I worry.

I worry about late payment and non-payment.

I worry about industry friends who aren’t valued enough, about the talent that’s lost when headcounts are cut.

I worry about thinning walls between advertising and editorial, about writers who don’t need paid because someone else is picking up their tab, about slideshows and pop-ups and weird tricks for flat bellies.

But I still feel lucky.

Lucky to be a freelancer, the perfect role for the imperfect; lucky to have been mentored by passionate, talented people; lucky to love my job as much today as when I started, sixteen years ago.

Gary Marshall | Freelance writer