There’s a prevalent idea among freelance editors that the business is “feast or famine.” In other words, an editor will get a whole bunch of jobs one right after another, or even overlapping (eek!) and then no business for a too-long while.
I have definitely found that to be the case, at least with my business. In late August and early September, for example, I had two overlapping jobs, both of which were pretty sizeable. I worked my tail off, but I made quite a bit of moolah. Then there were no major editing projects on my agenda until late September, when I edited a grant proposal that was due in three days. After that, only my small weekly and pro bono projects until today. I’ve now got a project that will keep me busy until mid-November. Woohoo!
Some editors, however, say that “feast or famine” is a myth. These editors have much more experience freelancing than I do, so I respect their opinion, but I respectfully disagree. I am totally seeing “feast or famine” in my editing business. And I don’t understand how the business can be anything else.
Perhaps I will learn someday why they say it’s a myth.
What do you believe about this?