TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
The idea of a flat fee doesn't mean one fee regardless of the project.
You can either give them a flat fee based on length/difficulty of a
project or how many passes you'll be required to make, or how many
tables/sidebars vs full text pp. But you need some context for a bid.
For example, using $rate x [#pp / hr/pp rate] e.g.,
$25 x [240pp/3pp/hr] or 80 hr = $2,000
Make sure you know the ratio of ms pp to printed pp. (usually ms pp is
10 words per line x 25 lines double spaced) and be sure to use the MS PP
in your estimates or you'll be working or 1/2 to 1/3 the real worth of
the project.
An alternative to hr/pp is a page rate. In either case, your fee needs
to be based on some info.
If your client tends to do approximately the same product each time
(e.g., a series of monographs w/illus and tables or sidebars--all about
50 pp), then you could offer a price per issue.
Probably a good idea to build in a price review/adjustment after 2 or 3
projects, once you're more experienced with the client
