Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
The lifestyle of a freelance writer, that is:
Freelancing means walking from the West Village to the Upper East Side and back because you don't have enough money for the subway. Freelancing means being so poor and so hungry for so long that you "eat" a bowl of soup that's just hot water, crushed-up multivitamins and half your spice rack (mostly garlic salt).
Even though he was getting published in the New York Times, Playboy, and the Wall Street Journal, this is how Richard Morgan, a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism, lived for seven years. He details his years as a freelance writer here:
There was just one day in all these seven years that I had an actual job, at Gawker; I quit after the first day, an event that ended up becoming good anecdote for someone else's story in the Sunday Times. I get invited back to my journalism school to speak to the class about "how to be a successful freelancer" and "the art of freelancing."
I once got paid $100 a word.
What's more, I did this all from my $875-a-month-Craigslisted apartment in the West Village, where I've lived for the past five years, mostly spending my days watching television, napping, noshing, strolling around, seeing matinees, playing The Sims, having sex and getting intoxicated.
That sounds like success, right? It may or may not be. Decide after reading.
What do you think--is Morgan what you would term a successful writer? I'd also be curious to know what think of his writing style. Do you think he's a good writer?
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Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
So why would a freelance writer have to live in expensive Manhattan?
Jul '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
He's an entertaining writer, though it's pretty obvious that he's one who needs heavy editing.
You really have to admire his spunk and tenacity. Given what he's gone through, most of us would have gone into fast food or cut our wrists long ago.
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
I made the move to complete freelancing after I had my first child. I think it helps if you keep a few regular gigs so you have stability and some basic expectation of your minimum income each month and then move to steadily increase your output and quality with the one-off pieces.
But yes, I think some of what he says is helpful and he makes an excellent case for why editors are so important for all of us!
Apr '11
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
Sounds like he had a lot of spare time on his hands in between articles. Why not pick up a part time job to help pay the bills?
Jul '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
I'm confused...
Is he Braging?
Or is he Complaining?
Aug '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
Jaydee_007: I'm confused...
Is he Braging?
Or is he Complaining? · May 23 at 11:52am
Sounds like he's bragging while complaining. Only the most gifted whiners can pull that off.
Nov '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
No it's not good writing, at least from this POV. I have to admit I only made it part way through, it's hard to wade through all those I's. But basically too self involved and windy. If you want a good first person book of trials and tribulations, try Orwell's semi-autobiography Down and Out in Paris and London, or Homage to Catalonia. Or Ambrose Vollard's Recollections of a Picture Dealer. Or Lt. Gen. Moore's We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. Lots of others to choose from.
Apr '11
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
I only made it half-way through his piece because I found his style chaotic, frenzied and superficial. The topic is interesting but he turned me off. Too inside baseball and the name dropping was annoying.
Oct '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
In this fellas supposed deprivations, what assistance did he get ?
State or Government....
Oct '10
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
Emily, Used to collect books in earlier years, first editions when possible. Came across some early issues where authors were paid by the word. Circa 1800s.
They never made any of the sums you state and they were nearly impossible to read.
Ever seen or read any of of these ?
Re: Would You Wish This Lifestyle on Anyone?
Some of you may be familiar with the widespread -- though untrue notion -- that this is how Charles Dickens was paid and thus why his works tended to be verbose. In Dickens' case, he was actually paid by installment, as the works were serialized. The knock on his interminability, however, still carries weight with this author.
wilber forge: Emily, Used to collect books in earlier years, first editions when possible. Came across some early issues where authors were paid by the word. Circa 1800s.
They never made any of the sums you state and they were nearly impossible to read.
Ever seen or read any of of these ? · May 23 at 8:31pm