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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
What Are The Current Freelance Writing Rates In The TTRPG Industry?
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<blockquote data-quote="Morrus" data-source="post: 9084251" data-attributes="member: 1"><p>Several years ago in 2015 <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/whats-a-freelance-rpg-writer-worth.662811/" target="_blank">I gathered information</a> on industry freelance rates. Recently, I put out another pair of surveys intended to update that information to current rates. I did not ask respondents to identify themselves or the companies they worked for, although I (optionally) asked them to categorize the <em>type</em> of publisher.</p><p></p><p>We had over a thousand respondents. Thank you to those who provided the data. Here are the results for freelance writing rates. Artists and other rates will be covered in a separate article.</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]<span style="font-size: 26px">Respondents</span></p><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]293348[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Definitions:</strong> <em>Single</em> (one staff member/owner), <em>Small </em>(has 1 or 2 full-time staff), <em>Medium</em> (has multiple full-time staff, well known brands), <em>Large</em> (has offices, lots of staff, departments, etc.), <em>Industry Leader </em>(we're talking WotC or Paizo size here). Size was self-reported by respondents.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]293347[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center">Note that time in industry was only reported by about 50% of respondents.</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]<span style="font-size: 26px">Overall</span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The <strong>mean</strong> rate for writers was 8.5 cents per word. <strong>The mode</strong> is 10 cents per word.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In 2015 the mean rate was about 3 cents per word. However, that was a much smaller data set, based on published word rates for a couple of dozen companies.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The<strong> highest</strong> (with a single occurrence) is 40 cents per word, and the<strong> lowest</strong> (excluding unpaid work) is under 1 cent per word.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]293351[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]293345[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]293349[/ATTACH]</p> <p style="text-align: center">Note that time in industry was only reported by about 50% of respondents.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]291564[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]<span style="font-size: 26px">Notes By Size</span></p><p></p><p><strong>Industry Leader - we're talking WotC or Paizo size here</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mean rate 17 cents; mode 12 cents (21% of jobs)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">20% under 10 cents, 20% over 20 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">All work for hire</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">57% paid within one month, 29% within 6 months</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">14% did not get contributor copy</li> </ul><p><strong>Large - has offices, lots of staff, departments, etc.</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mean rate 9 cents; mode equal 6/10</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">64% under 10 cents; none over 20 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">99% work for hire</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Varied payments schedule -- fairly evenly spread</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Less than 1% did not get contributor copy</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">57% were full time, but only half of respondents answered that field</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Average industry length was 12 years, but only half of respondents answered that field</li> </ul><p><strong>Medium - has multiple full-time staff, well known brands</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mean rate 8 cents; mode 10 cents (22% of jobs)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">51% under 10 cents; 6% over 20 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">92% work for hire</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">54% paid within 1 month; 24% immediate; 5% on publication</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Average industry length 12 years but only 20% of respondents answered that field</li> </ul><p><strong>Small - has 1 or 2 full-time staff</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mean rate 7 cents; mode 5 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">77% under 10 cents; under 2% over 20 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">80% work for hire</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">58% paid within 1 month; 16% immediate; 6% on publication</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Average industry length 9 years; 64% of respondents answered</li> </ul><p><strong>Single - one staff member/owner</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mean rate 9 cents; mode 10 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">57% under 10 cents; 13% over 20 cents</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rights varied -- 24% licensed, 50% work for hire</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">50% paid immediately, 30% within 1 month, 8% on publication</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Average industry length 5 years; 54% of respondents answered</li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Morrus, post: 9084251, member: 1"] Several years ago in 2015 [URL='https://www.enworld.org/threads/whats-a-freelance-rpg-writer-worth.662811/']I gathered information[/URL] on industry freelance rates. Recently, I put out another pair of surveys intended to update that information to current rates. I did not ask respondents to identify themselves or the companies they worked for, although I (optionally) asked them to categorize the [I]type[/I] of publisher. We had over a thousand respondents. Thank you to those who provided the data. Here are the results for freelance writing rates. Artists and other rates will be covered in a separate article. [HR][/HR][SIZE=7]Respondents[/SIZE] [CENTER] [ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 1.22.05 PM.png"]293348[/ATTACH] [B]Definitions:[/B] [I]Single[/I] (one staff member/owner), [I]Small [/I](has 1 or 2 full-time staff), [I]Medium[/I] (has multiple full-time staff, well known brands), [I]Large[/I] (has offices, lots of staff, departments, etc.), [I]Industry Leader [/I](we're talking WotC or Paizo size here). Size was self-reported by respondents. [ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 1.02.48 PM.png"]293347[/ATTACH] Note that time in industry was only reported by about 50% of respondents.[/CENTER] [HR][/HR][SIZE=7]Overall[/SIZE] [LIST] [*]The [B]mean[/B] rate for writers was 8.5 cents per word. [B]The mode[/B] is 10 cents per word. [*]In 2015 the mean rate was about 3 cents per word. However, that was a much smaller data set, based on published word rates for a couple of dozen companies. [*]The[B] highest[/B] (with a single occurrence) is 40 cents per word, and the[B] lowest[/B] (excluding unpaid work) is under 1 cent per word. [/LIST] [CENTER][ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 1.36.34 PM.png"]293351[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 12.48.56 PM.png"]293345[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 1.25.27 PM.png"]293349[/ATTACH] Note that time in industry was only reported by about 50% of respondents. [ATTACH type="full" width="800px" alt="Screenshot 2023-08-03 at 11.50.06 AM.png"]291564[/ATTACH][/CENTER] [HR][/HR][SIZE=7]Notes By Size[/SIZE] [B]Industry Leader - we're talking WotC or Paizo size here[/B] [LIST] [*]Mean rate 17 cents; mode 12 cents (21% of jobs) [*]20% under 10 cents, 20% over 20 cents [*]All work for hire [*]57% paid within one month, 29% within 6 months [*]14% did not get contributor copy [/LIST] [B]Large - has offices, lots of staff, departments, etc.[/B] [LIST] [*]Mean rate 9 cents; mode equal 6/10 [*]64% under 10 cents; none over 20 cents [*]99% work for hire [*]Varied payments schedule -- fairly evenly spread [*]Less than 1% did not get contributor copy [*]57% were full time, but only half of respondents answered that field [*]Average industry length was 12 years, but only half of respondents answered that field [/LIST] [B]Medium - has multiple full-time staff, well known brands[/B] [LIST] [*]Mean rate 8 cents; mode 10 cents (22% of jobs) [*]51% under 10 cents; 6% over 20 cents [*]92% work for hire [*]54% paid within 1 month; 24% immediate; 5% on publication [*]Average industry length 12 years but only 20% of respondents answered that field [/LIST] [B]Small - has 1 or 2 full-time staff[/B] [LIST] [*]Mean rate 7 cents; mode 5 cents [*]77% under 10 cents; under 2% over 20 cents [*]80% work for hire [*]58% paid within 1 month; 16% immediate; 6% on publication [*]Average industry length 9 years; 64% of respondents answered [/LIST] [B]Single - one staff member/owner[/B] [LIST] [*]Mean rate 9 cents; mode 10 cents [*]57% under 10 cents; 13% over 20 cents [*]Rights varied -- 24% licensed, 50% work for hire [*]50% paid immediately, 30% within 1 month, 8% on publication [*]Average industry length 5 years; 54% of respondents answered [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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