3 Pricing Fears All Freelance Writers Face (And How To Beat Them)

The subject of pricing is a hot topic in freelance writing circles.

But the “business of pricing” isn’t really about the price itself. The largest barrier to increasing the price you quote on sales calls isn’t actually knowing how much to charge.

The biggest obstacles to overcome are:

• Faulty pricing beliefs
• Not realizing what’s possible for yourself
• Getting in your own way when communicating your value

We’ve spoken to hundreds of writers brand new to the world of ghostwriting and the root cause of all their pricing fears (and what puts those obstacles in their way) is how you feel about yourself.

You can be handed everything to seal the deal:

• How much you should charge
• How to frame the value and package your service
• The script for how to overcome any logical objection the potential client might have

But unless you believe you deserve it, you’ll never ask for the price you want.

Let’s dive into the 3 pricing fears holding you back (and how to overcome them).

Fear #1: “I’m afraid the client is going to say ‘No.’”

If you’re a struggling writer trying to make rent, you’re not going to take the risk of losing a potential client by pushing up your rates.

When you’re stuck in a scarcity mentality, you don’t optimize for upsides. All you focus on is the risk of quoting a higher price. You avoid pitching any kind of premium pricing because if you lose, you’ve lost that month’s rent. You end up working 14 hour days, writing for seven different clients and barely keeping your head above water.

The way to beat this fear is by putting 20% of your time aside to place bigger bets. In other words, try pitching higher and higher prices.

If you fail, you have your 80% to fall back on and you’ve just eliminated a low-paying client (that’s a good thing!).

Fear #2: “I’m afraid the client is going to get upset.”

We’re taught from a very young age that other people determine our value: your teachers, your employer, and authority figures.

These people decide how quickly you ascend up the ladder and if you challenge them you’re considered “disrespectful” or “out of line.” So it’s easy to see why freelancers get so caught up on making sure they don’t rock the boat — as it might ruin their chances of keeping or winning a client. Telling your client you’re raising your prices seems loaded with risk.

But, luckily for us, that’s now how the real world works. The kind of people you want to work with celebrate you for “moving up” by raising your prices. And if they do get upset when you raise your prices, they’re the kind of client you don’t want to be working for anyway.

Beating this fear is about pushing your own boundaries so you can work with clients who also want to push their own boundaries — the kind of clients you can learn a lot from.

Fear #3: “I’m afraid I won’t be able to deliver.”

All writers, no matter their level, suffer from some form of imposter syndrome.

A bit of self-doubt is a good thing — it pushes you to get better at what you do and hone your skills. If you’re thinking those thoughts, then it’s highly likely you’ll be able to deliver (and probably overdeliver). It’s just a matter of increasing your pattern recognition in a particular area — i.e. put in more reps and practice.

But even once you’ve honed your skills, you’re still working countless hours complaining you’re “underpaid”.

That’s because doing the work and charging more are 2 different skills.

The key to getting paid more doesn’t just come from working harder. It comes from practicing charging more! It’s the only way you’re going to increase your rates and practice the skill to of charging what you’re worth (and what you’ve worked so hard for).

By the way — I firmly believe the single most effective way to earn 6 figures as a writer is to become a Premium Ghostwriter.

• Land $5k-$10k clients • Earn a dividend on your talents • Get paid to learn & build your network

Here’s how: Premium Ghostwriting Blueprint