Pay

[JJ McKool]

I figured this was an appropriate place to post this question, so what, generally, are the pay ranges for a letterer per page? What's the highest you've heard of? What's the lowest acceptable for published work?

[Jason Arthur]

When you're starting out it's not uncommon to do a few free jobs to help you build up your portfolio and make some friends.

After you get a decent selection of sample pages you should move to the 5 to 10 dollar a page range. Don't get too greedy though. Charge too much for lettering on an indie book and you'll find yourself out of a job. Learn to negotiate your rates on a case by case basis, but never sell yourself short. After all, your time is worth SOMETHING.

After you've been lettering for a couple of years and you're getting more than one job a month it becomes neccessary for you to charge more. Otherwise the stress will consume you. I often do 3-4 books a month any more and if I didn't charge what I currently do then it certainly wouldn't be worth my time.

Pro letterers make upwards of $20.00 a page. Often they make WELL above that. The most I've ever been paid for a project was $25 a page and I felt overpaid.

hope this helps.

-- J

[Kep!]

That's mostly correct. However...

Kep!'s Rules of Freelance #3: Take whatever you're WILLING to accept and add $5 (or 20% whichever is GREATER) to it. It makes for better negotiations.

[L Jamal]

That's mostly correct. However...

Kep!'s Rules of Freelance #3: Take whatever you're WILLING to accept and add $5 (or 20% whichever is GREATER) to it. It makes for better negotiations.
Says the man that asks me about rates :D
As a freelancer it's better to go high and have them talk you down than to go low and them say yes immediately. All freelance jobs should involve price negotiation or you under bid.

[Kep!]

Says the man that asks me about rates :D
As a freelancer it's better to go high and have them talk you down than to go low and them say yes immediately. All freelance jobs should involve price negotiation or you under bid.
True...of course, I never asked you about lettering rates. :D

Freelance negotiations are a bitch no matter how long you've been around. However, the rules remain the same...be willing to dicker on price...so don't start too low...be willing to dicker on time...never say how long it should take, always give a worse case scenario and deliver early if you can...be willing to dicker on edits...always allow some, but make it clear they're not appreciated...that way when you do one that is above beyond the call (let's say a complete reletter of pages 5-15) and you let it go, they really appreciate it...or if you charge them they're not surprised.

Dick, dick, dick.

Under promise and over perform.

[L Jamal]

and then you think you overbid because you charged 3 times your normal rates and your client says .... "I'm sorry I can't pay you that, I have to pay you at least X" where x is 5 times more than 3 times your normal rate.

Then you just say okay and wonder what you missed about what you believe to be a really simple project.

[Jason Arthur]

Or, more commonly, they never even respond to your bid and go with someone that bid lower right off.

-- J

[Piekos]

I always start by saying I'd accept payment in human flesh.

It's a good ice-breaker.

~N

[Amadarwin]

^tickles pickles^


oop, wrong thread... :p

[Kel Nuttall]

Under promise and over perform. Known to geeks 'round the world as "The Scotty Philosophy".

"Ah, canna realign the dylithium matrix in less than THREE days, Captain!"


ONE day later....

"She's good'ta go, Captain!"
"Mr. Scott, you are a miracle worker! Here's a case of whiskey and some green space chicks...get freaky."