New resource: what publications actually pay

Help contribute to our new resource!

We all deserve to know what pay to expect for our writing.

Knowing rates helps writers weigh up whether an outlet is worth their time, helps negotiate with confidence, and makes the whole industry a little fairer.

For one reason or another, many outlets don’t publish what they pay. Many editors don’t volunteer them. If you’ve followed the newsletter for a while, you’ll know I’m constantly asking for publications and editors to share their specific rates.

Sadly, many of the databases that used to help writers with this are largely inactive or out of date.

So we’re building our own.

Introducing the FWN Rate Database: a free, community-run record of what publications actually pay freelance writers.

Rates, payment timelines, how long it took to get the money. All the stuff that actually helps you decide whether a pitch is worth your time.

It only works if we all do our bit. The more writers who can contribute, the more useful it becomes for everyone — including you. And if you’re worried about privacy: all submissions are completely anonymous. No one will know what you earned, who you worked with, or what you thought.

Once the database is live and populated, it will be completely free for everyone to access. No paywalls, no tiers. You contribute, you benefit.

If you have questions, spot an error once we’re live, or want to flag anything, drop us a line at hello@thefreelancewritingnetwork.com.

Thank you for helping make this work!