Estimates
I’m happy to provide an estimate for any kind of project. Here’s what I need to know:

• Type of project Web content, news release, brochure, ad, etc.
• Scope Word count/number of pages.
• Data In what form will the information I need come to me, or where will I find it?
• Expected research Online, phone interviews, books, etc.
• Editing/revising Why are the changes being made? What’s the desired outcome?

Process
To do the best work possible, I want to know demographics (who your audience is), the tone you’re after (authoritative, serious, happy, humorous, long-winded, short-winded) and how the project fits into your overall marketing structure. This way I can write directly to the right people and say the things that will move them in the direction you want them to go.

Where design is involved, I can coordinate with the designer and review prototypes, if they’re available. This helps me to adjust the text to fit the layout and also gives me a grasp of the mechanics as the work unfolds. For web projects, if you have key words and phrases, I can thread them into the content according to your directive.

Drafts
Everything I send you will be in Microsoft Word. Typically I’ll produce a first draft that focuses on flow and content. Often this draft is very close to a finished product, sometimes it’s not. The first draft allows you to see things you might not have thought of, and the loose structure lets us easily adjust wording/phrasing as necessary.

Once we’ve done this, I’ll send a second, tighter draft. When you approve this (along with any new changes I may have made), I’ll send a “final” draft that has been line-edited and proofed. This draft schedule is “average” – a project may require more or fewer drafts.

Turnaround
This is something we’ll talk about at the outset. Turnaround time varies and depends on many factors, as you can imagine. If you have a stringent deadline, I can usually do what it takes to meet it.

Payment
For most new projects, depending on the scope, I ask for one-third to one-half of the estimated cost in advance. This can be sent by check as we begin work. (I don’t have to have the check literally in my hand before I start; I just like to know that it’s on the way.) When we’re finished, I’ll send an invoice showing the advance credit along with charges for all other work performed. Naturally, I prefer payment upon receipt of invoice, but if that conflicts with your system, just let me know what your system is.

For lengthy projects or in cases where we do various projects month-to-month, I’ll send a bill at the end of each month for work done during that month.

Communication
I’m ALWAYS available throughout the course of any project to talk. Just call or e-mail, any time. Work is smooth when all parties are “on the same page,” as they say – a principle I’m sure you realize daily in your own work. What I do for you may be just a small piece of the overall project, but I take it seriously and believe that everything can be a great thing when we all know what we’re doing.

Finally . . .
I hope this tells you what you need to know. We’ll cover it all in a simplified fashion during our talks, but it’s here if you want to read it. The goal for this and all other pages on this website was simple: create a place where you can easily learn about what I do and decide if I’m the type of person you’d like to work with (because productive relationships with freelance writers are about more than just the writing, believe me).

My intention is to do an outstanding job for every person I work with, every single time. The method I’ve outlined here was designed to make sure that happens. If you want me to call you to clarify anything, just let me know. You can call me any time, as well. Thanks for being here. I hope we can work together.