What Is the Best Brillay Offer for Writers?

For most writers, Custom Work is the best Brillay offer for a paid manuscript critique, poem, or fanfiction commission, and Goals is best for funding a specific cost like editing or cover design. Paid Questions handle short text answers, and Tips cover no-strings reader support. Custom Work lets you offer clearly scoped commissions and services: you set the price, the scope and the delivery time, and followers submit a brief and pay before you start. No monthly fee, you only pay a small platform fee when you get paid. 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work, 5% platform fee on tips and goals. Card processing is separate.

Best Brillay offer by writer need

Writers who post about their work get the same requests on repeat: "Will you look at my first chapter?", "Can you write me a poem for my partner's birthday?", "How do I get an agent to notice my query letter?" Most writers answer everything free in DMs, or bundle every request into one vague "support me" link that never tells a reader what they are paying for. Brillay splits those requests into separate offers so a defined critique, a goal, and a quick question each get the right format.

The Authors Guild's 2023 Author Income Survey found that full-time authors earned a median of $10,000 from their books in 2022 and a median of $20,000 once other author-related income was counted (Authors Guild, Key Takeaways from the 2023 Author Income Survey). The same Authors Guild survey summary states that "most authors are earning half of their writing-related income from sources other than their books," and names editing, teaching, speaking, and book coaching as those sources. Full-time self-published authors reported a median book income of $12,800 in 2022 and $15,000 from all author-related activities in that same Authors Guild survey, so a priced critique, commission, or goal is filling a real gap for both traditionally and independently published writers.

Which Brillay offer fits a manuscript, query, or editing critique?

Custom Work is the Brillay offer for a manuscript critique, query-letter rewrite, commissioned poem, or paid fanfiction chapter. You name the deliverable, set the price, choose a delivery time, and the follower attaches their manuscript file when ordering (Brillay, Custom Work). Nothing is answered until it is paid.

Delivery is one-time. The "What it is" section of Brillay's Custom Work page states the reader "can also attach their own files when they order (a track, a resume, a screenshot)," which is how a manuscript, outline, or comp list reaches the writer before work starts. Brillay's Custom Work FAQ answer to "What format can I deliver in?" specifies a written delivery note plus up to 5 files — video, audio, images, PDF, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, with video and audio up to 20 minutes — and/or a private link for anything larger.

A custom request differs from a Paid Question because the follower is buying a scoped deliverable rather than one written reply. A listing should state exactly what is included — word-count ceiling, notes versus a line edit — so a request that grows past that scope can be declined instead of turning into unpaid extra work. The same scope-price-delivery time structure works for other commission-based creators; see how illustrators and character artists price a commission slot for a comparable setup.

How much should a writer charge for a critique, edit, or query rewrite?

Published editorial rates are the reference point. The Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 Editorial Rate Chart lists median rate ranges of 1.5–1.8¢ per word for manuscript assessment/evaluation, 3.0–3.5¢ per word for fiction developmental editing, and 0.5–0.8¢ per word for beta reading (Editorial Freelancers Association, Editorial Rates).

The EFA's 2026 chart is drawn from a survey of over 1,100 respondents, representing more than a third of the EFA's membership, administered from November 2025 through mid-January 2026 about rates charged during the 2025 calendar year (Editorial Freelancers Association). The EFA's 2026 Rate Chart reports a median per-project price of $600 for manuscript assessment/evaluation and $150 for beta reading, alongside hourly median ranges of $40.00–54.00 for manuscript assessment and $50.00–70.00 for beta reading (Editorial Freelancers Association). For query letters specifically, the EFA's 2026 Rate Chart lists query letter coaching at a median hourly range of $70.00–77.50 and a median per-project price of $300 (Editorial Freelancers Association).

Applying the EFA's published 3.0–3.5¢ per word fiction developmental range to a 90,000-word novel gives roughly $2,700–$3,150, and applying its 1.5–1.8¢ manuscript-assessment range to a 10,000-word first-chapters package gives roughly $150–$180. Those are outside market medians for professional editors, not Brillay figures, so a writer selling a lighter first-chapters read should expect to sit under them. See how much to charge for a manuscript critique and how much to charge for a personalized poem for starting price ranges by length and format.

When should a writer use a Paid Question instead of a full critique?

A Paid Question fits one private question and one written reply; a custom request fits a scoped deliverable that can include files. Brillay's Paid Questions page describes the paid question landing "in your inbox as a private message" that the writer answers in writing, while the Custom Work page describes the follower file-attachment step.

With a Paid Question, the writer sets a price and reply time for one written reply. A Paid Question is one written reply, not a session to book or a calendar slot to hold, so a writer can answer between other work instead of setting aside a scheduled hour.

Brillay places the follower attachment step and the up-to-5-file delivery package on the Custom Work page, so a request that requires sending or returning a document should be routed to a custom request. A writer who wants both can run a $10 question offer for quick text answers and a $75 critique service for anything that arrives as a manuscript — coaches split the same two formats for quick advice versus a full session.

How can writers fund editing, cover design, or their next book?

Goals lets readers send cash toward one named production cost — a developmental edit, cover design, or an advance-reader-copy print run — tracked on a progress bar. Brillay's Goals FAQ states there are "no reward tiers, physical perks, or campaign deadlines to manage".

"The median author income for full-time authors from their books was $10,000 in 2022." — Authors Guild, Key Takeaways from the 2023 Author Income Survey

Self-publishing income is measured separately and is not much larger: the Alliance of Independent Authors' 2025 Indie Author Income Survey reports a median self-published author income of $13,500, up about 6% year on year.

Crowdfunding is the usual alternative for a named book cost, and readers do fund books there: Kickstarter's own 2025 year in review reports that its Publishing category raised more than $45M in 2025, with multiple publishing projects surpassing $1M. Kickstarter prices differently from Brillay, though: Kickstarter collects a 5% fee from the funds collected when a project is successfully funded, per the Kickstarter Help Center article "What are the fees?", and Kickstarter's help article "Why is funding all-or-nothing?" states the platform uses an all-or-nothing model "to protect creators, to protect backers, and to create the urgency that helps campaigns succeed". Supporters chip in one time, every contribution counts toward the goal as it arrives, there is no cutoff, and there is nothing to ship.

"If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter collects a 5% fee from the funds collected." — Kickstarter Help Center, "What are the fees?"

Brillay's Goals sets no all-or-nothing threshold: its "How it works" steps describe support adding up on the progress bar as each contribution arrives, with no funding minimum named in the flow. A $400 cover-design goal on Brillay keeps whatever readers contribute even if the bar never fills, and Brillay's 5% platform fee applies per contribution. Tie the goal to a real quote rather than a round number: at the EFA's published 3.0–3.5¢ per word median range for fiction developmental editing, a 90,000-word manuscript prices at roughly $2,700–$3,150 (Editorial Freelancers Association). Close the goal once it is funded and point ongoing supporters to Tips instead of leaving a wishlist running indefinitely — musicians run the same named-goal approach for funding an EP or studio session.

When should a writer turn on Tips instead of a paid deliverable?

Tips let followers send a one-time thank-you, with nothing for you to deliver and no membership for them to join. Brillay's Tips FAQ answer to "Can small creators accept tips?" states "there's no follower minimum," so a writer can run a tip jar before any critique listing exists.

Brillay's Tips page states that tips need "no product, no subscription, no follower minimum," and its "Simple and private" section states tips "require nothing in return — no thread, no delivery". Tips work alongside Custom Work and Goals rather than replacing either: a follower who cannot afford a $75 critique, and who does not want to contribute to a specific goal, can still send a small one-time payment — streamers use the same tip jar for support during a live stream. Keeping the three offers separate avoids the common trap of one blurry "support me" price list that never tells a reader what a payment actually buys.

How much does Brillay cost writers?

Brillay's pricing page lists a Free plan at "$0/month," charges an 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work and 5% on tips and goals, and states that "payment-processing fees are deducted separately from creator earnings". Stripe lists 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction on its own published pricing (Stripe, Pricing).

The "How payments & payouts work" section of Brillay's pricing page states that "a connected Stripe account is required for paid widgets" and that creator earnings equal the reader payment minus the platform fee minus the processing fee. Applying Brillay's 8% platform fee on paid work and Stripe's published 2.9% + 30¢ domestic card rate together, a $60 critique clears roughly $53.16 before payout.

The prices in the fee table are illustrative, not guaranteed take-home numbers — what a writer actually earns depends on the offer, audience, and pricing that writer chooses.

How does Brillay compare to book royalties, a paid newsletter, or a freelance marketplace?

Every route takes a cut, and the published rates differ sharply. Amazon KDP pays a 35% or 70% ebook royalty, Substack takes 10% of each transaction, Kickstarter takes 5% on a successfully funded project, and Upwork's freelancer service fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract — against Brillay's 8% platform fee when a follower pays for work and 5% on tips and goals.

Amazon KDP's eBook Royalties help page states that under the 70% option "your royalty will be 70% of your list price without VAT, less delivery costs (average delivery costs are $0.06 per unit sold, and vary by file size)," and 35% of list price under the 35% option (Amazon KDP, eBook Royalties). Amazon KDP's eBook List Price Requirements page states that effective July 7, 2026, the 70% royalty option price band is $2.99–$12.99 on Amazon.com (Amazon KDP, eBook List Price Requirements). At those published KDP terms a $4.99 ebook returns about $3.45 per sale under the 70% option, so a single $60 critique sold on Brillay, which nets about $53.16 after the 8% platform fee on paid work and Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30, is worth roughly 15 ebook sales at that price.

Substack's support article "How much does Substack cost?" states that a paid publication is charged "10% of each transaction" by Substack plus "a credit card fee (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)" (Substack Support, How much does Substack cost?). The Upwork Help Center article on the Freelancer Service Fee states the fee "ranges from 0% to 15% per contract", and the Upwork Help Center article on the Client Marketplace Fee describes a client marketplace fee of up to 7.99% on payments clients make to freelancers.

Should a writer combine critiques, a Goal, and tips on one page?

You can put several offers on one Brillay page: Custom Work for priced critiques, Tips for casual follower support, and a Goal while you are funding a specific book cost. Custom Work and Paid Questions carry an 8% platform fee, while Tips and Goals carry a 5% platform fee.

Running a Goal continuously with no target blurs into a general donation button, which weakens both the goal and the case for tipping separately. Turning a goal on for one named cost, closing it once funded, and routing ongoing supporters to Tips the rest of the time keeps each offer legible to a reader.

What should a writer's Brillay page include before launch?

A writer's page should make each offer obvious before a reader clicks: scope, price, and the delivery time you set for Custom Work; a named target and progress bar for Goals; and suggested amounts for Tips. A single "support my writing" label forces readers to guess.

Start with one custom request tier — a first-chapters critique or one poem format — before adding a Goal or opening Paid Questions. Fanfiction writers can price commissions by word count rather than a flat rate, since chapter-length requests vary widely.

Frequently asked questions

Writers ask Brillay four things: whether a publishing credential is required, when a Paid Question replaces a full critique, whether a goal can run beside paid critiques, and whether tips carry the same cut. Brillay's pricing page names one requirement, a connected Stripe account, and charges 8% when a follower pays for work and 5% on tips and goals.

Do I need to be traditionally published to sell critiques or commissions on Brillay?

No. Brillay's Tips page states "there's no follower minimum," and the "How payments & payouts work" section of Brillay's pricing page names one requirement for paid offers — "a connected Stripe account is required for paid widgets" — with no publishing credential listed (Brillay, Tips and Brillay pricing). A debut, self-published, or unpublished writer can set up Custom Work, Goals, or Tips at any audience size.

Should I use a Paid Question or a custom request for feedback?

Use a Paid Question for one private question and one written reply, such as a title pick or a single-line rewrite. Use a custom request when the follower needs to send a manuscript, chapter, query, or synopsis, because Brillay's Custom Work page carries both the follower file-attachment step and the up-to-5-file delivery package.

Can I fund a book project and sell paid critiques at the same time?

Yes. Goals and Custom Work are separate Brillay offers and can run on the same page, so a goal for editing or cover design does not replace priced critique or commission listings (How Brillay works).

Does Brillay take a cut of tips and Goal contributions too?

Yes. Brillay's pricing page states an 8% platform fee for a Custom Work request or Paid Question and a 5% platform fee for a Tip or Goals contribution.

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