One of the hardest aspects of self-employment is pricing projects correctly. We can’t always follow a magic formula or set standard, and it’s often beneficial to price projects on a case-by-case basis. Still, there’s no fool-proof method for getting it right, and we sometimes undercut ourselves.

I’ve been a freelance writer for more than six years, and honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever master the pricing game. My biggest obstacle is determining whether a project is worth my time. I’ve responded to ads that sounded pretty clear cut and simple. But once the potential client sends the guidelines and requirements, it’s an entirely different story. Now comes the tricky part….estimating the amount of research, writing, and editing involved, which ultimately determines whether the price is fair and whether I’ll accept the assignment.

No matter how many times I play this game, I can never get it 100% right. I’ve been on a roll before, wherein every new project in a six month time span was more than worth my time. But like always, I get hit with a sneak attack, and halfway through the project I start thinking, “what did I do to deserve this misery.” In my experience, projects can take twice as long to complete because:

1. I underestimate the amount of research necessary to write said topic, and/or

2. there isn’t enough research in the world to fulfill the outrageous word count,

But, no project is perfect. And if I’m going to call myself a freelancer, telecommuter, independent contractor, etc. - this is an aspect of the business I’ve got to accept.