Freelance writing in NYC?

I think being NYC based has definitely helped me as several of my gigs have required a NYC based freelance writer as those sites are all NYC centric. However aside from these specific gigs I think nowadays it really doesn't matter where in the world you are located as long as you can produce good work and deliver it in a timely fashion. Of course buyers use this to squeeze writers who are not 'native' English language speakers though many overseas based writers also undercut writers based in the US just to get the gig. This trend is however is extending into the US as well as writer's based in smaller towns quote ridiculously low prices as compared to freelancers based in big, urban centers like NYC.

@uptowngirl Thanks for those links, I hadn't known about them before.

As far as commercial writing, I'm not worried about the ridiculously low under-bidders because I think legitimate companies can tell the difference between native English writing and non-native, and are willing to pay fairly for higher quality. Also, not everyone who can put sentences together can write and think, and people looking to hire really professional writers are able to tell who can do the job from writing samples. As a provider, you just have to know how to sift through the postings to find the legit ones.

As for 'literary' writing...no place can make you a better writer, so you might as well live wherever you feel most at home to get your writing done. For me, that just happens to be New York...

@uraniumfish - I get that sense as well, somewhat. For all that I complain about London/England, I think there is something to be said there; certainly, some of my favorite living writers are English (AS Byatt is my prime example), yet I imagine they could never have gotten a start in the US - although they may be popular here now - it seems that the NYC publishing industry is a bit more business-like than the London model, although from what I hear the business-like huge-advances book-tours, etc., publicity model is catching on here, too!

Sorry, Sanchez? You seem to be a bit offended/aggressive on a couple of your posts - what exactly are you taking issue with? And I'm sure that the many of us working full-time and making a living as freelance writers wouldn't necessarily consider ourselves hippies.

Same here, @hhusted. Writing fiction and travel narratives are my main passions (along with academic writing, I'm a theologian/religious-historian-in-training), but I'm happy to explore a variety of other avenues to make a living as a writer, and I'm proud to be able to do it! My work lets me do all sorts of different things - from ghostwriting a novel to writing exhibit commentary for a museum to press releases and tech blogging! Alas, NYC isn't exactly conducive to a writer's salary, although I must say that the Big Expediture is housing - everything else, I think, can be gotten quite reasonably (food, esp. cheap sandwiches, etc)

But BroadwayBK, I think those Elance providers are actually groups of people working under one name, and the six figures are cumulative over the time they've been with Elance, which can be four years or so...

In New York City, I think communications professionals can definitely start earning the six figures at the senior level, when they work for ad agencies or in the PR department of major corporations. I doubt those people think of themselves as writers...

@Uraniumfish I've thought the same thing, and I've also considered that they are one person handing out jobs they don't have time to do for lesser pay than what they are receiving so they still profit. I've caught a few people attempting/doing that.

@Uptowngirl: Yeah, everything is a cycle. The economy and life are all based on cycles. First the economy is stable, then it turns upward and becomes inflation. Then it turns downward and becomes a recession. Then it turns upward and gets back to normal, only to turn upward and become inflation again. The same pattern over again.

I have often considered a base in NYC - but although I have one there right now (family there, go home/back and forth), it's so expensive to travel to Europe and back! Whereas I can get a flight from London to almost anywhere in Western Europe for between 20 and 50 pounds, usually on the low end of that...

@Uptowngirl: Many of the providers on Elance, especially those in NYC, live with their parents and just graduated from college. Since they live at home, they have not too many responsibilities, so they don't care about the money. They just want to create samples.

I actually argued with a service provider on Elance once about this very issue, We had a heated discussion for a while until he finally caved in and I have not seen him on Elance for a long while.

@Uraniumfish: Actually, when you sign up with Elance, they actually call you back to confirm it is you that signed up. They also trace the call when on it. They know where you are calling from. They have very tight security features in place to prevent fraud. A couple of years ago, I reported a few buyers and service providers. Next thing I know, those buyers and service providers are no longer on Elance.

@hhusted that's great..


@BroadwayBK as Uraniumfish said as a freelancer that's your constant worry isnt it? I am occupied with my move currently but once I am there I know I am going to be stressing about getting gigs to keep me gainfully employed as landing a part time gig in HK is difficult for someone who doesnt speak the language.