The Tricky Issue Of Getting Paid As A Copywriter

Whatever draws you to copywriting as a career, ultimately what you hope for at the end of the day is something to show for it, and that means money in your bank. However, writers, as with many other kinds of freelancers and contractors, often find that they struggle around getting paid – because of a combination of their own poor practices and having to deal with unreliable clients. So what can you do to make all this easier, and to ensure you do actually get paid as a copywriter? Here are some key notes on this topic that you’ll want to bear in mind.

Invoicing

It’s vital that you send out invoices if you want to get paid. The invoice plays a number of functions within your solo business. For one, it is an official document that makes plain the fact you have carried out some work for someone, and you expect payment as per the agreed fee schedule. It’s also a necessary resource for when you complete your tax return each year, and something you have to keep on file for five years. An invoice should have the date, the work carried out, the sum due, and payment details, as a minimum.

Methods of Payment

There are actually a lot of different ways to take payments as a freelance copywriter, so you might want to consider having a couple of these in place at any one time, to ensure that you can still get paid no matter what. As well as accepting bank transfers, which are generally easy and simple for both parties, you might consider having a secure payment api on your website, as well as a card reader for in-person transactions. The more methods of payment you accept, the easier it is to get paid.

Agencies

If you are looking for a steadier way to get paid as a copywriter, then you might want to consider getting a job through an agency. One thing about this kind of work is that it is steady, and you can be sure you will be paid regularly and without fuss. You won’t ever need to chase anyone for payment, and often you will be able to withdraw your money whenever you need to. All of those are clearly strong benefits to agency work, so it’s something you may want to consider in order to make it easier to get paid.

Disputes

From time to time, you may have disputes between you and your client. When that happens, it’s vital that you can find a way through which is acceptable to both parties. The first thing is always to simply speak with your client, as it may simply be that they have forgotten to pay or been unable to because of circumstances beyond their control. If they are still not forthcoming, you do have other options, including legal ones, so it’s always important to remember that you can do that. And again, if you have an invoice, all the better.