About the freelancer contract
In freelancer contract, rather than a PDF download, a contract can be a simple email confirmation about the work you'll do by a specific date for a set price.
1. Scope
Freelancers often face scope creep, which is characterized by increasing project demands.
If you need to do that, you may have to reschedule your rate, set deadlines, or refuse work beyond the original contract. Having a clear scope does not mean you won't want to do small amounts of additional work for long-term clients. It just means extra work is seen as a bonus rather than an expectation.
2. Research and transcripts
It's common for writers to be asked to provide research and interview transcripts along with their articles or posts in certain contracts.
Do not let this clause stand, and make sure the pay you receive covers the additional work, any assignments you will lose because you won't be able to repurpose content, and the actual transcription fee, typically about a dollar per minute.
3. Confidentiality
Contracts typically contain confidentiality clauses when clients request some secrecy. In essence, confidentiality clauses mean you cannot disclose what the client deems confidential.
4. Indemnification
If you sign a contract that includes an indemnification clause, you are legally responsible for any losses, damages, or expenses incurred as a result of your work.
5. Non-compete
It's not uncommon for publications to have exclusivity clauses that promise not to cover certain topics, which can be difficult to comply with if these topics are a significant part of your business.
6. Rights
Having a clear understanding of ownership rights for your pieces requires a few key terms.
It is possible to earn more money for doing work for hire than doing work for which you retain some copyright. The agreement must be in writing and must be agreed upon before work starts.
Your piece will appear in the publication for the first time before it appears elsewhere under the First North American Serial Rights.
It may be worth negotiating to sell reprints of your article if you have non-exclusive reprint rights. In contrast to writing very time-specific content that won't be relevant a few weeks down the road, negotiating may not be worth it if you write very time-specific content. Reprints are quite profitable.
7. Payment
A journal typically receives payment three ways: upon submission, on acceptance, and upon publication.
If your assignment is paid on submission, you get paid right away. Pay on acceptance means you're paid once the piece has been accepted by the client, usually after a couple of rewrites. If it's paid on publication, you're paid once it gets published.
