Your freelance writing business is exactly that: a business. You need to treat it as such.
Without a legal contract, you're leaving yourself open to a variety of risks and liabilities.
A freelance writing contract is a legally binding agreement between a client and freelance writer. It outlines the scope of work, payment terms, intellectual property rights, and whether you can use their work in your portfolio.
Freelance writers use contracts to set boundaries, protect themselves, and ensure that they get paid for their work.
If you start freelance writing, you’ll need to learn how to create one (which we talk about later).
Clients want to know you have a standardized process for working with them. It's professional. It's reassuring. And it shows them this isn't your first rodeo.
For you, a freelance writer contract serves a few key purposes:
We've all heard the horror stories from both sides.
Professional services like freelance writing rely heavily on the honesty of both parties.
Most of the time, there's no issue. But the reality is neither party truly knows what they're getting themselves into until the engagement begins.
Locking a client in contractually isn't telling them, "I don't trust you to pay up."
It's a two-way exchange. "I'll deliver on these terms. And when I do, so will you."
Whether it’s a copywriting side hustle or your full time gig, clear expectations need to be set.
Project scope, revisions, turnaround time, deliverables — you need to set all these expectations before starting a project. Client satisfaction (and your sanity) depends on it.
A freelance contract sets out in plain English what the client can expect from your writing services and vice versa.
And if scope creep and revisions become a source of contention (e.g., for a flat-fee project), you can always point back to the contract.
That way, you're not just compensated. You're fairly compensated.
If you have no idea what’s fair compensation, check out copywriting rates.
Some clients need their freelance writers to keep their work under wraps. It'd be a bad look for a CEO if someone found their ghostwritten thought leadership content in a freelancer's public portfolio.
Freelance writing contracts explicitly state whether clients have full ownership or if you can use the content to get more clients.
In the beginning when you have little experience, you might think you should take on a client at all costs.
But if they aren't willing to work on your terms, you probably don't want to work with them, anyway.
The same applies to clients with unrealistic expectations or budgets.
If a potential client decides against your terms, that's fine. Your ability to deliver for current clients hinges on the boundaries you set with new ones.
And if they try to talk you out of the written agreement, it's a red flag.
There are plenty of templated freelance contracts out there. It's probably easier (and more professional) to use one of them than it is to draft in a Word document.
Besides that, two factors determine whether you could or absolutely shouldn't make your own contract:
A writing project in an industry like legal, healthcare, or finance requires more specialized contracts. You'll sometimes have to seek legal advice.
If your projects are generally long and intricate, it could be in your best interest to heavily customize your freelance contract.
But if you're a generalist freelance writer (working with a creative agency, for example), you can probably use a standard contract.
Depending on your industry, project type, pricing model, and personal preferences, you might have additional clauses.
At the most basic level, every freelance writing contract needs the following elements.
The details of your writing project should include what you will be doing and won't be doing.
This includes:
The project details section doesn't need to be a novel. All it needs to do is set clear expectations for the scope of your services.
Scope of work specifically refers to the timeline(s) for each project phase.
Especially for complex projects (e.g., a full website copy overhaul), it helps to break your scope into smaller milestones with individual deadlines.
You need to include how and when you are getting paid.
You won't be able to force a client to pay (you'll have to take that up with a collections agency). But clearly outlined expectations for what happens in the case of non-payment reduce the likelihood of it happening in the first place.
Expectations cover what you expect from the client and vice versa.
The most important elements all freelance writing contracts need are:
Before finalizing the sale and onboarding a new client, you need to make sure your client agrees to the contract's expectations.
If you gloss over even a small section, it could result in immediate dissatisfaction on their end.
Life happens — and so do cancellations. That's why you need a section detailing the process for ending a contract early.
Usually, freelance writers also add a non-disparagement clause. This means neither party is allowed to badmouth the other after terminating the contract.
In my Ghostwriting coaching program, I give you all the contracts you need for you clients.
However, there are plenty of other freelance writing contract templates out there. Here are five to choose from:
I show you how to build a high-paying creative business without doing work you hate.
