Re: How do freelance technical writers deal with the thorny issue ofpayment?

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

Keeping in mind that I have much more experience as a contractor
client than as a contractor, I have three options, which I offer to
a prospective client and let them choose:

1.  Blanket consultant rate.  A per-hour rate fixed over
     the life of the contract, with no set number of hours 
     per time period in total.  Anything they need, anytime 
     I'm available, with no assurance of work for me or 
     of my availability at any given time.  The highest rate.

2.  Hourly services rate.  A per-hour rate fixed over the
     life of the contract, with a specified minimum number 
     of hours per week.  I guarantee my availablity for at
     least that number of hours, they pay me for them
     whether they need me or not, but if one project runs
     short of the hours I/they expect I will do other work
     for them.  More hours or a longer term require a new
     quote, but usually if I'm available I just charge the same
     hourly rate.  Mid-price rate

3.  Fixed price for one project over a term.  A fixed amount
     to do a single project over a specified term (X dollars
     paid over Y months, I bill them X/Y each month).  My
     project deliverables and deadlines specified in the 
     contract and based on their project milestones *on the 
     date the contract is signed.*  If they want anything else 
     instead of or in addition to the contract deliverables, that 
     is a separate contract.  This is the lowest rate, but requires 
     the client to actuially have a project schedule at the time 
     the contract is signed (to become an attachment to the
     contract), and if the client's adherence to their own 
     schedule is not absolutely set in stone they run the risk 
     that if they slip they may run out of either X or Y too 
     soon.  I warn in advance that if this happens during the 
     home stretch of their project it.will almost always put 
     them into option 1.

So far, everyone I've done contract work for has opted for 
either 1 or 2.  As a client, my preference is always for 2.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pippa Cohen" <cohenpippa -at- googlemail -dot- com>
>   - How do you decide whether to quote a fixed price, or a daily rate
>   for projects?
>   - For a large project that could span two or three months, is it
>   reasonable to ask for a percentage of the final payment 'up front' ? I've
>   looked at various websites and opinions vary from none, right up to 50%.
>   - Again, for long projects, is it the norm to stagger payments across
>   agreed milestones?

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