2 easy ways to create an invoice for freelance writing

Freelance Writing

Nov 3

You just wrapped up your first freelance writing assignment—and now it’s time for you to get paid. (Boo-yeah! 🎉)

That means it’s also time for you to create your first invoice for freelance writing.

When I first started freelancing, I never sent out invoices. I write books for schools, and most of the time, my contracts served as my invoices.

But when I did have to send out my first invoice? I felt like a “professional” for the first time.

There are many ways to create your first invoice for freelance writing. I’m going to outline 2 easy ways (and I’ll let you know which tactic I most recommend).

But first, let’s quickly outline exactly what you need to make sure is on your first freelance invoice.

12 Items needed on your Freelance Writing Invoice

The following 12 items are not all required on a freelance invoice—but most of them are essential to getting paid on time.

Your main goal when creating a freelance invoice is to make it easy and straightforward for your client to pay you.

Ideally, freelance payments comes through your bank doors as quickly and smoothly as possible. Here’s what you need to include on your invoice to make sure that happens.

🧾 1. A Header with the word ‘Invoice’

Okay, yeah, I hear you. “Duh.” But yes, your freelance writing invoice needs to clearly state it is an “INVOICE.”

This way, there’s no confusion that this piece of paper might be a quote, estimate, or a collection of numbers about panda bears. Make sure you have a header that clearly shows the word: INVOICE.

💻 2. Your Business Name, Address, and Contact Details

Your business name is probably just your name. But it’s also key to include your “company address,” even if it’s just your home details.

I also include my contact details (phone number, email, and website) to make it straightforward for clients to contact me with any questions.

💼 3. Your Client’s Name, Address, and Contact Details

Again, seems obvious—but on your freelance writing invoice, you want to make sure you include your client’s full name, their work address, and contact details. This helps make it crystal clear who your invoice is aimed at.

#️⃣ 4. A Unique Invoice Number

This one can trip up some people, but it’s crucial that you have a unique invoice number on every invoice you send.

This number differentiates one invoice from the next. Your invoice number can be anything. It can be 20 numbers all randomly put together (though I don’t recommend this).

Your invoice number can also be as simple as #001. Your next invoice: #002. And so on.

The main thing—your invoice number cannot be a number on another invoice. It has to be unique to that invoice.

A unique number keeps everything in line on your books—and it’s an easy way to reference old invoices.

For my freelance writing invoices, I use the following number sequence: [YEAR-NUMBER].

For example, my last invoice number was: 2021-08
At a quick glane, I know my invoice is from the year 2021, and it’ s my 8th invoice of the year.

🗓 5. Invoice Date

Again, pretty straightforward. You must include the date your invoice is sent on your invoice.

Make sure to include a full date (day, month, year) on every invoice of yours. This keeps your records—and your client’s—neat and in line.

🖊 6. Summary of Your Freelance Services

Now, this one will be personalized to your particular brand of freelance services.

For me, I’m paid a flat rate for each book I write. So, I write out a simple description of my freelance writing services:

Item: Freelance Writing - Social Studies book (TITLE)
Quantity: 1
Price (flat rate): $2000

If you have an hourly rate, make sure to include:

Item: A simple description of your service
Quantity: Number of hours worked
Price: Your rate of pay

Make sure this section is as clear as possible so your client knows exactly what they’re paying for.

If there’s an area where there might be some confusion, this is little the spot. It’s worth spending a bit of time double checking your services are clearly outlined.

🔊 7. Subtotal (without fees or taxes)

This is the total cost for your services that does not include additional taxes or fees. You need this line if you collect taxes on your invoices. The subtotal helps you clearly outline the amount owed, pre and post tax.

💲8. Fees or Taxes (including your tax numbers)

Disclaimer: Please do your homework regarding your country’s taxes. This is an area that can get tricky quick, so check in with an accountant if you’re feeling confused about whether you need to include taxes or not. My info here is here for educational purposes. :)

I live and work in Canada, so I can only speak to Canadian freelance writers. But if you make less than $30,000 in income (before taxes) in four consecutive calendar quarters, you don’t need a GST number. (But do check this out for your own business, this is simply my personal experience.)

If you do make more than $30,000 in income in that time frame, you’ll need to sign up for a GST number and likely other provincial taxes (HST/PST). The Canada Revenue Agency has a helpful information on whether or not you need a GST number here.

If you live and work as a freelance writer in Canada, I highly recommend you chat with a Liaison Officer from the CRA. They offer free advice and can help clear up any tax confusions you might have.

If you collect GST/HST/PST, you need to make it clear that you’re collecting GST/HST/PST on your invoice.

You also need to state your tax number clearly on your freelance writing invoice. You can learn more at here on the CRA website or at TurboTax.

Live in a different country?

💸 9. Total amount due (with taxes)

At the bottom of your invoice, make sure the total amount due (💸) due is bolded and grabs the eye. You want this number to be unmissable.

💵 10. Payment Terms (politely worded!)

This is where you define the terms and conditions for your client’s payment.

In how many days do you expect to be paid? Include it here. According to Freshbooks, asking to get paid in 7 days is often an ideal amount of time.
Have a late fee policy? Include it here. According to Freshbooks, charging interest on late payments sometimes gets you paid faster.

🚨 Note: Not to sound like a parental figure, but make sure to include a ‘please’ and a ‘thank you’ in your payment terms. Research shows that a little bit of politeness often gets you paid faster.

Plus, in my opinion, adding a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ humanizes your freelance invoice.

Your terms and conditions is also where you can insert a tiny bit of personality. For example:

“It was so great working with you and your team!”
“I had a blast and a half writing for your company.”

💳 11. How to Pay the Freelance Invoice

Make sure it’s straightforward and clear for clients to know how to pay your invoice.

Frankly, I’m mostly paid an old-school way. My clients usually mail cheques to my house. (Yup, I know. 😅)

But for most freelance writers, the following payment methods are a better choice.

Here are a few payment methods you can offer to your clients:

Stripe (Cost: usually 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
Paypal (Cost: usually 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
Direct bank payments (Cost: usually free, but depends)

Do your research, and feel free to experiment. If you find people pay you more quickly when you use Stripe or PayPal, that might be worth the transaction fees.

However, if your clients are comfortable with direct bank payments, you will save some money. That’s definitely a pro to consider.

📅 12. Due Date for payment (clearly marked)

This one is self-explanatory, but yes, it’s key to have your due date for payment clearly marked on your invoice.

This makes it easy for your client to know when they need to get money to you. (And if you remember the tip above—the sweet spot is likely a due date within 7 days.)

2 Ways to Create a Professional Freelance Writing Invoice

Over the years, I’ve used two different strategies when creating freelance writing invoices.

First, I’ve used a simple Word template that I kept saved on my computer. This is how I created my first invoices for freelance writing, and this basic template served me well.

But now, I use a different strategy to create my invoices. Let’s explore both.

1. Use a Word, Excel, or Google Docs template to create your freelance invoice.

The simplest way to create an invoice template? Use a pre-made one by an accounting software or payment provider.

Many accounting software companies and payment providers list free templates for invoices, including Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and Google Docs.

(Sidebar: These freebies are offered because the companies want you to sign up and use their services. But still, the free templates are useful and helpful!)

The Excel spreadsheet invoice templates are usually your safer bet, as these templates use formulas to calculate your total amount due. (AKA: Less chance for calculation errors on your part!)

I recommend using invoice templates from an accounting software company or payment provider because:

They offer professional looking documents. (And looking professional is crucial as a freelance writer.)
They include all the essential invoice items listed above.

Here are links to free invoice templates for freelancers:

All are from reputable accounting software companies or payment providers.

Wave Apps: Wave Apps has several freelance invoice template options. Depending on your preference, you can download a Word, Excel, Google Docs, or Google Sheets version. Wave Apps is an accounting software built for self-employed individuals (including freelancers).
FreshBooks: Freshbooks offers a simple and free invoice template. The company offers accounting software aimed directly at freelancers.
PayPal: PayPal offers a free invoice template, as well as access to a free professional invoice template tool. Great to use if you want to be paid through PayPal.
Wise: Wise has several color options for free invoice templates. This company offers several payment options and a business account. I’ve used them in the past to send international money transfers.

2. My top suggestion: Use an accounting software to create invoices.

As your freelance writing business grows, it’s important to keep your “books” in order.

This means tracking your income and expenses with diligence. And the easiest way to do this is by using an accounting software.

Option 1: Wave Apps

I personally use Wave Apps to create invoices, track my income, and tally up my business expenses.

I’ve used the software for the last three years. I highly recommend it to fellow freelance writers—especially if you’re just starting your journey.

Why I like Wave Apps for invoicing and accounting:

It’s FREE. Yes, you read that right. Wave Apps offers most of their features for free. The software makes money through their transaction fees for payments, so that’s something to keep in mind if you plan to send invoices through their system.
It’s easy to use. Setting up and sending invoices for your freelance writing services is simple and straightforward. I love how I can brand my invoices with my logo and colour scheme.
It helps you track your income. At the end of a calendar year, I can look back and see exactly how much income I made. This makes filing taxes easy and straightforward.
It automatically sends out late reminders. If you’re using Wave to send your invoices, it’ll help you chase down late payments—automatically. You can set up scheduled reminders that will ping your client and remind them they have an invoice to pay.

Option 2: FreshBooks

I’m also listing Freshbooks as an option for freelance writers to send invoices and track their income. This accounting software is directed at freelancers and anyone who is self-employed—and it shows.

My main reasons for not using FreshBooks? The cost—and the fact that I’m very comfortable using Wave Apps.

However, I’ve signed up for a trial of FreshBooks before, and I loved the look and feel of the software. For some freelance writers this will be your accounting software of choice.

Why I like Freshbooks for invoicing and accounting:

It has time tracking capabilities. I use Toggl Track as my time tracking service—but I do wish Wave Apps offered it within their software. Even if you’re not paid an hourly rate, I’m a firm believer that tracking your time is a crucial step to be a successful freelancer. If you are paid an hourly rate, Freshbooks is a great way to track those hours and make sure you get paid for all your hard work.
It has a beautiful interface. Okay, I’ll fully admit it—I fall for aesthetics. I know when I enjoy interacting with a product, I’ll use it more. And Freshbooks makes invoicing and tracking business-related moves so easy and pleasant to do.
They offer more comprehensive reports. As you scale up your business, you might need more than Wave offers. And Freshbooks is a solid choice that is more capable at providing detailed and insightful reports on the health of your business. (And as a freelance writer, you are running a business!)

Freshbooks does cost more than Wave Apps. Their pricing plans vary depending on where you live.

But if you’re interested, Freshbooks does offer a free 30-day trial. Go ahead, and kick the tires, and try it out.

🧪 Experiment with accounting software.

I highly recommend trying out different accounting softwares to see which one you prefer. For me, investing money in business accounting is never wasted money.

That being said, I think Wave Apps is a beautiful, free solution for creating freelance writing invoices. And it’s my accounting software of choice.

If accounting software still feels intimidating though, stick with a simple Word template for your freelance invoices. You know what will work best for you.

Trust your gut—and go get paid, writer!

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Oh hey there, I’m Monika!

(she/her) I’m a big fan of compassionate creativity, intentional living, and freshly-popped popcorn. I hope this blog post helped you successfully create a professional invoice for freelance writing.

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email. I love to hear from fellow writers!