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Freelance Writing Invoice Template

Per-word or per-piece, research time, revisions and rights. Free PDF, no account.

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Writing is bought by the piece and paid for by the word, and the gap between those two is where a freelancer loses money quietly. Research, interviews and a second round of edits are all work; if the invoice shows only a word count, they are work the client will assume was included.

INVOICE Issued
Invoice number:INV-0001
Date of issue:August 2, 2026
Date due:August 16, 2026
Currency:USD
Issued by
Camille Duthie
14 Copperplate Lane
55401 Minneapolis, MN
United States
camille@duthiewrites.example
Bill to
Meridian Quarterly
9 Press Court
60607 Chicago, IL
United States
editorial@meridianquarterly.example
Amount due
$3,207.00
Due in 14 days · Aug 16, 2026
Rights
First North American serial rights for 90 days from publication. All other rights, including anthology and syndication, remain with the writer.
Description Qty Rate Tax Amount
Feature — "The last mile of the grid"
2,400 words delivered, per-word rate
2400$0.85—$2,040.00
Research and interviews
Five interviews, transcription and source checks
9$70.00—$630.00
Revision round
One round of editorial revisions, as commissioned
1$180.00—$180.00
Sidebar
420 words, commissioned after first draft
420$0.85—$357.00
Subtotal$3,207.00
Total$3,207.00
Amount due $3,207.00
Terms
Net 30 from acceptance, per the commissioning agreement.
Invoice #INV-0001 · Camille Duthie · Page 1 of 1

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What to put on a freelance writing invoice

  • The piece or commission title, so the invoice matches the brief
  • The rate basis — per word, per piece or per hour — stated explicitly
  • Word count delivered, where the rate depends on it
  • Research or interview time as its own line
  • Revision rounds included, and any beyond them priced
  • The rights granted: first publication, exclusivity, and for how long

Questions

Should I bill for research separately?

If the piece needed interviews or source work, yes. A per-word rate silently absorbing eight hours of research is what makes long-form work pay worse than short, and only the invoice can change that.

What rights should the invoice mention?

The ones you are actually granting — commonly first publication rights for a period, after which the piece reverts to you. Publications reuse work, and the invoice is the record both sides keep.

Ready to bill for it?

The template opens in the editor with these lines already on it. Change what you like, download the PDF.

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