Hi Julie
Most copywriters either change an hourly rate or per project. I work with both.
Before I could price an individual project up, I'd need to:
1. have a look at the site
2. understand the tone of voice required
3. know if I'm writing from scratch or rewriting
4. know how much research is involved.
If all the research has been done and you've had a first go at writing the site, it might be that you need it proofreading and tidying up. If so, I'd allow about 20 minutes per standard page.
If you require a rewrite or having something written from scratch, you should allow at least an hour for the home page and at least half an hour per page for your other pages. (It could be longer, depending on the state of the copy!) If writing from scratch, allow at least an hour for research.
(How long researching takes depends on what is required. It could include reading information you have provided or researching similar businesses on the web.)
Asking how much a job will be is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is! If, for example, your site had six pages. For a proof and tidy up, you'd be looking at paying for 2 hours work. For a rewrite with research that would be 4.5 hours work.
Whether you use my services or not, please don't use someone who charges by the word! Sometimes using two words instead of 20 is the difficult bit!
Regards
Sarah Addyman
Manchester Freelance Copywriter
sarahaddyman@yahoo.co.uk
Sarah Addyman, freelance copywriter, Manchester, Freelancers In The UK