The quality of writing that your business publishes is a reflection of your brand. A Freelance Writer Contract outlines the agreement between you and your freelance writer, ensuring that you're both on the same page regarding scope of work, timeline, schedule and rate. The Freelance Writer Contract that Rocket Lawyer has created contains all of the basic terms you'll need and is easy to use.

Do I need a contract for freelance writers?

Having a Freelance Writer Contract in place is the best way to ensure that you and your new hire are on the same page. The contract gives you the opportunity to make sure that important details are worked out before the writer starts working for you or your business. For example, in almost all but a few special cases, the hiring party expects to own the work product that the freelance writer creates as part of their agreement. The ownership of the work product is part of the written agreement to avoid any misunderstandings and to clear the hiring party's path to use the content as needed.

In addition to defining the services that will be provided and the amount of compensation, you may want to make sure the contract clearly defines the nature of the relationship. Freelance writers are typically independent contractors, and the terms of the agreement should specify that the writer is an independent contractor and not an employee if that is the case.

How do I make a contract for freelance writers?

You can use the Rocket Lawyer Freelance Writer Contract if:

• You're an individual or business contracting a freelance writer for a writing project.
• You're a freelance writer being offered an independent contractor gig by an individual or business.

You'll want to make sure that you have certain information prepared in advance in order to complete the form, such as the answers to the issues listed in the next section.

What should I include in a Freelance Writer Contract?

A Freelance Writer Contract is a written agreement between a business and freelance writer. It should contain all of the core information that is unique to this particular business arrangement, including what the writer is expected to produce and what the business is offering in return. While the terms will vary based on the situation, the following elements should be included in the contract:

• Name and address of the company offering the position
• Name of the freelance writer
• Statement clarifying the legal nature of the contract, e.g. this is an independent contractor position not an employee position
• A brief job description including the nature of the work to be performed
• The term of the contract
• Work product ownership information
• How work will be submitted, as well as how assignments will be given, and to whom they will be sent
• Supervisor's name, title, and contact information (if not covered in prior category)
• The payment terms (e.g. hourly or per project), how and where to submit invoices, and how writer will be paid
• Applicable law (typically this is the laws of the state where the hiring company is located)
• What the freelance writer will be expected to provide, such as their own equipment, and whether they will be reimbursed for any qualified expenses
• Confidentiality or separate non-disclosure agreement

Who should sign the Freelance Writer Contract?

The Freelance Writer Contract should be signed by the representative of the company that is offering the position and the writer. There may be more than one person from the company that signs the contract. An example might be if there are multiple supervisors.

If your freelance writer will be working remotely, you may be interested in having them sign remotely using Rocket Sign, which can be used with any device, anywhere, any time.