hmmm.

 

 

I was just wondering, am I really a freelance web designer? If you look at the definition

"A freelancer or freelance worker is a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer."

 

I dont.

 

I simple design, build and sell websites, as a service provider. I dont goto their place of work, and become employed by them. So what am I? Am I a rouge web-designer?

 

Or just a web designer?

 

Or a Web CEO?

 

What am I

I think the word freelance is much overused (incorrectly) as your definition has proven....

 

self employed web designer is probably more appropriate.

 

Should you be asking yourself such deep questions at night?

By that definition I could also be a freelancer since I do a lot of contract work at one place of employment or another I would probably call you self-employed or a business owner? Perhaps a sole trader, or even an independent contractor?

Hmm, interesting question to get my lil English major brain working this morning.

 

Based on the definition of "freelancer", it seems like you're correct - we're not freelancers. But when looking up the verb ("to freelance"), dictionary.com seems to want to stress the noun, "freelance" (one of those instances where you can't define the verb without the noun), and this tells a different story:

 

–noun

1. Also, freelancer. a person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer.

2. a person who contends in a cause or in a succession of various causes, as he or she chooses, without personal attachment or allegiance.

 

–verb (used without object)

3. to act or work as a freelance: The illustrator used to be employed by us but is freelancing now.

 

By this definition I think most of what we do is freelance, although most freelance/independent contractor agreements go out of their way to stress that the client is not your employer, whereas dictionary.com uses the word "employer" in their definition. Still, their definition does seem to stress the "one freelancer --> one client" relationship, which is untrue in most cases.

 

Anyway, at least in popular usage people do understand what you mean when you say, "I'm a freelance web design/writer/graphic artist".

 

Time for me to shut up.

ahhh right, thanks for clearing that little muddle up for me

who cares? - are you making money? are you happy? that's what counts. Why does everything need defining?

Ì'd say we're codemonkeys.

who cares? - are you making money? are you happy? that's what counts. Why does everything need defining?

 

Now why did you mention money before happy? Can you define that?