vs. Ensemble cast
Some things to consider, because this method of pricing sure does have some caveats:
this system works best on the low word-count end, and once you get to that 10k words level, the amount of research and plotting REALLY skyrockets, so your prices here may start to be much higher than an artist at the ‘equivalent’ level. That’s fine!
You gotta loosen up a bit! If you’re writing a drabble, you can’t be worried about how the characters got in that room or that situation or whatever, just like an artist doing a sketch is not thinking about why their character is wearing a jacket or ‘that hat.’ Different sizes of story really take different levels of detailed planning. Don’t be afraid to skip some details if you’re just writing 3000 words!
Make sure you know how quickly you can produce each level, so you don’t get over-run!
Every artist has one of those niches that is really their bread-and-butter. If your thing is 2000 word one-shots, MAKE SURE YOU ARE CHARGING ENOUGH! That’s what people know you for, after all!
I like this method, despite the problems, because it allows people to compare with a broad range of talent. Commissioned authors can be hard to find, but commissioned artists are plentiful on tumblr, so you can compare with a lot of different people and find a pricing scheme that works for you!
It’s also really salient to the public who is used to seeing this sort of pricing scheme, and I’ve found makes them more likely to commission if they know they’re having a similar experience.
More than anything, I like how it refocuses your writing! What you do is like what artists do: use a little to convey a lot of character! The more detail, the more background, or the more scope that needs to be conveyed, the harder you work.
Commissioned writing can be fun and can really help improve your stuff, and yes, finding people who will comment on a fic, much less pay for one, is HARD. But please at least get a sense of the value of your work, even if you aren’t going to do commissions!! It can really help you realize “Holy crap, I am a good writer! I am also so generous!”
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