Free Invoice Template for Freelance Writers

A clear, professional invoice is as important for your business as good writing is for your clients. Your writer invoice should include:

• Article or project title — specific enough that the client knows exactly what they're paying for
• Word count (if billing per word) or piece count (if billing per article)
• Rate — per word, per piece, per hour, or monthly retainer
• Usage rights — are you transferring copyright or licensing use?
• Delivery date — reference to when the work was submitted
• Revision rounds included — to avoid unlimited free revisions

Per word: Common for editorial and journalism. Multiply word count × rate for each piece. Example: "Blog post — 1,200 words @ £0.15/word = £180".

Per piece/article: Fixed fee per deliverable. Simplest for both parties. Specify word count range and revision rounds in the description to prevent scope expansion.

Monthly retainer: Fixed fee for a defined volume of content per month (e.g., 4 blog posts/month). Invoice at the start of each month. Provides stability for both writer and client.

Per project: For longer-form work — white papers, eBooks, website copy overhauls. Break into milestones: outline approval, first draft, final delivery.

Ghostwriting: Charge a premium for ghostwriting (50–100% above your standard rate is common) since you're transferring all credit. Include a confidentiality clause reference in the invoice notes.

The rights you transfer with your writing significantly affect its value. Be explicit on every invoice:

• First rights / one-time rights: You retain ownership; client gets one publication. Common in magazine publishing.
• Exclusive rights: Client publishes exclusively for a defined period. Charge more than for non-exclusive.
• All rights / full copyright transfer: Client owns the work outright. Appropriate for website copy, marketing materials, and ghostwriting. Price accordingly.
• Work-for-hire: If you're a contractor for an employer, work-for-hire provisions may apply. Verify before agreeing — once copyright is transferred, it's very difficult to reclaim.

Add a one-line rights statement to the invoice description so the agreement is documented in writing.

Writing and content creation services are taxable in most jurisdictions:

• EU writers: Digital content services are taxable at standard VAT rates. Cross-border B2B: reverse charge applies — include both VAT numbers.
• UK writers: Register for VAT at £90,000 turnover. Most writing services are standard-rated at 20%. Books and newspapers (physical) are zero-rated, but e-books are standard-rated.
• US writers: Self-employed writers pay self-employment tax (15.3%) on net income. Writing services are generally not subject to sales tax, but check state rules for digital products.