Why Hourly Billing is a Bad Idea for Freelance Writers
Think about training for a run. At first, you're slow, maybe taking an hour to cover a few miles. But as you get fitter and faster, you cover the same distance in less time.
Now, imagine if you got paid less for that run because you finished quicker. Sounds backward, right? That's kind of what can happen when you stick strictly to hourly billing as a freelance writer.
From my own journey and working with writers, I've seen how pricing strategy is a big deal, especially now with AI changing the game. Hourly seems simple, but let me share why I think it often holds you back and why focusing on the project's value usually makes more sense for both you and your clients.
Getting Faster Shouldn't Mean Earning Less
I used to struggle with this myself. You work hard, hone your craft, research faster, write cleaner... only to find your invoice amount shrinking for the same type of project. It feels like you're penalized for becoming more efficient.
Why should you earn less just because you've developed the skill to deliver great work faster? That never sat right with me. It creates this weird situation where being good at your job potentially hurts your income.
Keeping Clients Comfortable with Costs
Hourly rates can make clients nervous. They don't always know the final cost, and that uncertainty can lead to them watching the clock (and your timesheets) too closely, or maybe hesitating to ask for revisions they actually need.
I’ve found that clients really appreciate knowing the cost upfront.
A flat project fee gives them that budget certainty. It takes the guesswork out and lets everyone focus on the quality of the work, not just the minutes ticking by. It builds trust because the risk isn't all dumped on them if things take a bit longer than expected.
The Time-Tracking Trap
Honestly, tracking every single minute spent on emails, research, writing, and editing is a drain. Some clients might even ask for super detailed logs. All that admin time is time you're not spending on the actual creative work that delivers value.
I realized I was spending too much mental energy just tracking and not enough on the writing itself. It's like spending more time prepping your workout gear than actually working out.
Are You Charging for Time or Value?
This is the core issue for me. Hourly billing focuses only on the time you put in, not the value you create. A short, sharp piece of writing that brings a client fantastic results might take you less time than a longer, less impactful one.
With hourly, the less valuable piece could earn you more. That disconnect feels wrong. Your expertise and the results you deliver are worth more than just the minutes it took to produce the words.
Why Project Pricing Often Wins
Switching my approach to project-based pricing was a game-changer. Here’s why I think it works better:
- It Rewards Your Skill: If you can write that 1,200-word article brilliantly in two hours instead of four, you earn a better effective hourly rate. Project pricing actually rewards you for getting better and faster.
- Clients Love the Clarity: No scary surprise bills. Clients know exactly what they're paying from the start, which makes budgeting easier for them and usually leads to a smoother working relationship.
- You Can Price Strategically: I learned to price projects based on complexity, research needed, and the value I knew I could deliver, not just word count. Easier blog posts might have one rate, while more in-depth technical pieces or thought leadership articles command a higher fee, reflecting the effort and expertise involved.
When Hourly Might Still Fit
Now, I'm not saying hourly billing never makes sense. It can be the practical choice in specific situations:
- Fuzzy Scope: If a project's requirements are really unclear, or if it involves a ton of back-and-forth meetings and discovery calls outside of pure writing, hourly can protect you from endless unpaid work.
- Heavy, Unfamiliar Research: If you're diving into a topic you know nothing about and the research time is genuinely unpredictable, hourly can be fairer for that initial deep dive.
- Lots of Hand-Holding: For projects with many stakeholders needing constant communication or clients known for requesting endless revisions, hourly might be necessary to ensure you're compensated for all that extra management time.
Finding Your Best Fit: Beyond Pure Hourly
You don't have to be locked into just one model.
- Hybrid Approach: Sometimes, I've offered a fixed block of hours for a set fee. This gives the client budget control but also protects me if the scope creeps significantly.
- Project Rates Based on Your Hourly: Figure out your desired hourly rate and estimate how long different types of projects really take you (be honest!). Use that calculation to set your project fees. This way, you're basing your project rates on solid ground while still offering clients the fixed price they prefer.
- Value Pricing: As you gain experience and can clearly show the business results your writing achieves, you can move towards pricing based purely on the value you bring, especially in specialized niches. This takes confidence and proof, but it's where you truly get paid for your expertise, not your time.
Final Thought: Work Smarter, Not Just Harder
Choosing how you price your work is like deciding the best way to ride your motorcycle. You could just gun it everywhere, burning fuel and wearing yourself out (like tracking every minute).
Or, you can learn the roads, understand your machine, and ride efficiently, getting where you need to go smoothly and with energy to spare (like pricing for value).
For most freelance writers I know, including myself, moving away from strictly hourly billing towards project-based or value-based pricing leads to better income, happier clients, and less time spent on admin.
It aligns your pay with your skill and the results you deliver.
Take responsibility for your pricing, figure out what works for you and the value you provide, and don't be afraid to charge what your expertise is worth.