Monday, August 29, 2005

On freelancing

Chris Rodell on the palatial prison he has constructed around himself, at MobyLives:
I never have an okay day. My professional elevator only stops at two floors: despair and euphoria. An editor will call me for a 2,500–word assignment that pays $1.50 a word. I am overjoyed. It's a big job. Then I am instantly crestfallen because I realize I'll have to write it.

I type the first $1.50 word and pause to stare at it. It's "The." I realize I've just typed a draft beer. I calculate a sentence equals a steak dinner, a party a paragraph. You see, besides being lazy, I'm easily distracted, another career killer for duties that require discipline.


(Yes, I should be working right now. Or paying some bills.)

2 comments:

Suzanne said...

Oh, distractions! I should be working right now, too, but the radiology manuscript in front of me is just so ho-hum in comparison to the blogverse. I really need a shot of self-discipline.

Isabella K said...

I also have a radiology manuscript in front of me. Coincidence?