How do I write a simple contract?

To write a simple contract, cover six things in plain English: who the parties are, what work will be done, what it costs and when payment is due, the key dates, how either side can end the deal, and signatures with dates.

That is genuinely the whole skeleton. A simple contract agreement does not need legalese; courts enforce clear ordinary language, and clients actually read it.

Two habits prevent most disputes. Be specific in the scope: three logo concepts and two revision rounds beats design work. And write the exit: how much notice, and what happens to money already paid. A short written agreement someone signs beats a long one nobody reads, and both beat the handshake you cannot prove later.

Or skip the blank page with a free contract template that asks for those six things as form fields.