How do freelance technical writers deal with the thorny issue of payment?

Subject: How do freelance technical writers deal with the thorny issue of payment?
From: "Pippa Cohen" <cohenpippa -at- googlemail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 14:34:19 +0100

I would really appreciate some advice from any freelance technical writers
on the list.

After quite a few years working as a permanent technical writer in the UK, I
am about to embark on a freelancing career. I have a couple of potential
clients in the pipeline and I'd like some advice about how other freelance
technical writers approach payment terms - specifically:

- How do you decide whether to quote a fixed price, or a daily rate
for projects?


- For a large project that could span two or three months, is it
reasonable to ask for a percentage of the final payment 'up front' ? I've
looked at various websites and opinions vary from none, right up to 50%.


- Again, for long projects, is it the norm to stagger payments across
agreed milestones?

Thanks in advance.

Pippa.
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