Why i don’t like the word ‘Freelancer’

I feel like Achilles in Troy when they ask me ‘are you a freelancer’? The word was coined back in 1800 for a mercenary soldier. So much for a Writer being labelled as a Freelancer, today. I prefer the title ‘independent professional’. It’s my career, not an affair. Thodi izzat do, writers hain hum. Apparently, the word ‘freelance has gathered threads of perception of being  ’unbelonging’ – like how the stick gathers candyfloss.  More so, few nonchalant samples take the word too literally. They want the writer to work for free. Check dictionary.com please, les miserables.    And mind you, writing is a damned tiring and intellectual job…   The good news is for most people who think anyone can write must know that anyone can write. The strange news is most can’t. There is a writer in everyone, like there is an actor in all, or a singer. All World’s a stage after all, said a great writer once. And he was no ‘freelancer’ either.

So there, I am not a freelancer.