Probably the most attractive aspect of being a writer is the freedom to work on your own and contribute to a variety of clients.
I worked in a newspaper or corporate setting – real jobs – for more than twenty years before taking the plunge and going solo. Of course, I made this decision right as we were moving into a brand new house with a big new mortgage.
Thankfully, my supportive wife encouraged me to go for it, and I’ve never regretted that decision for a minute. Once a bird is out of its cage, it’s hard to get it back inside.
Writing isn’t one of those jobs in which you can just sit at the computer and work non-stop for eight hours. At least I can’t. It’s nice to be able to get up and mow the lawn or go for a run or otherwise fit some downtime into the day without asking permission. OK, that part’s really cool.
While my primary client provides steady work, it’s not always the most stimulating. That’s where it’s nice to have additional clients and book projects to keep the day fresh. During the course of a single day, I can work on projects for two or three completely unrelated companies, and make progress on promotional efforts for my two books, “Torture at the Back Forty” and “Bodyguard to the Packers.”
I don’t have employer-sponsored benefits or guaranteed work, but I’ve got freedom – freedom of time; freedom of projects; freedom of income with no artificially imposed ceiling.
It’s hard to put a price on that.
Posted by Mike on May 3, 2009 at 2:16 PM under
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