Frequently Asked Questions for Clear-Writing

What are your rates for copywriting?
What industries have you written for?
What size companies do you work with?
I already have something written - can you just touch it up?
I needed this yesterday - can you help?
What "style" of writing do you do? Professional? Informal? You seem to do a little of both...
Regarding my website - can you help me figure out what pages to have and the like?
Does Dan do all the writing?
Do you have to learn about my business to write about it?
What if I don't like what you write? Will you rewrite it?
Do I need to pay a deposit? And do you take credit cards?
Someone else said they'll do my writing cheaper. Will you match their price?
How long do you take to do a project?
Are there any subjects you won't write about?
Are there any types of projects you don't take on?
Who owns the writing you do?
Do you make websites or do graphic design?
What hours do you work?
I like this FAQ - can you make me one?
I want to hire you full time - would you consider giving this up and joining our company?

What are your rates for copywriting?

I'm not trying to dodge this question, but I typically determine all copywriting fees on a per-project basis. There are just too many variables to do it any other way.

That said, you could expect to pay me about what you'd pay for many other professional services (an accountant, a contractor, a surveyor, a mechanic, etc). But it's really simple to get a price - just shoot me a quote request, and I'll get back to you with a price. You won't be put on any mailing lists or anything similar. I promise.

I'm also very flexible - listen, I want to write for you. I work with companies with all manner of budgets (from $200 to 20k), and get them as much writing as they can afford. As long as you're realistic and don't expect me to write for $10 an hour (or beer - I've been offered that too), we can probably work together.

What industries have you written for?

All of em'...

Really - I've written for everything from manufacturing to marketing to real estate to insurance to fire safety to retail sales to IT services to medical equipment distributors to a guy selling "holy land dirt" from Israel to international training services to... you get the picture, right?

Truthfully, a professional copywriter (like me) can write about anything. It's a matter of researching your industry, of course, and applying my wordcraft / writing-style to your needs.

What size companies do you work for?

Goodness... all kinds! I've worked for Fortune 500 companies, home-based startups, and everything in between. Size truly doesn't matter - I'm interested in working for anyone who wants clear, Plain English communication.

I already have something written - can you just touch it up?

Sure! Many times I can take what you already have, add a little "clear-writing magic" to it, and turn it into something that really works for you.

I needed this yesterday - can you help?

Well, I've given up time traveling, so yesterday is out. How about tomorrow instead?

Ok, really - for rush jobs, it depends on the project, and the day. If it's something small (like a quick letter or a "can you look this over?"), hey, you might be catching me at a good time (it never hurts to ask.) But for most "normal sized" projects, please understand that I usually have two to three weeks worth of work booked up in advance (and trust me, you don't want a writer who's free for a big project tomorrow - there's a reason they have no work).

The best thing I can tell you is if you want your project done by a certain date, do not wait around - reach out to me and get on my schedule.

What "style" of writing do you do? Professional? Informal? You seem to do a little of both...

My style is what I like to call "professionally casual" - it's clear, it's engaging, and it works very well. CEO's love it, and readers love it. I'm professional enough for any company or any business situation, but I write in Plain English, so everyone understands it. I've spent a morning writing a Pharmaceutical company's website, then spent the afternoon writing a letter to the judge asking to keep cousin Jethro out of jail (yet again).

Ok, that was a joke (although I really did do that - it's just his name wasn't cousin Jethro). Truthfully, just read most of the pages on this site to get a sense of how I write. I admit I let my hair down in this FAQ a bit, but if you want professional with nary a segue, consider it done.

Regarding my website - can you help me figure out what pages to have and the like?

Yes! In fact, this is something I do really well (I even wrote a book about this). A great website flows well, is logical in scope, and encourages exploration. Tell me about your business, and I'll help you come up with a proper sitemap (keep in mind I'm not a web designer, though, but I can answer the "what do we say, where do we say it, what order should the pages be in, etc" questions.)

Does Dan do all the writing?

For the most part, yes, I'm a one-man shop. However, sometimes clients need a big project of hundreds of pages, so I have several professional writers on call that help out on projects like that. Regardless, all projects, without exception, cross my desk, and get an extended proofread / edit. The added help simply allows Clear-Writing to take on larger projects, and offer the same high level of quality.

Do you have to learn about my business to write about it?

I will research your business, industry, competition, and customers. I also have a fairly complete questionnaire I'll have you fill out for most projects. But in the end, no, I'd rather not be an expert. And it's better that way. In the big scheme of things, I am writing for your readers, so I try and put myself in their shoes instead of yours.

What if I don't like what you write? Will you rewrite it?

Don't like what I write??? The horror!! That never happens!!

Seriously though, editing and rewriting are sometimes a normal part of the writing process. I expect feedback from you, and to possibly make a revision if needed (and many times, I do nail it on the first shot. More often than not, in fact.)

Do I need to pay a deposit? And do you take credit cards?

I collect 50% of the estimated total (or a retainer if ongoing) as a deposit. This is what gets you on my project calendar. For jobs $750 and under, I require pre-payment in full. I take credit cards online, so paying is easy.

Someone else said they'll do my writing cheaper. Will you match their price?

No matter what your business is, someone else will always do it cheaper. Cheaper doesn't mean better. It just means "cheaper". I charge a professional, competitive rate for what is easily the best writing out there, and I'm worth every penny.

That was obviously the long answer. The short answer is "sorry, but no, I won't".

How long do you take to do a project?

Most projects take one to three weeks to complete. But some (like a website of hundreds of pages) could take months. And others might take one afternoon.

I like to say your project will be done when we are both happy with it.

Are there any subjects you won't write about?

Not really. As long as what you want me to write is legal, I'll probably do it. I don't allow personal beliefs or agendas (if any) get in the way of my writing. However, I will draw the line at promoting hate or discrimination. This means I won't be writing the KKK's Christmas letter anytime soon. Also, I'm not really into writing for obvious "scam" type money-making schemes.

Are there any types of projects you don't take on?

I typically don't do formal business plans and government grant writing. I also don't do resumes and CV's (although I will write you a nice cover letter - I do that well. I've been fired half a million times in my life, which means I got hired that many times too. My cover letters helped me a lot.)

Who owns the writing you do?

You do (once you pay for it). I may ask if I can use it as an example.

Do you make websites or do graphic design?

No, I do not offer these services. But I know people who do, and will happily refer them.

That said, I do format my writing - this means all subheadings and bullet points are where I want them, and if I'm doing a brochure / website / etc, I do lay it out in MS Word, as it helps me write. But that's a bonus - I don't get involved in "move the picture over a little, etc" - I'm just not good enough at graphic design to offer it as a paid service. My real skill is words.

What hours do you work?

Generally Monday - Friday, normal business hours (US Eastern time.) But I'm an entrepreneur... that means I'm really never off. While I may not answer the phone on a Saturday, there's a chance I will answer your e-mail. And there's a chance I won't (in other words, if I do it's a bonus, but don't count on it.)

I like this FAQ - can you make me one?

I think almost every sales or service website needs a FAQ. And I make great ones. Yes, I can definitely do this for you, too. Just ask.

I want to hire you full time - would you consider giving this up and joining our company?

I've been seriously asked this three times in the last two years, so it warrants an answer here.

The short answer is "no". The long answer is "well, it depends".

I say that because I like working for myself, and I like what I do. That said, if an interesting, well-compensated position came along, I could be interested (I never say "no" to anything before hearing details.) To save everyone time, here are a few points to scare most people away:

• 100-200k or so annually, 5 year contract. Stock and/or some sort of "later" compensation would be nice (depends on salary). Full bennies, including at least 4 weeks of vacation.
• I would work at home. I am very effective at doing this. I would be willing to travel several times a year for meetings, face time, etc.
• Diversity in work. Of course, I'd likely be doing some kind of writing / marketing, but I'd also want to do some strategic planning / sales / customer service / etc (I'm a good motivation guy, too.) I could also do a little travel to brainstorm, give a talk, hold a workshop, etc. I want to help.
• I like to produce, not oversee. So I don't like managing people. Or departments.
• While I would put Clear-Writing on hold and devote my full attention to you, I would still want the freedom to write another book or two if I wished (on my own time, of course). The book will not be business related.
• When the five years are up, I will probably leave (or at least renegotiate if we want to continue - I like change.) If I go, I will be happy to sign any non-competes/etc.

For the above, I'll simply state that you could expect me to be worth it. You could also expect someone you are glad to have on your side.

Trust me - I don't expect anyone to hire me (I really don't want them to, obviously), but there, I answered the question.