FAQ

How do I contact you about contributing a piece for my blog, e-publication, or journal?
Leave a comment below, or a message on my LinkedIn profile. We can open a dialogue via e-mail about what you have in mind, and whether I think I can deliver a quality article that meets your requirements.

What about a commissioned article; how much do you charge? Do you have a fee schedule?
Here's the deal. I don't write to get rich. Most of my clients aren't rich either. They're giving me an opportunity to create something they need, and sometimes they're willing to pay me for it. For a self-described word nerd, it doesn't get any better than that.

Each assignment is unique in terms of what it takes to deliver the goods. I may have to immerse myself in research or conducting interviews for several days before I even write the first paragraph, or I may bang out an approval draft in an afternoon. I've read all the advice to writers about how to arrive at a fee, by the hour or by the page, and in my case having a brain wired for wordsmithing means something else had to get shortchanged; I'm terrible at this quantification stuff. Not only that, I dislike it greatly.

I don't have a flat fee, a standard fee, a minimum fee or a base fee. I don't like the thought of missing great assignments just because what I think is a fair amount to charge happens to be way over your budget. So if I accept an assignment, I also accept what the client offers. You'll get an e-mail from me that summarizes what we've agreed to, and that's our contract.

Please note (this is the fine print stuff:) All commissioned articles are submitted on approval. If you don't like it, you can reject it and there's no fee. The article itself belongs to me, in whole, and I reserve the right to submit it for publication elsewhere if you've formally (in writing) turned it down.

Do you require a byline?
For commissioned articles, yes. I'd prefer it for unpaid contributions, as well, but I also understand that it's not always possible. If you're pleased with my work, a reference would be gratefully appreciated!