What a kill fee is
In publishing, to kill a piece means to decide not to use it. Collins defines a kill fee as payment to a freelance writer for assigned material that goes unused. People also use the term for projects stopped before delivery, so the label alone does not tell you when payment is due.
Two situations people mix up
Separate unused work from unfinished work. AMWA describes both publishing kill fees and early termination terms for medical writing. In magazine and newspaper contracts, it says fees of 25% or 50% are often offered when a piece is not published. That is a publishing example, not a rate for every freelance project.
- Completed but unused: you finish the agreed brief, but the client or publication decides against using the work. This is the classic publishing situation.
- Canceled mid-project: the client stops the assignment while work is underway. A cancellation or progress-based fee can tie payment to the work completed. Some agreements also call this a kill fee.
Percentages are negotiated, not a law
There is no universal percentage to copy from these examples. Marcia Yudkin’s writing FAQ lists 10%, 25%, 33%, 50% and 100% of the article’s agreed price. Her example concerns writing an editor finds unsatisfactory, which differs from finishing to the brief and having the client shelve it. Read the trigger as closely as the number.
- Negotiate the percentage before accepting the assignment.
- For work stopped partway through, map payment to named stages and the effort each stage takes.
- Check whether the clause reduces payment for completed work that would otherwise be payable in full under your agreement.
Put the trigger in writing before you start
The Freelancers Union Contract Creator separates cancellation terms from a kill fee for work completed to the agreed specifications and deadlines but left unused. Its terms leave amounts and payment periods to be filled in. Use your proposal to discuss these choices, then record the agreed terms before work begins.
- Define the event: unused completed work, cancellation after work starts, or a named stage of completion.
- Name who sends written notice, who receives it and which channel they use.
- State the percentage, the total fee it applies to and how progress is measured.
- Set the payment deadline after notice or invoice receipt, and explain how earlier payments count toward the amount due.
Example clause language you can adapt
These are discussion examples with blanks, not a complete contract. Choose language that fits your project and have it checked for your situation. Under many kill fee clauses, the freelancer keeps rights to reuse or sell the unused work. The Freelancers Union example expressly keeps those rights with the freelancer; your own ownership and confidentiality terms need to fit that outcome.
- Kill after completion: If [client] decides not to use [deliverable] completed to [brief and deadline], [client] will notify [freelancer] in writing by [channel] and pay [percentage]% of [agreed total fee] within [days] of that notice.
- Mid-project cancellation: If [client] cancels after [start event], [client] will notify [freelancer] in writing by [channel]. Payment will follow [stage and fee schedule], based on [completed work], and be due within [days] of invoice receipt.
- Earlier payments: Amounts already paid for [covered work] count toward [amount due] under this clause.
- Rights: After payment of this fee, [freelancer] keeps [specified rights] to reuse or sell [unused work]. The client receives [no usage rights or the rights expressly listed]. Specify how [confidential material] is handled.
Milestone billing as an alternative
A milestone is a defined stage of work with its own payment. AMWA describes freelancers who prefer an invoice schedule tied to delivery benchmarks, so payment follows effort along the way. This can be a better fit when research and a first draft take most of the effort, even though revisions remain. An advance is a payment before work begins; agree on how it counts toward later invoices.
- List each stage, its deliverable, fee and invoice date or trigger.
- Give research, drafting and revisions amounts that reflect the expected effort.
- Write down what is payable if the project stops between stages, including how any advance is credited.
AMWA: invoice schedules instead of kill fees
Plan your freelance invoicing schedule · Prepare an invoice with the free generator
If the kill fee itself is unpaid
Treat an unpaid kill fee like another unpaid invoice: check the agreed trigger, amount and due date before sending a reminder. Keep the cancellation notice, delivery record and invoice together. If the client disputes whether the clause applies, address that question first. SkillLinkup does not send invoices, chase clients or collect payments.
Check the terms when working through platforms
If hired through Upwork or Fiverr, follow the cancellation and payment terms for that contract. Do not assume a clause from a direct client agreement applies. Terminology also varies across services: Contently’s policy bases payment on completion and fit with the brief rather than publication, and describes partial payment for work already done on some canceled assignments.
Common questions
What is a kill fee?
It is an agreed payment when commissioned work is not used or a project stops. In publishing, it commonly refers to an assigned piece that will not be published. Read the agreement to see what triggers payment.
What is the difference between a kill fee and a cancellation fee?
A kill fee can cover completed but unused work. A cancellation fee can cover a project stopped before completion, with payment tied to progress. Some agreements use kill fee for both situations.
What percentage should I charge?
Negotiate a percentage that fits the trigger and work involved. Published writing examples include 10%, 25%, 33%, 50% and 100%; none is a universal standard. For cancellation during work, consider a schedule tied to completed stages.
Do I keep the rights after a kill fee?
Often, under clauses that leave rights with the freelancer. Check your ownership, usage and confidentiality terms before reusing or selling the work. Payment of a kill fee alone does not tell you which rights your agreement assigns.
Is a kill fee always better than milestone payments?
No. Milestone payments can suit projects where substantial effort happens before final delivery. Agree on a payment schedule and what happens if work stops between stages.