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Subject:Re: Making money in tech writing From:Jean Weber <jean_weber -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM> Date:Sun, 1 Feb 1998 15:23:14 -0500
Andrew Plato wrote,
>I can say there was one thing missing from [Peter Kent's] book,
Making Money in Technical Writing. A stern warning to anyone
who is considering becoming a freelancer <snip>
I think a lot of people see freelancing in some rosy light. <
I think Peter Kent covers all the disadvantages quite clearly in
Chapter 6 of the 2nd edition. However, some people won't heed
the warnings, or don't believe the warnings apply to them.
It's rather like trying to tell someone how much parenthood will
disrupt theirr life, how expensive it is to raise children, how little
free time they will have, etc. No one believes it until it's too late.
At least with freelance writing, if it doesn't work out, you can
(usually) go back to being an employee! And freelancing,
like parenthood, does offer many people a range of positives
that outweigh the negatives -- for them.
The archives should be full of discussions about people's
experiences with freelancing vs employment. Very interesting
reading, as I recall.
