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Welcome to the 38th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you grow your freelance business with confidence. Get tips, tools, and insights every other Friday to help you save time, make money, and work smarter based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

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Hi, Friend!

You know firsthand how lonely freelancing can be sometimes, right? I strongly encourage you to find other freelancers in your area and meet in person. (Ditto for clients and editors, too.)

It’s so refreshing to meet with someone who “gets” the freelance mindset, whether they’re full-time freelancers or just dabbling in freelance projects on the side.

It’s even more meaningful for me when I discover that they’re also newsletter subscribers 😊, like these two wonderful freelancers….

Last summer, I met up with Kirsten Harrington at an Orlando-area coffee shop, where we dished on the challenges and rewards of freelance writing. And this past weekend, Sandra Pedicini introduced me to a new coffee shop, where we talked about the shaky state of freelancing right now, the impact of AI, and our mutual love of yoga.🧘‍♀️

As soon as you're done reading this newsletter, make plans to meet up with a local freelancer for coffee or lunch. No amount of emails or Zoom calls can replace a face-to-face conversation.

Today’s newsletter highlights how I doubled my fee with a brand new client.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

✅ Confidence enables negotiation.
✅ Justify rush job premiums.
✅ Set value expectations early.

Today’s issue is brought to you by Authory. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer! ⬇️ 

Looking for the last newsletter? Find it here: EF #37: 🍂 How To Fall Forward and End 2025 On A High Note

The Numbers Don't Lie: Your Votes Are In

After 37 issues and 17 months of writing this newsletter, I wanted to share these poll results with you because they genuinely make me proud of what we've built together. These 160 votes represent real readers who take the time to engage, and that level of participation means the world to me as a creator.

The fact that 85.6% of you consistently rate each issue as "Excellent! Keep bringing the value" tells me we're on the right track, and your feedback drives me to keep delivering the insights and practical tips you find most valuable.

Thank you for being such incredible readers!

P.S. If you’re wondering where I got all this subscriber feedback, look for the “Gimme Feedback” section near the end of every newsletter. Let me know what you think!

Know of a good resource? Tell me!

How I Doubled My Fee With a New Client

Sometimes it’s fun (and eye-opening 👀) to remind yourself how far you’ve come—whether that’s in skillset, income, confidence, client roster, or something else.

I recently stumbled onto an old article I’d written seven years ago about snagging my first branded content assignment. Though it’s a few years old, the piece still contains some great lessons on confidence and negotiation, so I thought I’d share it here with my Expert•ish Freelancer crew.

👉 Note: This originally appeared on Jennifer Goforth Gregory’s Freelance Writing Blog in 2018. It is reprinted here with permission from the always-gracious Jennifer.

Asking for what you want takes confidence, something I didn’t always have as a writer. But I learned to believe in myself, value what I bring to the table, and ask—for more money, a byline, reprint rights, a longer deadline, whatever I needed.

Why?

Because I’m worth it.

The quick backstory

I’ve been a freelance writer for 30 years, but I took time off (10 years!) to raise and homeschool my two boys. When I jumped back into freelance writing, it felt like I had awoken from a Rip Van Winkle-like sleep. So much had changed since my last byline, especially on the technology front.

In fact, if you want a 😂 chuckle, check out the blog post I wrote about it titled “11 Soul-Sucking Truth of Rebooting a Midlife Writing Career.”

But honestly, my shaky career re-entry made my knees buckle a little, which is when the self-doubt crept in.

Like the Little Engine That Could 🚂, I persevered.

In just two years, I went from “experienced newbie” writing for pennies to “seasoned veteran” commanding $1-$2/word assignments, snagging bylines in national publications, and rebuilding my client roster.

And that’s when the self-confidence kicked in.

This backstory lays the groundwork for how I doubled my fee with my first branded content assignment. My confidence played a key role. Now that I had landed solid bylines and a full roster of client work, I knew I had the pro writing chops all along. And that made all the difference in my attitude.

How I doubled my fee

When I saw a call for an Orlando freelance food writer in one of my writer’s groups, I took notice. I had crafted plenty of food-related copywriting and content marketing pieces for a previous client years ago. And I’ve lived in Central Florida for the last 20 years, with my finger on the pulse of O-town’s restaurant scene. The job sounded like a perfect fit.

Here’s how it all unfolded.

The editor posted this job in May, when I had space in my project calendar. I emailed her immediately, sending all the information she requested. I didn’t hear back from her after a week, so I followed up in early June.

Again, crickets.

I assumed she’d found her writer by then, so I simply moved on.

👉 This is one of my key “career reboot” lessons learned. Don’t waste time pining for clients or jobs. Give it your all, follow up if it looks promising, nurture as needed, but be willing to let it go if a prospect/job looks like a dead-end.

However, the editor finally did respond in late June—more than a month after her initial job posting.

She offered me $1,000 💵 for 1000 words to write a lifestyle article on 10 must-visit Orlando restaurants and incorporate one or two of the client’s accounts in the list. She wanted the copy turned around in one week, plus my availability over the next week for edits.

I was thrilled with the $1/word assignment!

However, I was less thrilled with her deadline. While it wasn’t quite the typical rush job with a one- or two-day turnaround, it was sandwiched into the Fourth of July 🎆 holiday week just days away.

When I initially responded to the job, I had more free time. Now? Not so much.

I replied, “Can you bump up the fee for this piece since it’s a bit of a rush job right around the Fourth of July? I responded back in May, when I had more space on my project calendar. Now I’ve got a project deadline every day this week. While I’ll be able to complete this assignment for you, I’ll have to work over the weekend to get it done. I usually charge clients a rush-fee for last-minute assignments.”

She replied, “Happy to bump up the rate — what works best for you?”

Hmm, what works best? Well, one million dollars works best. 😂

In reality, I replied, “I always charge 50% more than my regular project fee for rush jobs, so I was thinking $1,500 total. Does this work for you?”

She didn’t even blink, replying, “No problem.”

I worked hard (over the weekend) and submitted a solid first draft.

I received an email a few days later. While the editor loved my work, the client had changed directions and needed a rewrite on about half the copy. (The client now wanted to include more of its accounts into the piece.)

Ugh. Scope creep. 

I was already renegotiating the fee in my head when I joyfully read her next sentence: “Since this is a new direction and more work, I can pay an extra $500 to receive the new write ups in one week.” Yes, please.

If the editor hadn’t offered more money, I would have asked.

But I think because I set the stage early in our communication about the project, she respected and valued me, and thus initiated the extra compensation.

👉 Side note: I negotiated the rights to own the scrapped copy I wrote so I can incorporate it into a different article to pitch elsewhere. Double win!

And that’s how I turned my $1,000 assignment into a $2,000 assignment.

This I-know-my-value attitude now comes with me in every negotiation.

And most importantly, I’ve got the confidence to walk away if the project/client/fee doesn’t mesh with what I’m looking for.

• Share Your Success Story. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. I might even include your win in a future newsletter. You can always reach me at [email protected]. 

• Follow me on LinkedIn. I share more freelance tips/insights most weekdays.

• Turn to Expert•ish Freelancer’s Tools & Resources page, highlighting valuable resources to help you successfully run your freelance business. You’ll find recommendations for apps, tools, training, services, websites, blogs, podcasts, books, videos, and more! If you’ve got a resource you love, let me know about it.

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa Beach

FYI: In yoga, the instructor often closes the session by saying “namaste” as a way of acknowledging and honoring the light, spirit, or goodness within each person in the class. 🧘‍♀️ It’s often used as a closing to convey unity (we’re all interconnected), gratitude (thank you for this shared experience), respect (I respect you and your journey), and peace (may you find peace within yourself). Essentially, it's a way to acknowledge the shared experience and to leave with a sense of peace and connection. 😊