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Outsourcing payment

by 5ky
10 replies
I have found a ghostwriter to write an ebook for me and I wonder how to pay her. I will use Escrow.

Is it better to pay at the end when she finishes and polishes the book? Or in phases - for completing each milestone?
#outsourcing #payment
  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    You say "him" and then "she"?

    This is between you and the writer you hire. If you are a first time customer, you may need to pay part of the fee up front - ask the writer what his/her requirements are for payment.
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  • Profile picture of the author JOSourcing
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    I prefer using a milestone system since it allows me to stop a project at various stages when/if it isn't going in the intended direction. This saves me both money and frustration.
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  • Profile picture of the author 5ky
    Kay King, mistake due to no sleep.

    JOSourcing, I used the milestone system once for the same reason.

    For the job of $460 I paid $100 as a starting motivator (actually just ebook outline) and planned to do the rest as two payments of $100 and after she would have sent me final ebook last one of $160.

    However, after some progression, she twice broke the deadline for couple of weeks. Finally, she got to the half of the work (of average quality) and cancelled the job due to objective reasons.

    By then I have paid her first $100 for start and another $100. Those $200 cover cost of what she gave, but I lost much time and nerves. And that had to be fined.

    If I had agreed to pay her at the end I would have had more control of how much funds I will release due to end results.

    This way I have already released the funds from Escrow and getting them back would make me pay some comission, penalties or something.

    New writer seems much better, but I am much more cautious now.

    That is the whole motivation behind the question.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Don't use the milestone method like that. Make sure each milestone has a product attached. Payment of a %age after outline/rough index....another payment on delivery of first draft or of XX chapters.

      That way - each milestone payment is for work completed. Milestone don't work as well if you just use them to spread out payment for a project without attaching them to "milestones" in the work itself.

      kay
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      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world will change forever for that one dog.

      Sometimes the fear won't go away, so you'll have to do it afraid.
      That's just the way it is.
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      • Profile picture of the author grimace_86
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Don't use the milestone method like that. Make sure each milestone has a product attached. Payment of a %age after outline/rough index....another payment on delivery of first draft or of XX chapters.

        That way - each milestone payment is for work completed. Milestone don't work as well if you just use them to spread out payment for a project without attaching them to "milestones" in the work itself.

        kay
        Second this.

        I've done a bit of outsourcing and I've tried basing everything I've done on a results system. Basically I will give you $x for y result.
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        • Profile picture of the author RnGWriter
          Originally Posted by grimace_86 View Post

          Second this.

          I've done a bit of outsourcing and I've tried basing everything I've done on a results system. Basically I will give you for y result.
          That is the best way to do business with freelance writers, especially new ones. You complete 3 chapter and you get $x. Give them extra initiative to be on time like bonuses on meeting deadlines. It always seems to motivate me.
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  • Profile picture of the author imsolutionsgroup
    Have milestones.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    I am a writer and with ebooks I usually do milestones. I need some money at the start and it depends on the size of the job of course.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    I always pay 50% when the writer accepts the job, and 50% when I am satisfied with the final product.

    However, if you don't know the writer, you are better to hire him/her the first time through something like odesk where they will hold the payment to the writer until the work is done.
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  • Profile picture of the author 5ky
    I have connected the payments with the specific goals she had to achieve. However, I gave her $100 in advance, as a motivator and it didn't motivate her at all.

    What percentage of money to give as a starter? And when?
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