It’s not the length of the content — it’s the complexity that makes it expensive

Every so often, I’ll send a quote for a 1,000-word article and get this reply:

“But our last writer did 1,500 words for less.”

And I get it.
On the surface, word count feels like a fair metric for value. You pay more for a longer haircut, a bigger pizza, a thicker book. So why not a longer article?
Because content isn’t measured in centimetres. It’s measured in complexity.
‍You’re not paying for paragraphs.
You’re paying for the thinking that turns complexity into clarity.

The myth of word count pricing

The “price per word” model came from a time when content was mass-produced for SEO — when agencies were publishing 30 blogs a month, and the goal was quantity, not quality.

Back then, content was a commodity. A 1,000-word article could cost $50 because it didn’t need to say anything new. It just had to exist.
But today, the kind of content that actually builds trust and converts readers isn’t just about filling space — it’s about communicating something complex, clearly and confidently.

And that kind of writing doesn’t come from counting words. It comes from knowing what those words need to do.

Why complexity changes everything

A 400-word explainer that needs to simplify a compliance update can take longer (and deliver more value) than a 1,500-word blog about “5 marketing trends for 2025.”

Because simplifying complexity isn’t simple.
It’s intellectual heavy lifting.

When I’m writing for industries like insurance, SaaS, or super, every line has to be accurate, on-brand, and pass compliance review. It’s not just about writing well — it’s about understanding enough to not get it wrong.

That means:

• Finding sources that won’t get you sued.
• Translating technical language into something real humans can read.
• Writing with a tone that feels confident, not casual.
• Anticipating what legal or marketing will question — and fixing it before they do.

That’s the difference between typing words and building clarity.

The invisible work behind one article

When clients ask for “just one article,” what they’re really asking for is everything that happens before the first word appears on screen.

There’s the briefing — where I uncover what you actually want to say (which is rarely the same as what’s written in the brief).
There’s the research — digging into credible sources, understanding competitors, and identifying what your audience already believes.
There’s the structuring — deciding what to include, what to cut, and how to make a complex topic flow like a story.
And then there’s the editing, refining, checking, and reviewing until it reads like it’s always been that simple.

Most of that work is invisible.
But it’s where the value lives.

What actually makes something complex

Complexity isn’t just about the subject matter — it’s about the environment the content has to live in.

• Subject complexity: Highly regulated or technical industries, where accuracy matters more than adjectives.
• Strategic complexity: Content that has to speak to multiple audiences (like businesses and brokers) without losing clarity.
• Brand complexity: When your tone has to sound human but still pass compliance review.

A “simple” topic might be how to make a LinkedIn post engaging.
A complex one might be explaining new insurance obligations to SMEs in plain English.

Both are valuable. One just takes a lot more thinking.

Why Capsule Content costs less

Capsule Content — my 10-piece foundational content package — sits in a completely different category. It’s efficient, repeatable, and built on industries I already know inside out.

Because I’ve written for these industries for years, I already understand the structure, tone, and the core topics that perform. There’s minimal discovery, little risk of inaccuracy, and no need to navigate six internal teams.

That means I can move faster without compromising quality.
The price reflects that efficiency — not a drop in value.
It’s not “cheaper” because it’s worth less.
It’s “cheaper” because I don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time.

The real reason “fast” isn’t the same as “cheap”

Every experienced professional has a version of this story:
A plumber charges $100 to tighten a valve that takes five minutes to fix.
You’re not paying for the five minutes. You’re paying for the ten years it took to know which valve to tighten.

It’s the same with writing.

When I can turn around a complex article in a day, it’s not because it’s easy — it’s because I’ve spent eleven years learning how to make complexity sound effortless.

You’re not paying for my typing speed.
You’re paying for the years of pattern recognition, industry knowledge, and creative problem-solving that make the end result seem obvious.

That’s the value of experience.
It compresses time without cutting corners.

Reframing the question

So next time you’re briefing a writer or requesting a quote, try reframing the question from:
“How many words will it be?”
to
“How much thinking needs to go into it?”

Because the truth is, a long article that’s simple to write is far cheaper than a short one that requires strategic alignment across multiple departments.
And when you find a writer who can translate your industry’s complexity into clarity — that’s where the real return on investment is.

Final thought

At the end of the day, the value of content isn’t measured in length.
It’s measured in how clearly it communicates something complex — and how much thinking went into making that look easy.

If you want to start with the basics, that’s what Capsule Content is for.
If you need the deep thinking behind complex content, that’s what my retainers are for.

Because great content isn’t priced by the word.
It’s priced by the clarity it delivers.