I have no idea what to charge for something like this, help?

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

I've been talking to a lady in Humboldt, CA who is putting together a card reading app, and it looks like I've been hired to write the meanings.
For 35 cards, I have to write key words, a general description, a section for everyday matters, then past, present and future meanings for that, a section for love matters, also with past, present and future meanings, one for business matters, with past, present and future, and one for health/physical matters, with past present and future meanings. I did a sample card and it came out to about 900 words.

I can do this because I live, eat and breathe these fucking cards, not because I'm a writer (I suck). So I've never sold any kind of writing, or thought about it and I have no idea what people get paid for this. She's going to be calling Saturday asking for a "ballpark figure of what my fee would be" and I don't want to fuck myself, but I don't want to scare her off, either. Any idea what I should tell her? Thanks.

[Juana]

Is she selling this app? If she is, can you finagle royalties in return for a lower immediate cost? What's your usual price?

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

That's just it, I don't HAVE a regular price, I never sold any writing. Royalties sounds interesting, though.

[Signora Pæsior]

One idea might be to ask her what her budget is for her project, telling her you're willing to work within that.

'Tis what I used to do when I was freelancing web design for small businesses.

[Juana]

I meant a usual price for a general reading, haha. Should have been more clear.

One idea might be to ask her what her budget is for her project, telling her you're willing to work within that.

'Tis what I used to do when I was freelancing web design for small businesses.

^^^ and that.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Thanks, Signora. Sounds like a good thing to ask, if nothing else I won't sound totally green. 

Garbo, depends on what they want and how long it's going to take me. Off the phone line, usually about $40 - $50.

[Juana]

I'd charge that, then? I don't know what other readers charge on average.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I'd charge that, then? I don't know what other readers charge on average.

How many cards would you use in a standard spread? Divide $50 by that number and then multiply by the full deck.

So say it's a ten card spread (for simplicity sake) divide $50 by 10 = $5 bucks a card, times 78 cards(?) = $390 bucks

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Per 900 words/card? Sounds pretty cool. 
Come to think of it, she did ask me the same question early on. Said she was going to send me a client, but I never heard anything. That was probably why.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Also - don't worry about scaring her off. If she's serious about this then she knows that every time she uses this app it's going to make it easier for her to make the 50 for a reading. In fact it's going to make it effortless, the kind of thing you could automate, stick on the other end of a switchboard and have ka-ching-ing 50's every time the phone rings, while she sits on her ass and works out how to spend the cash.

If she's not serious then you are going to put in all the work and get fuck all in return. It's either worth 500 bucks to both of you or it's a waste of only your time and effort.

ETA: Bear in mind that, by the time her phone rings 11 times she's making profit

[Juana]

Why would it cost fifty bucks per reading if it's an app?

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

There's actually only 36 cards in this deck, it's a Lenormand. But about 900 words per card. So yeah, if she's going to be ka-chinging, I don't feel bad asking for something in that range.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Why would it cost fifty bucks per reading if it's an app?

She'd be selling the app itself, but yeah, I could see her on the phone punching up meanings. 

[P3nT4gR4m]

Why would it cost fifty bucks per reading if it's an app?

I'm seeing this as having the potential to replace Texas Fairies with an automated service - "Please hold - Your future is important to us"

[Anna Mae Bollocks]