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[Uplinked]

Hello everyone!

So, I'm about a month into the writing scene, and people simply won't take, "Oh, I work for free." As an answer anymore. I'm a freelance writer, and I write scripts, dialogue, and lore. The thing is, I have ZERO ideas on what I should be charging for this. I'd love to turn this into a business someday, and that's exactly what I'll be going to college for, later on, however, I'd love some help with some rates. I'd like a per word system because tracking hours I write is next to impossible.

If anyone, a game dev who has hired freelancers before and paid a system they were happy with, or freelancers that have charged for word rates have any tips, I'd be extremely grateful. If you'd like information that could help you determine how much I should charge, I'd be happy to provide.

[Peace Soft]

I'd recommend developing your skills, not your business. I didn't respond to your portfolio thread because I didn't think I could avoid being mean, but if people are turning down free work from you, you shouldn't be confused as to why.

It sounds like you're very young, which is good. You have a lot of time to pursue your craft, which means not only writing but reading-- reading the best and most rewarding stuff you can find, not settling into a comfort zone-- and building a portfolio that shows you can provide the services you're selling. More life experience will also help you with those things.

You might want to cool it with the self-aggrandizement, a little. That's a personal opinion, though.

Good luck out there. You have the desire to do this, so with time and effort you really will be really good.

[Uplinked]

I like the points within your first paragraph. I should have elaborated more, though. When I say that a work for free and people don't take it as an answer, I had meant that they insist on paying me for my work. This isn't the case for all of them, mind you. People in need of work have definitely hired me, so thankfully I haven't had any confusion there. I agree that I need to work on improving. Another tip I've gotten is to get experience through doing. Finding game devs that are around my level, then working and growing with them. It's been rather helpful. You even made the same point at the end of your second paragraph! Haha.

I appreciate the fact that you pointed out my self-aggrandizement though. I hadn't meant it that way, but I can completely see how it would be taken that way. When I've written, I like to throw in a lot of irony and satire where I can, but I tend to overdo it, and it really is rather hit or miss, varying from piece to piece and reader to reader and it's something I agree that I need to relax with.

Finally, to touch on your last point. My portfolio was rather... Lackluster. Putting it lightly on myself. I did delete it and I'm now using writing samples on my website instead. They feel more clean, polished, and better yet, I've written them recently. Most of the work in my portfolio came from a year or more ago. I had wanted to populate it and fill it with something for people to read, but most of the work in there was far less than talented.

I really appreciate your tips, Peace Soft. I'll keep them in mind for the future!