As a writer, I sometimes get requests to re-write material. It may be the client’s own work. Or it may be something that the client has bought…perhaps a PLR ebook (where you are given limited rights and are supposed to change a portion of the writing to make it more tailored to your audience).
And, many may think that a re-writing job should cost them less than if they have a ghostwriter write something completely original up.
Wrong.
Many times, re-writing someone else’s work is actually more difficult than coming up with something completely original. Why? Because you are guided by another person’s writing and format…be it well or poorly written. And it takes time to wade through that written product and then formulate something original out of it.
Sure, a written product may spark a great idea. And if a client has a written product, it makes sense to look it over and glean some ideas and perhaps some of the formatting and layout from it.
But if you think it takes less time to work on it, you’re sorely mistaken. The writer has to read the product. The writer has to make sense of the product. The writer needs to come up with a way to bring a fresh voice and write an original product for you. And the fresh voice and original end product comes with the same fees.
You tell ‘em! Those who do not understand always take us for granted! Thanks for letting them know the real deal!
I completely agree. Rewriting can be a complete nightmare depending on who you’re working with. It’s definitely not easier, and you should definitely not get paid less for it.
Hear Hear!!! (or should that be Here! Here! … laugh)
Rewrites are easily as labor intensive as creating from scratch, and, as you point out, often MORE so.
Thanks for raising this item to consciousness!
Trish
You are so right about rewriting! Also, books written in collaboration are more difficult for similar reasons. My MotherStyles book, written with Janet Penley, took me much longer than it would have if I wrote it all myself. Twice as much work, actually–and then you have to split the proceeds. But it’s hard to get non-writers to understand this….
This is so true. I tire rather quickly of those who think I should write for FREE just because I’m a writer. Or those who think since I’m a writer, I should give them a discount on their written works. Ummmm does that same discount apply in reverse? Say you hire a contractor to redo your kitchen, will he give you a discount because he’s a contractor?
Good rant day – the wind is blowing here.
Jan
You’re going to hate me, but I am one of those who DO charge less for rewriting — in *general*.
However, I don’t underquote, here, and I reserve the right to charge my full “from scratch” rate.
For eg, if the copy needs to be rewritten but I deem the scope to be significantly different or larger than a typical rewrite, then my “from scratch” fee applies.
But other than that, if it’s a standard rewrite, I’ll charge my “cheaper” rewrite rate.
For me, copywriting is working out WHAT to say, and then figuring out HOW to say it. I find the first part the hardest or at least it take up a good chunk of my time. If a client presents me with something that needs to be rewritten, they have largely done the first part for me. Because of this, and the fact that I find the “HOW” part usually the easiest, I have fees for writing “from scratch” and others for rewriting existing copy.
Tracey
My “from scratch” fee is $2.50 per word. If copy is available and just needs to be rewritten, it’s $1.50 per word.
Ooops! Didn’t mean to put advertise my rates with my post — I was actually working on a proposal for a rewrite when I got distracted by Twitter alerting me to this post.
Sorry for any inconvenience there.
Tracey
@Christie, KGW, Trish, Diane and Jan – Sounds like I struck a cord with you guys!
It is a bit of a rant, I know…but the non-writers who hire writers sometimes need to hear an explanation. I remember way back when…I was selling tombstones at the family biz. And a customer asked me if I would give a discount if he bought two (don’t ask) and I looked at him and told him that two stones were double the work. There was no automation, there was no cookie cutter rubber stamp to crank out multiple headstones…each and every headstone is a custom job.
Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t give repeat customers/clients a break, or you shouldn’t EVER discount your prices…but I think for some folks they assume that if they order more, or order “differently” they should get some sort of break – and they do it as if they are providing YOU the favor when it is in fact more work.
Just sayin’…
@Tracey – You’ve got a healthy rate to begin with…so a little play might work for you and I’m hearing you on the copywriting thing of already having “something” to work with. I would say, though, in many other forms of writing (say, ebooks) the client is just looking for a writer to “spin it” or just say the same stuff, only different (diff tone, diff angle, diff style). And they assume it’s very easy…but it’s not. Or, rewriting a client’s article while trying to keep the same voice can be very restricting and require more intensive thought and consideration than just cranking out an article. That’s where the “I charge the same for rewriting” thing comes in to play.
This advice is really going to help, thanks.
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