Freelance Writer Invoice Template

You'll use your invoice to get paid for your writing work. 

Sending a complete and clear invoice puts your clients at ease because they know they are dealing with a professional. They can easily see the services and products they are paying for and when the payment is due. A well-designed invoice leads to fewer questions about amounts, payments, and deadlines.

Accepting multiple forms of payment is easier now than ever before. List the forms of payment you accept on your invoice and invite your customers to choose the easiest payment method. 

Another benefit is the space your invoice gives you to show off your writing skills. Without going overboard, make sure all the text on your invoice looks great and showcases the kind of writing you are being paid for.

You can use your writing invoice to bill clients for many kinds of writing:

• Sales copy
• Web content
• Blogging
• Guest posts
• Technical writing
• SEO writing
• E-book ghostwriting
• Scientific publications
• Biographies and non-fiction work
• Education materials

Whatever services you are billing your clients for, using a single form of billing will make life simpler. Connecting your invoices to a payment system and bank account will help you keep track of paid and unpaid bills easily.

Freelance writing invoice templates can bring several significant benefits to your business as a freelance writer. Utilizing a well-designed and tailored invoice template specifically created for freelance writers allows you to streamline your invoicing process and enhance professionalism. These templates provide a structured format that ensures you include all the essential details in your invoices, such as your business name, contact information, and the invoice date. By utilizing freelance writing invoice templates, you can easily itemize the services you provided to your clients, including the project description, word count, rates, and any additional charges. 

This level of transparency helps both you and your clients understand the scope of work and facilitates a smoother payment process. Furthermore, invoice templates can be customized to match your branding, allowing you to add your logo, color scheme, or other design elements that reflect your professional image. This personal touch enhances your credibility and brand consistency across all your invoices. In addition, using freelance writing invoice templates enables you to establish a more efficient invoicing system, saving you time and effort in creating invoices from scratch for each project.

With a standardized template, you can easily generate and send invoices to your freelance writing clients, ensuring accuracy and consistency. By streamlining your invoicing process, you can focus more on your core work as a freelance writer and build stronger client relationships. In conclusion, freelance writing invoice templates are invaluable tools that enhance your invoicing efficiency, professionalism, and branding, ultimately benefiting your freelance writing business. Sign up for Indy's free plan today and get a free template!

You can bill your clients by sending them an invoice. There are a few things to get right with your billing. Here's a short list:

• You can bill by the hour, milestone, or project. 
• Hourly billing is really common and you can use Indy's Time Tracker to track your hours easily. You can even add your time tracks to your invoices as line items.
• Milestone billing is useful for larger projects that will take place over several weeks or months. Set some milestones, such as the delivery of first stages, and send an invoice when those milestones happen. 
• Billing by the project is very common for freelancers. Once the client approves the final proof, send them the bill.
• Many freelancers take a deposit at the beginning of the project. This protects you from shady clients and sets you up for cash flow success. Deposits up to 50% are normal.
• You should set out your billing and payment terms in your contract. If you don't have a contract, use Indy's Contracts tool to create one before you start work.
• Once you finish the work or pass the milestone, send the client an invoice. If you don't have an invoice, you can use Indy's invoice generator to create a professional invoice in just a few moments.

That's it! Those are the basics of how to bill someone for your work. 

Writers charge per word or per project. Entry-level writers charge between $10-$20 per 1000 words. Experienced writers can charge between $100-$500 per 1000 words depending on the intended purpose of the writing. Sales writing, called copywriting, is the most lucrative freelance writing work.

But your experience level will also play a very important factor in how much you charge. Beginner writers will typically charge lower rates. As they gain more experience, experts will typically command two to three (or more) times the going rate for projects.

Here’s some general questions to think about when deciding what to charge for your services:

First, ask yourself, how much do I need to earn? Remember, you won't get paid for some of the work that comes with being a freelancer (like preparing your taxes, looking for more customers, and doing weekly admin work). So, your hourly or project rate needs to be a little higher to make up for the unpaid work that is part of every freelancer's life.

Second, how much do others charge for similar services at your level of expertise and experience? This question can be a little difficult to answer, but you can just ask. Join a Facebook group and ask. Call a local competitor and ask. Once you know what they charge, you can go under that if you're new to the market or over it if you're the boss.

Another massive item you should plan for is taxes. You'll be paying your own taxes as a freelancer, so your rates should incorporate the taxes you'll eventually have to pay. The average tax amount paid by Americans, for all taxes, is about 29%. This means you'll end up paying $3 in taxes out of every $10 you earn. Price your work to pay your taxes and be left with the income you want.

Your best rates will be different, because everyone's market is different. What works on Upwork might not be successful in a local area. Try a few different price points until you find the rate clients accept and you can live on.

This part is simple! Here's a step-by-step guide to getting your invoice done:

1. Open one of Indy's Freelance Writer Invoice Templates.
2. Add your business branding and information.
3. Insert your client's contact information.
4. Number your invoice in a useful way.
5. Fill in the lines with your work completed and the cost per task/hour.
6. Check the invoice total and details.

Once you've finished these six steps, you are ready to send your invoice to your client. Save it in your Indy workspace or download it as a PDF. Then, email it to your client so they can pay you.

It is possible to create your own freelance invoice templates using software like Google Sheets, Google Docs, or Excel invoice templates, but it is generally not recommended for several reasons. While these platforms offer basic formatting options, they lack the specialized features and functionalities specifically designed for creating professional invoices. Creating invoices from scratch in Google Sheets or Google Docs can be time-consuming and may lead to inconsistencies or errors in formatting. Additionally, these platforms may not have built-in calculations or automated features to streamline the invoicing process. Dedicated freelance invoice templates, on the other hand, offer pre-designed layouts and functionalities tailored specifically for freelance writers and invoicing. These templates often include customizable sections for important details such as client information, project descriptions, rates, and total amounts. They also have features to calculate subtotals, taxes, and discounts automatically, saving you time and reducing the chance of mistakes. Furthermore, using dedicated freelance invoice templates ensures a more professional appearance, as they are designed to reflect industry standards and best practices. By utilizing specialized invoice templates, you can streamline your invoicing process, present a more polished image to your clients, and focus on your core work as a freelance writer rather than spending time on invoice creation and management.

In short: Indy has a free invoice template. With Indy's free plan, you can create and send 3 invoices a month to see how it works for you. Indy offers an all-in-one platform for freelancers to manage all their admin work. When you sign up with Indy, your invoicing gets better because the other tools work together. For example, you can use Indy's Time Tracker to note the time spent on a project. When you're ready, the Invoice tool can automatically pull your unbilled hours for the project onto your invoice to make it ready to use. This makes your billing more accurate and saves time as well. When you set up your customers and projects with Indy, your entire workflow becomes smoother. Get started and grab your free invoice templates today!

When using a freelance writer invoice template effectively, there are several tips and best practices that can optimize your invoicing process. First, it's important to customize the invoice template to suit your specific needs and branding. Add your logo, choose appropriate colors, and ensure consistent formatting throughout. This personal touch enhances your professional image and reinforces your brand identity. 

Second, clearly specify the services you provided in detail, such as specific writing projects or writing services rendered. Break down the rates and quantities for each item, if applicable, to provide transparency and clarity to your clients. Additionally, consider including multiple payment options on your professional invoice template, such as credit cards, bank transfers, or online payment platforms. This flexibility can make it easier for your clients to choose their preferred method of payment, resulting in a smoother payment process. Make sure to include clear payment instructions, specifying the due date, any late payment penalties, and instructions for making the payment. By providing these details upfront, you reduce the chances of any confusion or delays. 

And finally, regularly review and update your invoice template to ensure that it aligns with any changes in your pricing or business policies. By following these best practices and utilizing a well-designed writing invoice template, you can create professional invoices that effectively communicate your services, streamline your invoicing process, and facilitate prompt payment from your clients.