Freelance Copywriting Contract- How To Compose It Properly


It is really important to protect yourself when it comes to completing jobs with clients on a contract to contract basis. There are many times when freelancers work really hard on an assignment and the client backs out and they don’t get paid. When you sell intellectual property, there is not always a guarantee to get compensated unless you create a binding contract.

There is some specific aspects that you should include to make sure that it could stand up in court if it had to go that far. You should use the contract for every job but you may not utilize it in a court proceeding if it is for a job concerning a substantial amount of money.

  1. Include the scope of your project
  2. You want to write a general idea of what the project entails. This could be similar to the title the client used for the project.

  3. Be specific
  4. You should be very specific in what services you will provide for a specified price. It should list exactly what you will provide and the amount that you will expect to receive in compensation. This should include any revisions or drafts.

  5. Agree to a deposit amount
  6. You would want to set up a deposit amount ahead of time. Some freelancers want half down to start the project. If you are working through a freelance site, you may find that they have services to secure funding. If this is the case, you can exclude this from the contract or list in the contract that the client must fund through the freelance site.

  7. Deadlines
  8. The contract should list deadlines as well. I would give yourself a few day window in case something happens. List the date that you will present drafts and the date that you will complete the project.

  9. Release of funds
  10. You should list the date that the remaining funds should be released by. Some writers give the client around 7 to 10 days after the job is complete. You want to give them time to read through it.

These are the main things that you should include in your contract. There are some additional things that you can add to your contract to control more situations. You need to protect yourself against being taken advantage of. You can use a contract to protect yourself and have a case for court if it goes that far.

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