Costing a contract job

[Nora Merhar <nmerhar -at- CHARLESINDUSTRIES -dot- COM>]

I have offered to write the documentation for a software product which
can be used at dog Agility trials to calculate scores, seconds under
course time, etc., facilitate timely posting of scores and create
labels that can be put on the back of a competitor's ribbons. We are
still in very early talking stages, and the creator of the program
wants to know how much I would charge.

I don't want to charge what I have charged on previous contract jobs,
partly because this is very much a "home-grown" kind of product, and
partly because I think I would really enjoy the project. I feel I have
excellent credentials to write this kind of documentation (being both
a technical writer and an Agility competitor, and having worked at the
scoretable for several different types of Agility). IOW, I can be both
SME and user advocate! I also think it would make an excellent
portfolio item. OTOH, I don't want to charge nothing, as this could be
potentially a profitable venture, and I don't want to just hand out my
services (doesn't look professional).

So the question is this--has anyone out there been in a comparable
situation? Any creative ways to handle it? Would you charge nothing in
order to be involved with the glory of the project, and try to make
some arrangement to share in any profits? Take something in barter
(for instance, free entries to Agility trials--not sure if it's an
option, just throwing out ideas)?

Nora


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