Copywriting rates and process
Two things people want to know before they email: what this costs, and what happens after they say yes. Here’s both.
How I price
Most work is quoted by project. You tell me what you need, I ask questions, and you get a fixed number before anything starts. That number covers the brief, the draft, and two rounds of revisions.
Ongoing work runs monthly, for a small number of clients who need a writer on call. There’s no fixed term. Either of us can end it with 30 days’ notice.
If your procurement or accounting process requires hourly billing, I can work that way. Hourly projects start at a 15-hour minimum.
I don’t publish rates, because a landing page in a regulated category and a landing page for a candle brand aren’t the same job. Tell me what you need, and I’ll quote it within two business days.
How a project runs
The brief
You tell me what the copy needs to do, who it’s for, what’s been tried, and what the constraints are. I ask questions until I’m sure I understand the job. This is the part that determines whether the first draft lands close, so it’s the part I spend the most time on.
The draft
You get a complete first draft, not an outline. Timing depends on scope: A landing page is usually one to two weeks, an email flow is about the same, and a single ad takes a few days.
Revisions
Two rounds are included. Most projects use one. Feedback works best in writing, consolidated from everyone who has a say, so the second draft isn’t answering five people at once.
Final
You get clean copy in a Word file or Google Doc, depending on your team’s preference.
If I deliver a draft and don’t hear back within 10 business days, the project is considered complete. Feedback after that point is a new round, quoted separately.
Ongoing engagements
A monthly engagement means a defined output each month and a standing slot on my calendar, so your work never waits on a scoping call. What that output looks like depends on what you need: a mix of web, email, and campaign copy for most teams, with the same two-round revision process on each piece.
It’s built for marketing teams that don’t have a writer in-house and need senior copy regularly rather than once.
What I need from you
A good brief is the difference between one draft and four. The useful version has:
- What the copy needs to do, stated as an outcome
- Who’s reading it, and what they already know about you
- What’s been tried, and what happened
- Constraints: legal review, brand guidelines, character limits, required disclosures
- Who approves the final, and who else has a say
- Examples of copy you like, from anyone
If you don’t have all of that, that’s fine. The questions I ask will get us there.
What I don’t take on
Blog content, books, and long-form articles. Pharma. Projects that need a full agency team. If what you need is one of those, I’ll tell you early and point you somewhere better.
Tell me what your copy needs to do
Email: hello@greenwagonmedia.com
Call or text: (631) 210-7282