Exploring Elance

“When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter.”–Chinese proverb

Novelists don’t make a lot of money. “Don’t quit your day job” is oft-touted advice. I don’t want my novelist “tree” to fall down, so I’ve decided to do some extra types of writing on the side.

(This, by the way, also applies to retirement, as my UCLA professor once said. Instead of relying on a single source of income, like Social Security, you need to have other supports in place. Besides SS, his examples were: Pension/401K, Savings, and Networks–friendships or family relationships, preferably with younger individuals who will be more able-bodied than you as time goes on.)

My backup writing plan is… Elance. Over the years, I’ve encountered quite a few friends who have used this online freelancing site. I’m currently working on a profile, and I’m hoping to take on extra projects while I also commit to writing books. Wish me luck!

Have you ever used Elance, either as a freelancer or as an employer? What was your experience like?