Sally the Scribe

The Business Side of Writing: Invoicing, Contracts, and Staying Sane

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by

Sally Eubanks
in

Freelance writing might start with passion and talent, but it’s sustained by solid business practices. You can craft the most poetic prose or the sharpest SEO content on the internet—but without invoices, contracts, and clear boundaries, you’re setting yourself up for stress, burnout, and possibly unpaid work.

In this post, I’ll walk through the business side of writing—from managing invoices and contracts to protecting your mental health and building a sustainable freelance career. Whether you’re a copywriter, content marketer, academic writer, or novelist-for-hire, these tips will help you level up your professionalism and peace of mind.

Why You Need to Think Like a Business Owner

Being a writer doesn’t exempt you from being a businessperson. Whether you write blogs, white papers, fiction, or social media content, you’re offering a professional service. If you don’t treat your writing career like a business, you risk underpayment, burnout, and boundary violations.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Freelance Contract

A contract is your safety net. Here’s how to write one that covers your bases:

  1. Start with Basic Information: Include your name, business name (if applicable), client name, and contact details.
  2. Define the Scope of Work: Be specific. Instead of “blog posts,” write “four 800-word blog posts on digital marketing, delivered weekly.”
  3. Set Payment Terms:
    • Rate (per word/hour/project)
    • Payment schedule (upon delivery, biweekly, monthly)
    • Late fees (e.g., 5% after 10 days)
  4. Establish a Revision Policy:
    • How many revisions are included?
    • What counts as a “revision” vs. a new task?
  5. Include a Kill Fee Clause: If the client cancels midway, what portion of your fee is non-refundable?
  6. Spell Out Rights and Ownership:
    • Who owns the content?
    • When does ownership transfer (usually after full payment)?
  7. Add Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Clauses if necessary.
  8. Both Parties Sign: Use tools like HelloSign or DocuSign for digital signatures.

TIP: Use contract templates from sites like Bonsai, AND.CO, or the Freelancers Union as a starting point.

How to Create Professional Invoices

Invoices aren’t just payment requests—they’re branding tools. A clean, well-structured invoice shows that you’re organized and reliable.

To create an invoice, include:

  • Your name/business name and address
  • Client’s name and billing address
  • Invoice number (keep them sequential)
  • Invoice date
  • Due date
  • Description of services (e.g., “3 blog posts at 500 words each”)
  • Total amount due
  • Payment methods accepted (PayPal, ACH, bank transfer, etc.)
  • Notes (optional): Include a thank-you, your tax ID, or payment instructions.

Tools You Can Use:

  • Wave (free)
  • Bonsai (contract + invoice platform)
  • PayPal Business
  • Google Docs/Sheets with templates

TIP: Send invoices immediately after completing a project, or on the agreed-upon schedule.

Organizing Your Finances and Preparing for Taxes

Here’s how to avoid panic in April:

  1. Separate Business and Personal Finances:
    • Open a business checking account.
    • Use a business PayPal or Stripe account.
  2. Track Your Income and Expenses:
    • Use apps like QuickBooks Self-Employed, Expensify, or a spreadsheet.
    • Log every client payment.
    • Keep receipts for anything used for your business (laptop, internet, courses, books).
  3. Save for Taxes:
    • Set aside 25-30% of each payment.
    • Consider paying quarterly estimated taxes to the IRS.
  4. Know What You Can Deduct:
    • Software (Grammarly, Scrivener)
    • Website hosting
    • Courses
    • Part of your rent if you work from home (home office deduction)

TIP: Hire a freelance-savvy accountant. They can save you more than they cost.

Pricing Your Work Confidently

Undercharging is one of the most common freelance mistakes.

Factors to consider:

  • Experience level
  • Industry rates (check Writer’s Market, Contently’s rates database, or ClearVoice)
  • Project complexity

Common Rate Structures:

  • Per word (e.g., $0.10 – $1.00)
  • Per hour (e.g., $25 – $100+)
  • Per project (e.g., $300 per 1,000-word white paper)

When negotiating:

  • Say your rate and pause. Don’t justify or apologize.
  • Offer packages instead of discounts.
  • Factor in research, communication, and revisions.

TIP: If a client says your rates are too high, they’re not your client.

Managing Client Expectations and Boundaries

To keep clients happy and yourself sane:

  1. Set Communication Norms Early:
    • Preferred channels (email, Slack, Trello)
    • Response time (e.g., “I reply within 24 hours on weekdays”)
  2. Use Intake Forms:
    • Collect info on tone, audience, goals, examples
    • Prevent back-and-forth emails
  3. Enforce Scope of Work:
    • Reiterate contract terms
    • Politely decline extra tasks or send an updated quote
  4. Stick to Office Hours:
    • Turn off notifications outside your set hours
    • Use tools like Boomerang or Mailbutler to delay email sends

TIP: A respectful “no” is better than a stressed-out “yes.”

Staying Organized: Tools and Workflows

Task Management Tools:

  • Trello: Visual kanban boards
  • Asana: Team-friendly task lists
  • Notion: All-in-one docs, databases, and calendars

Content Calendar Tools:

  • Google Calendar
  • Airtable
  • CoSchedule

File Storage and Backup:

  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • External hard drive

Email Templates to Save Time:

  • Pitch follow-ups
  • Project welcome emails
  • Invoice reminders
  • Revision limit notices

TIP: Organize files by client > project > date to find everything fast.

Red Flag Clients and What to Do

Not every gig is worth it. Here’s how to spot and handle red flags:

Warning signs:

  • Wants “just a quick test” without pay
  • Vague about deadlines and expectations
  • Pushes for free extras
  • Slow to communicate but expects fast turnaround

What to do:

  • Always require a contract and deposit
  • Ask detailed questions up front
  • Trust your instincts
  • Walk away if it feels wrong

TIP: Keep a “red flag checklist” and refer to it before accepting any new gig.

Building Long-Term Client Relationships

Repeat clients are gold. Nurture those relationships:

  • Deliver consistent, high-quality work
  • Be reliable and communicative
  • Ask for feedback and act on it
  • Check in between projects
  • Send holiday or thank-you notes

TIP: Use a CRM (Client Relationship Manager) tool like Streak for Gmail to track follow-ups.

Final Word: Writing Is Your Craft. Business Is Your Backbone.

Treating your writing like a business isn’t selling out—it’s building a foundation for longevity and sanity. With strong contracts, clear communication, organized systems, and a little backbone, you can spend less time chasing clients and more time doing what you love: writing.

Want to dive deeper into one of these areas? Drop a comment or message me—let’s keep the conversation going.

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