Wednesday, June 22, 2005

This gun for hire

Big professional development: I’m joining the growing tribe of freelance journalists. Have a retainership agreement lined up with my paper wherein I’ll be able to work out of home for much of the time, and will be free to write for others. It’s a decent deal, the good part being a fixed monthly cheque that will ensure a minimum amount of financial security - very important for someone who’s just cutting his teeth on the big bad world of freelancing. Plus my computer in office stays in place, which means I can come in and use office resources anytime. Again important, because friends with experience in this line tell me the shift from office-enforced discipline to self-discipline is a difficult one, and in the early days the solitariness can be tough to cope with.

I’ll probably discover the downsides to freelancing as it happens, but for now I’m enthusiastic about this change, it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. The knowledge that I’m not cuffed to one organisation means a lot, for one reason or the other.

[Collected bagfuls of advice from freelance pros like Devangshu,
Nilanjana and Peter the Griffin at a get-together last night where Samit also sang his version of the Bubbly song for the benefit of those of us who know not what is television and haven’t heard the original. I was rechristened Jam-sandwich Jabberwock at this gathering, for reasons that have nothing to do with jam sandwiches or anything else.]

Will concentrate on Business Standard assignments for the first few weeks, while I figure out time management issues. Then will follow up on a few contacts, look at options in other places. Book reviews/profiles/features/a couple of columns will be the focus to start with but eventually I’m hoping to get back into the movie-reviewing business too; haven’t written an official film review for over a year now. And – dare I suggest it – perhaps even something on cricket, another of the areas I’ve neglected.

P.S. One definite disadvantage: the sound of screeching Pom at home, which will have to be muffled (though right now I’m unsure how best to do this. Suggestions welcome).

21 comments:

  1. Good for you. Welcome to the club.
    And er.. trade the pom for a labrador?

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  2. Congratulations and best of luck.

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  3. Bwahaha, so we have lured another into the Dark Side. Welcome, young Sith.

    I also thought you'd written something about the sound of "screeching Porn" at home, and I was about to email you to ask (a) what wonderous variety of Porn this was, and (b) why you couldn't just shut it off for a bit, ya sick perv? Of course, then Sheetal mentioned a labrador, and all became clear.

    Good luck, and at least this means you'll blog more often. A good move for all of us!

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  4. "Screeching pom": I thought you were perhaps keeping a crazed English cricket fan at home in indentured servitude...

    So, this is a big career move you've made. Must be a little scary. But the boldness will pay off.

    Wishing you all the very best.

    Abdul-Walid

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  5. Good show. All the very best, and looking forward to those book and movie reviews.

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  6. Thanks, all.
    Abdul-Walid: I wish!

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  7. Oh, working from home rocks. I did that for seven months when I quit my day job and started out on my own. It is wonderful, except that you occasionall tend to feel like a cave dweller who the civilization doesn't remember.

    Also, you can sleep during the day.

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  8. My lab barks occasionally during a thunderstorm.

    I read it as "screeching porn" too... I couldn't imagine why that would be a problem.

    This sounds great...good luck and congrats.:)

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  10. well all the best then, jai. happy discovering the too much time on my hands and way too much to do with it feeling....

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  11. Even I thought porn, but why didn't I wonder what variety of porn it was?
    Working from home is ok if you live alone. If there's someone else around then I find myself getting really annoyed with them for no other reason than that they're there.

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  12. All the best and if it's any help, here's at least one person who envies you.

    J.A.P.

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  13. Venkat Sir will be happy to read this! Expect a call soon!

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  14. Very cool......good luck, and hope you get to write a lot more!

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  15. I suspect that you'll blog a little less often once you figure out that, as a freelancer, your renumeration is linked to the paid verbiage you generate.

    As Dr J once said "Only a blockhead or a scoundrel writes except for money".

    Welcome to the professional retirees club :)
    DD

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  16. Bets on how many people will land up here looking for pom porn...hehehe

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  17. DD: I do have a hunch the blogging will suffer (apart from reviews/columns, which I'll continue posting). Will try not to let that happen though.

    Smita: Oh dear. And labrador porn. and maybe freelancer porn too, one never knows.

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  18. Freelancer porn that involves labradors? That's something to consider, Jai. You know, just in case this freelancing doesn't work out. I hear there's money to be made.

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  19. Not so loud, Aishwarya. There must be people reading this who might decide to ... er ... hound you for this.

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  20. Venkat sir is definitely happy. Forget the call, start writing instead. You got them minerals, bro, to break free into paidlancing. JA rules. You rock, rock. Best o luck.

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  21. I will be bookmarking this article. Nice job.
    Check out our site ICanFreelance.com for any freelance web designers you need.

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