When you’re first starting out as a freelance writer, it’s quite a surprise to discover how many different kinds of writing gigs there are out there. You’ll find yourself answering questions like this one: “How much can I get paid for writing?” You’ll soon learn that there’s no exact answer to this question, since it depends on so many factors. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to understand what this question means, in the first place. When someone asks you how much you can get paid for writing, they are usually talking about one of the following scenarios:
Scenario 1
You’re an experienced writer with several publications under your belt, and you’ve recently been approached by a TV producer to write a script for their show. Before you say yes, you ask them how much they can pay you. They tell you that they can’t guarantee you any specific amount, but they’ll try to make it as good as possible. You then negotiate with them about the payment, since you want to be sure you’ll get your money back if they don’t deliver the script on time. You eventually reach an agreement and start working on the script.
In this scenario, you’ll mostly be asked to write an episode of a popular TV show. The TV producer will go through the script with a red pen, making notes and correcting any grammatical errors. You can expect to be paid per episode, and you may or may not get a bonus if they decide to air a certain number of episodes in a row. Most importantly, you’ll need to ensure that you negotiate a good deal, otherwise you’ll end up earning far less than you would have if you’d agreed to their first offer.
Scenario 2
You’re a beginner writer who has just completed a creative writing degree and is now looking for a job. You answered an advertisement in a magazine for writers, and were soon contacted by a TV producer to write a spec script for their show. You’ve never written for television before, but considering the position you’re in, you feel compelled to say yes. You then start working on the script, which takes you a while to complete.
In this scenario, you’ll be presented with a complete episode of a popular TV show. The script will be given to you in advance, and you’ll just need to turn in the completed episode within a certain amount of time. You won’t get paid for this episode, but rather for the overall project (which can be from one to several episodes). Overall earnings will depend on how many stories you were able to complete within the deadline. Just keep in mind that the more you write, the better your chances of getting paid. However, this doesn’t guarantee you’ll get paid for every story you write. The good news is that this is usually a solo project for writers, so you’ll be the only person working on the script. This means you can dictate the amount of money you’ll need, and the producer will have to agree. However, sometimes you’ll get a script with several other writers, and in that case you’ll have to negotiate with the other writers as well, to divide the profits from a completed project. If they decide to pay you per script, you can also ask for a raise, as long as you deliver on time. Remember, it’s always better to ask for more money, rather than less, in cases like this, since you’ll always have another writing project pending (and you won’t get paid for this one, either).
Scenario 3
You’re an experienced writer whose work has previously appeared in popular publications like The New Yorker and McSweeney’s. You’ve recently been hired by a TV producer to write an adaptation of a recently released movie. You’ve got a free week, so you start working on the script, which you believe will be quite a challenge. You start getting bored of the movie, and decide to add some funny anecdotes from your own life, to spice things up a bit. After all, this is a comedy, and a light-hearted one at that.
In this scenario, you’ll get to work with an experienced script consultant to help you prepare the script for prime time. They’ll tell you which scenes from the film need to be changed, in order to make it work for television. You’ll then need to go through the entire script, and change each scene according to their suggestions. You’ll need to add in some new material, since the film didn’t contain enough laughter to make it a full length comedy. Finally, you’ll need to do some research into how much comedy shows like this one earn per episode, and come up with an idea for what you think you’re worth. Remember, it’s always better to ask for more money, rather than less, in cases like this, since you’ll always have another writing project pending (and you won’t get paid for this one, either). After all, the more you write, the better your chances of getting paid. This is how much you can get paid for writing on a TV show.