Should Freelance Writers Ever Work for Free?

Whatever stage you’re at in your freelance writing career, you will inevitably encounter clients who want you to work for free.

But is the right answer always a firm “no”? For freelancers, the question of working for free is a little more complex than that.

Should Freelancers Ever Work for Free?

Unfortunately, there’s no definite answer to this question.

Whether you choose to work for free or not depends on a number of different factors, including:

• Your goals as a freelancer
• The stage you’re at in your career
• Whether you’re producing free work for a client, or some other context
• The nature of the work itself

See below for some broad ideas of when you should say “yes” or “no” to working for free.

When to Say “No” to Working for Free

In most cases, working for free as a freelance writer may not be the best idea.

As well as the obvious financial drain, working for free can often devalue your work in the eyes of other potential clients. As you’ve provided work for free before, you may be seen as unprofessional and your work worth less than projects clients have paid for.

Because the risks of working for free can often outweigh the benefits, you should say “no” if:

• Your client is a large company or obviously has the financial means to pay you your full rate
• The work you have been asked to do is especially long, complex, or requires specific technical skills
• Doing work for free will noticeably reduce the time you can spend taking on paid work

Of course, you’re well within your rights to say “no” to any request for unpaid work. But sometimes, working for free can be beneficial.

When to Consider Working for Free

Saying “no” to unpaid work is not always the right course of action. But if you do choose to work for free, it’s important that you do so in a way that respects your skills and the value of your work.

Whether you choose to offer your skills for free will depend on your own goals, motivations, and career progress, but generally speaking, there are a few scenarios where working for free could be in your best interests.

Working for Free As a New Freelancer

If you’re new to freelance writing, finding those initial clients who are willing to pay for your services can be a challenge.

This is especially true if you don’t have any previous experience or writing samples to demonstrate your skills.

So, to make it easier to find paying clients as you progress in your career, consider offering some free work to those initial few clients. Pro bono work as a new freelance writer provides you with:

• The opportunity to hone your skills as a writer and freelancer
• A better understanding of the subjects or formats you prefer
• Material to use in your portfolio
• Feedback, testimonials, and referrals from real-life clients

You should still take care not to say “yes” to every request for free work, though! Take the time to decide if working on a project for free is relevant to your career goals or will help you progress as a freelancer.

If it doesn’t have any clear benefits, it’s probably best to turn the work down.

Working for Free As an Experienced Writer

Experienced freelance writers are much less likely to work for free, as the payoff rarely makes it worth it.

However, even if you are a freelancer with a little more experience under your belt, you might still consider volunteering your services if:

• It’s for a cause, non-profit organization, or small business that you want to support
• It will help you market your freelance business (e.g., guest blogging)
• It’s a requirement for securing a paid job or project (e.g., speculative work)

As above, you should only agree to do any work for free if it’s clear that you or a cause you support will benefit from it.

Alternatives to Working for Free

Sometimes, you might encounter clients who request free work for a variety of genuine reasons. They may be inexperienced in working with freelancers or want to be reassured that you’ll complete the work to the standard they require.

But of course, you can’t always agree to free work.

In cases where working for free isn’t an option, but your regular rates don’t fit the bill either, there are several alternatives you could consider, such as:

• Providing free samples
• Offering discounts
• Setting up bundle packages

As with offering work for free, though, be careful not to undervalue your work by providing too many hefty discounts and deals. As we explain in our post on the subject, it’s all about striking the right balance.

Becoming A Freelance Writer

Proper training can minimize the need to take on free work as a new freelancer.

Enroll in our Becoming A Freelance Writer course for expert training in freelance content writing and attracting your first clients. Pass the course successfully, and we’ll set you up with immediate work and professional writing samples to display in your portfolio.

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