I've worked as a professional freelance writer for 15, and like any freelancer, I've got horror stories about getting paid. But if I've learned anything, it's that that charging by the hour is bad arrangement for everybody - both the writers and their clients! It guarantees lots of unnecessary stress and a very bad working relationship. Here's a list of the seven best reasons that freelance writers shouldn't charge their clients by the hour.
1. Ultimately, it's just plain unprofessional. You're saying to the client, "I can't tell you how much this will cost you, and even I don't know what it's worth!" It makes it hard for everybody to budget - both you and them. How much are you going to earn from the job? You won't know, unless you can perfectly predict exactly how many hours it will take you...in advance! And it's even worse for the poor person who's hired you. How much is the job going to cost them? Nobody knows!
2. The vortex of follow-up editing requests. Invariably your client will want to go over what you've written, offering their input and feedback - and then requesting some additional changes. The inevitable conversation at that point is that "This isn't writing. This is us going over your previous work, for which I've already paid..." But it takes just as long to re-write a piece as it does to write it the first time.
3. Cost-consciousness creates bad writing. You won't want to endure those pleading phone conversations where they're saying "Try not to take too long - I'm trying to save money!" But you'll want to do a good job, which means researching your topic thoroughly and then polishing the quality of your writing. Sometimes you'll need to diligently perform fact-checking on the technical statements that you've made. Your client may not understand all the work that goes into your finished product. So in the end, their concerns about cost may pressure you into turning in something that's less than the best you can do.
4. It builds a better relationship. Billing is probably the most important part of the way a freelance writer deals with their client. If some part of your work is not to their liking, you'll want to address it so they'll keep coming to you in the future. Think of it as being not just one job, but a long string of jobs which will follow. (And that's even before you consider other jobs from positive word-of-mouth referrals!) It's basically just a fair business practice. Your client has a right to be satisfied with the work that you've done for them.
5. Expectations. Anyone who's worked with professional writers in the past will know that hourly rates just isn't the way it's done in the world of professional publishing. So requesting an hourly rate sends a damaging message to prospective clients: that you don't know how a real writer charges for their work. After they hang up the phone, there's a chance that they'll tell their colleagues: "My freelance writer thinks he's a mechanic!"
6. Mathematics. There just isn't a direct correlation between what your article is worth and the number of minutes that you spend writing it. Think of your work as a finished product, a work of art. You need to work your magic - however long it takes. Leo Tolstoy didn't keep his meter running while he was crafting "War and Peace." And very few clients can double the value of an article you've written if they ask you to double its size. It's the quality of your writing that you're charging them for - not the bulk and mass of it!
7. Honestly, it's less fun. During your research you may discover fascinating new information that you want to pursue for your own interests. You can wrench your brain through a zig-zagging series of on-the-clock moments and off-the-clock moments - or you can follow your instincts at their own speed, knowing that it's not going to affect your payment rate or your client's bill. In the end everyone will be happier if you charge a single, set fee for your freelance writing assignments. Just be sure that while you're following your instincts - you still get the finished product in on time!