6 Things You Must Include in Your Freelance Writing Contracts
By: Colleen Welsch
Tags: Freelancing, Freelance Writing, Freelance Writer, Contracts, Freelance

Image credit: Minh Pham on Unsplash

Are you using a freelance writing contract to protect yourself and your work? Because you really should be!

Using a freelance writing contract sounds complicated, but it’s super simple. You can even write your own freelance writing contract!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t.

Keep reading to learn about the benefits of using freelance writing contracts, and how to write your own.

Also, for legal reasons, I have to tell you that I am not a lawyer, so none of this post constitutes legal advice! This is simply how I handle contracts in my own freelance writing business. If you need legal advice, speak to a licensed attorney.

What’s a Freelance Writing Contract?

A freelance writing contract is a document that outlines the services you will perform for the client, as well as the compensation you will receive from the client.

The contract also includes other information, like who owns the rights to the work and whether you can use it in your portfolio.

If you have the resources, I recommend hiring a lawyer to put together a freelance writing contract template for you. Alternatively, you can create your own contract (instructions below), and have a lawyer review to make sure that everything is kosher.

Using a freelance writing contract is an important step in ensuring your work and your money are protected. Image credit: Unsplash

5 Reasons to Use a Freelance Writing Contract

1. Freelance Writing Contracts Help You Get Paid

We’ve all heard horror stories of freelance writers who haven’t been paid for their work.

While a freelance writing contract can’t force your client to pay you (you’d have to go to a collections agency or small claims court for that), clients are less likely to skip out on payment when they’ve signed a contract. Hopefully, you’ll never need to take any steps to collect payment other than reminding them that they’ve signed a contract.

2. Freelance Writing Contracts Make Sure That You’re Fairly Compensated

Have you ever heard of “scope creep”?

Scope creep is when clients ask you to complete tasks that weren’t defined in the original project scope. And if you’re charging a flat fee for the project, that means you’re doing more work for the same amount of money. You are entitled to be paid for that additional work!

Using a freelance writing contract protects you from scope creep because the contract clearly defines what work you will do for the client. If your client asks for more work, you can renegotiate the contract to make sure that you’re fairly compensated for completing additional work.

And buddies, if this happens to you, speak up! Most clients don’t even realize that they are doing this. There is nothing wrong with being paid for all your hard work!

3. Freelance Writing Contracts Protect Your Clients

Your contract legally says that your client will receive your work in return for their money. They know that you’re not just going to take their money and run! This makes clients feel safer and creates a greater sense of trust.

If a client doesn’t pay, hopefully, you’ll never need to take any steps to collect your payment other than reminding them that they’ve signed a contract. Image credit: Unsplash

4. Using Freelance Writing Contracts Positions You as a Professional

We are all about positioning ourselves as professionals here, and using a freelance writing contract will do just that! When you send over a contract to a potential client, they know you mean business and you know what you’re doing.

Want to learn more about positioning yourself as a professional? Read this post on exceeding client expectations!

5. Freelance Writing Contracts Weed Out Shady Clients

Trustworthy clients will have no problem signing a contract. Shady clients, on the other hand, will balk and try to talk you out of it. Whether you decide to work with a client without a contract is up to you, but refusing to sign a freelance writing contract is always a red flag.

Can I Write My Own Freelance Writing Contract?

If you have the budget, I recommend working with a lawyer to create a freelance writing contract template that you can reuse for all of your clients, only changing small details to fit each project.

If budget is a concern, you can write your own freelance writing contract using the instructions below.

However, you should still need to have a lawyer review your contract just to make sure that there are no loopholes. There’s no need to spend a lot of money on this part. Call in a favor with a friend who went to law school, or use an online legal service like LegalZoom.

Another option is to use client management software like Honeybook, which manages all your proposals, invoices, and contracts for you. While a little pricey, it can save you a lot of time and stress in the long run.

You can write your own freelance writing contract, but you’ll want a lawyer to review it before you send it to clients. Image credit: Unsplash

What Should a Freelance Writing Contract Include?

You can customize your freelance writing contract to fit the circumstances of each project and your business. But you always want to include the following elements:

Contract Header and Introduction

Start by identifying your document by typing “CONTRACT AGREEMENT” in a font size that’s larger than the rest of the document.

Beneath this, on the left side of the page, type your business name (if you have one), your name and title, and your contact details. Beneath that, add the contact information for your client and the date.

Then give a brief overview of the work you will perform for the client, and the date that you will begin the work.

Project Details and Scope of Work

Next, you’ll provide details about the work you’ll be doing for the client. Be very specific about what it is you’ll be doing, as well as what you won’t be doing. That way, later, if your client asks you to do something that wasn’t in the scope of work stated in the contract, you can charge them an extra fee.

Invoicing and Payments

Here is where you state how much you will be paid, when you will be paid, and how.

You can also ask for a percentage upfront. You will also tell the client when you will send them an invoice. Additionally, you should state how long the client has to pay your invoices, and what happens if they don’t pay on time.

Each freelance writing contract should be customized to fit the circumstances of each project and your business, but there are six essential things you need to include. Image credit: Unsplash

Copyright, Canceling, and Confidentiality

As a new freelance writer, you need to work on building your portfolio. So you want to make sure that your contract states that while the client will own the rights to the work, you’ll still get to display the project in your freelance writer portfolio to gain new clients.

You also want to include a clause about confidentiality, like that you won’t share your client’s business secrets with anyone else.

Additionally, include a statement about what happens if the client wants to cancel the project.

Right to Terminate

If your contract is for an ongoing, monthly project (like writing monthly blog posts), you’ll also want to include a section that defines the procedure for canceling the contract. Your client may decide that they want to go in a different direction with their marketing, or you might decide that the client is no longer a good fit.

Make sure you allow enough time to prepare for the loss of income if the client does decide to terminate the contract.

Signatures

Finally, it’s time to sign the contract! Create a statement that says that the client acknowledges and accepts the terms of work outlined in the contract.

Then add two signature lines at the bottom of the contract. One should have your name typed beneath the line, and the other should have your client’s name (use the contact person if your client is a business). Making sure that you both sign the contract is crucial because it means that you and your client agree to one another’s terms.

Then save the contract as a PDF file and send it to your client, asking for their signature. A digital signature is fine. When they send the signed contract back to you, countersign it and send them a copy so that they have the signed contract for their records.

Looking for a sample freelance writing contract?

Need to see a sample freelance writing contract so you know exactly what I’m talking about? This is the actual contract that I use for my business.

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