I've never much liked freelance writers who make a living telling other freelance writers how to make a living as freelance writers. Writing perhaps more than any other field lends itself well to this variation on the Ponzi scheme, as a freelance writing career is much romanticized yet difficult to maintain, and writers, as readers, are naturally inclined toward books, Web sites, and other venues for the printed word as they seek advice on how to follow their bliss.
However, the owner of Absolutewrite.com gave me great advice, not to mention an online audience, back in the mid-1990s when most freelancers were still querying via snail mail. More recently, Michelle Goodman of My So-Called Freelance Life fame does more than her share to preach about the freelance life--not just for writers, but for many vocations--as a legitimate career. It's worth noting that both these bloggers make an active living as writers, and they don't just write about how to be a writer.
Now I've officially joined the ranks myself, as last weekend I was interviewed by a woman who runs a site called The Adventurous Writer, and my experience with her was nothing but pleasant. She asked good questions and quoted me accurately and swiftly.
Still, if you ask me how to live the dream of a four-hour work week, I'll sarcastically tell you to write a book about how to live the dream of a four-hour work week.
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