The Ultimate Guide to Hiring an Author Assistant (Part 2 of 3)
Part 1: When to hire an author assistant and what type of author assistant you need
Part 2: How much does an author assistant cost and where to find the right author assistant for you
Part 3: Understanding contracts and how to onboard your author assistant
The right author assistant is priceless. They can give you more time to write by taking on the non-writing tasks you want to delegate. But how much do they cost and where are they?
In part one we considered when’s the right time to hire and what kind of assistant you need. Knowing these two things will get you ready to consider costs.
How much is an author assistant?
Other than the time it takes to find one, how much does an author assistant cost? Well, it depends. Length of career, type of experience, specialisation, and even location all go into the overall cost.
Consider the value an author assistant will bring. What tasks are they taking off your plate? What time will you get back to write? Remember, you’re investing in your writing career and your peace of mind.
If you’re looking to hire an author assistant for a full-time position or part-time (more than twenty hours a week) you’ll likely be their employer. You’ll be required to pay their wage and any additional costs, such as National Insurance (UK.)
You’ll also need to pay for any equipment they need, like a laptop, and provide space for them to work in.
If you just need someone for a few hours a week, a few days a month or for a few projects, you’re likely to benefit from a freelance author assistant.
A freelance author assistant is someone whose business is about assisting multiple clients. (Although there are freelance author assistants who dedicate themselves to just one or two clients.) You would only pay them their agreed fee and rates. They deal with their own tax, National Insurance, and equipment.
A freelance author assistant typically has two billing models; an hourly rate-based package or a deliverables-based package.
An hourly rate-based package is when you pay for a set number of hours worked per billing cycle.
A deliverables-based package is when you pay for specific outcomes, tasks or results.
If you plan to hire an employee, certain processes need to be followed. In the UK, the government has shared information about employing staff.
Where to find an author assistant
Now you know what type of author assistant you’re looking for. How can you find who you need?
Four ways to find an author assistant.
Advertise - Place an advert online and in publications related to your genre or area of expertise. Advertise what you need on your author's website. Share a link to the advert on social media and through your newsletter. Who knows, a fan of your work might have the right skills and jump at the chance to work with you.
Inbox - Freelancers and virtual assistants look for work. That includes cold outreach, sending emails to let people know they’re available for work. Someone might have already been in touch with you. Check your inbox (including spam) to double-check if someone has already offered to support you.
LinkedIn - The platform is primarily used for professional networking. Search for “author assistant” or “virtual assistant”. Read about their experience and visit their website. Don’t forget to check their social media too. They could be all business on LinkedIn but more personal on Twitter or Instagram. Imagine hiring someone who is great at their job and also loves that thing you love. Like what you see? Connect with them.
Network - Ask fellow authors and your writing communities for any referrals. Someone might already be working with the author assistant that’s ideal for you. And they already come with built-in approval.
When you advertise, remember to put a cut-off date on your adverts. You can always extend the date if you have too few responses. But you don’t necessarily want people contacting you asking for a job once your assistant is in place.
Do you really need to see their CV, or is a link to their portfolio, website or LinkedIn good enough? Let interested people know what you need to know.
Once you’ve had several responses, read through them all. Choose a few that seem to be the best fit for what you need and get in touch with them.
How you choose an author assistant is up to you. An official interview process might be required if hiring an employee. When hiring a freelancer, it might be enough to see their portfolio and discuss what you need.
It could even come down to choosing the assistant who just loves the genre you write.
Now you know who you want to hire, what next? In part three it’s time to understand contracts and how to onboard your author assistant.
Mary Wyrd offers virtual assistant and copywriting services for creatives. Yes, that includes authors.
Could I be your author assistant? Let’s find out.