More annoying requests for advice

[Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Sorry about sending a blank message earlier; I
fat-fingered the keyboard.

I need to ask more but slightly different advice on
figuring pay rates. I have an offer from a possible
client who wants me to work directly, without a
contracting agency involved. He wants to know what I
would charge to deliver documents by the piece, or if
I would prefer to estimate work hours per piece and
bill those hours, or what.

The documents would mostly be user-level how-two
guides for performing actions in an inventory parts
control software. The UI is very complex and *very*
counter-intuitive. I was working on this system as a
contractor, and I found the complexity levels of the
user procedures can vary wildly. There can be several
branches in some procedures and sometimes there can be
very large amounts of background material that has to
be included so the user can understand what the
software is doing. So, it is pretty much impossible to
give a clean estimate of how long it would take to
develop any given user guide.

I think I need to include research time in any time
estimates. But what about factoring in time after I
finish the draft, for their review and possible
rewrites?

I've never before worked on any kind of freelance
basis and really have no idea how to proceed on
working out a billing scheme. In the past I've gotten
most of my work through contracting companies. Any
advice on how to figure what I would charge the
client, any pointers toward information sources on
that, would be much appreciate. (And I am in the
process of looking through the list archives for such
information.)

If I understand it correctly, it's common practice
that a contractor's pay is about 1/3 what the client
company pays the contracting company. Does that sound
correct?



      
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.