[bshimmin]

Thank you for your thoughtful and considered response to my slightly hasty one (I was half-way out of the door as I was typing it!).

You're absolutely right that contacts and location are important; I live out in the countryside and mostly work from my home office, but I think I can only do that right now because I spent most of the previous ten years in London building up the right sorts of connections to allow me to do that - and I still go to London regularly (usually weekly) and am willing to concede I may end up back there again.

With the right approach and attitude, building up connections isn't hard, but it takes a certain pushiness, persistence, and resilience (and an occasional willingness to work at less than a reasonable rate in order to secure future work - the so-called "loss leader" projects) - and in certain locations it may be much harder than others.

I guess I'm guilty of taking it for granted that everyone lives in London, SF, or NYC, where contract roles on eye-watering day-rates - the sort whereby you can work for some fraction of the year and do what you like for the rest, and still maintain an excellent lifestyle - are pretty easy to come by once you have a bit of experience under your belt.

[kd7]

(Wow, I'm late to this thread)

You seem to have a good handle on the London freelancing situation. Do you mind if I shoot you a few questions via email (mine is in my profile)?