Photo by Markus Spiske and used via Creative Commons.
Ask any freelancer and they’ll tell you the same thing: business can often be uncertain. There are times when we don’t know where our next client is coming from or what projects we’ll be working on a month from now. Regardless, there are good reasons why we choose this way of working and we can always take inspiration from others who have walked this path before and have wisdom to share with us.
Like author and comic book writer, Neil Gaiman, who celebrated his 57th birthday this month.
I love this advice from his 2012 commencement address at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He says:
“People keep working in a freelance world (and more and more of today’s world is freelance), because their work is good, because they are easy to get along with and because they deliver the work on time. And you don’t even need all three! Two out of three is fine. People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good and you deliver it on time. People will forgive the lateness of your work if it is good and they like you. And you don’t have to be as good as everyone else if you’re on time and it’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”
Watch the full video here.
Written by Melissa Fagan, freelance non-fiction editor
I help non-fiction publishers deliver award-winning content using a creative and flawless approach to editing. Internationally qualified non-fiction editor with 11 years’ publishing experience.
Email me: melissa.fagan@mfedit.com
Let’s Connect
If you’re a freelancer like me, and you’re passionate about publishing, let’s schedule a meeting to discuss the industry.