What is a good pay rate for freelance writing services?

Question

I am a freelance writer. Usually, the companies for which I work have a pre-determined rate for freelance services, such as $0.50 per word. I have recently been asked by a non-profit organization to help them write their newsletter, and they have asked me what my rate is. I have no idea what to tell them. I don't know what a fair rate is. Do I charge by hour, or by word? I'm at a loss, and I need to let them know soon. Any freelance writers out there, or anyone at all, please put your $0.02 in. Thanks.

Answer 1

I used to write for a marketing company that charged $100 an hour for writing press releases. Since you're freelance and don't have a large overhead, you might want to charge a bit less. You can bill for any extras, too, such as long distance phone calls.