Design Hireling: Your Rate

Working for gold coins.A few weeks ago, I wrote about different kinds of payment methods for freelance creatives. That article is titled, Design Hireling: Payment Models. Today's article is a sequel about calculating your rate—how much do you charge for your work? How much do you charge hourly? And how much do you charge for a flat-rate project like a zine, book cover, or illustration?Reminder, this article is partly a reminder to myself. I'm the worst offender when it comes to charging what I'm worth. So, do as I say, not as I do. User results may vary—especially if you live somewhere other than the United States.What's my expectation for rates?Freelance creatives (writers, designers, and artists) do not work regular hours, weeks, and years. Sometimes you have good months with lots of quality, well-paying work, and sometimes you're fasting through a lean month or two. My rate needs to get me through both seasons. When new work is coming in, it needs to be high enough to build a nest…