***This piece is a complete act of my insomniac mind and reading it with a pinch of humor will really help***
Only one way to write a blog piece like this, and make that a double, bartender, please. ~ P.J O'Rourke
There are generally 2 reactions when someone learns I'm a freelance entertainment writer.
A - the "Blank stare" like 'is-that-really-a-job?'
or B - the gushing like *Ooooh wowwww , that must be sooo exciting!!!*
which then is quickly followed by 1 of the zillion common remarks:
For those on the outside, the life of an entertainment writer is one helluva glam party. But there's a little more to it!!! I've always maintained a kind of mantra for my tribe of people - 'freelancers are to journalism what ADs are to filmmaking. Unpaid, overworked and shoved around!'
Free perks is a myth - Its true! For a freelancer, there are no gifts, incentives, freebies as most imagine this job to have! The only thing free is my writing *sigh*
Explaining why I can never take up writing full-time - As I swing between my day job as a financial analyst and my freelance gig, I am eventually running out of ways to elaborate on why I don't want to ditch the traditional employment.
Pro-bono is an abused term - Since im freelancing, everyone who is anyone who knows someone offering me any assignments, automatically assumes, I'll be doing it for free. Wake up and read the bottomline people - World does not operate on altruism!
Being nice (to evil people) - Everyone whose anyone within the close proximity of any industry-fella thinks they're majesty in their own right. There's nothing more painful than having to please+grin+compliment vain managers/publicists/PRreps.
Newsflash - Writers don’t make money. Contradictory to common perception, most of us DO NOT pocket heavy paychecks & the only reason we do it is because we love it.
That said, I Love what I do and I on most good days wish I could do a little more of it. Because I know that most of the stuff I do is definitely not "SUPER thrilling" or even semi-thrilling. In fact, a lot of it is about as dull as it can be. (offcourse! there are exceptions to every rule, no!!)
Only one way to write a blog piece like this, and make that a double, bartender, please. ~ P.J O'Rourke
There are generally 2 reactions when someone learns I'm a freelance entertainment writer.
A - the "Blank stare" like 'is-that-really-a-job?'
or B - the gushing like *Ooooh wowwww , that must be sooo exciting!!!*
which then is quickly followed by 1 of the zillion common remarks:
- have you met anyone famous?
- What newspaper do you write for?
- Are X and Y really seeing each other?
- have you starred in any movie?
For those on the outside, the life of an entertainment writer is one helluva glam party. But there's a little more to it!!! I've always maintained a kind of mantra for my tribe of people - 'freelancers are to journalism what ADs are to filmmaking. Unpaid, overworked and shoved around!'
Free perks is a myth - Its true! For a freelancer, there are no gifts, incentives, freebies as most imagine this job to have! The only thing free is my writing *sigh*
Explaining why I can never take up writing full-time - As I swing between my day job as a financial analyst and my freelance gig, I am eventually running out of ways to elaborate on why I don't want to ditch the traditional employment.
Pro-bono is an abused term - Since im freelancing, everyone who is anyone who knows someone offering me any assignments, automatically assumes, I'll be doing it for free. Wake up and read the bottomline people - World does not operate on altruism!
Being nice (to evil people) - Everyone whose anyone within the close proximity of any industry-fella thinks they're majesty in their own right. There's nothing more painful than having to please+grin+compliment vain managers/publicists/PRreps.
Newsflash - Writers don’t make money. Contradictory to common perception, most of us DO NOT pocket heavy paychecks & the only reason we do it is because we love it.
That said, I Love what I do and I on most good days wish I could do a little more of it. Because I know that most of the stuff I do is definitely not "SUPER thrilling" or even semi-thrilling. In fact, a lot of it is about as dull as it can be. (offcourse! there are exceptions to every rule, no!!)
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