<p>I agree it sounds good but as with most things I suspect there’s some information missing here. First you’re assuming that one can easily move from one job to another, usually there’s gaps sometimes quite lengthy between jobs. So you don’t always get to pick and choose how much you work in a year. Also it depends on where you need to live to have the contacts, etc in order to keep work. If you need to be in NY you’re going to spend around $3,000 and up for a studio apartment which is $36,000 per year right off the bat. It sounds good but usually when something sounds that good there’s a hitch or two. Also usually free lancers base their stated (to friends and people they meet at the neighborhood bar) salary on the best paying job they’ve had that year. There are probably many making less but yes, if in fact this is good money. But like I say if you’re living in Springfield, MO or some such smaller town even $179,000 sounds like good money and it is. But your buying power in NYC or LA isn’t the same so while it’s a lot of money even in NYC or LA it’s not the same living in quieter less expensive places and someone starting out would need to be in a hub in order to keep and grow contacts. And of course there’s the question as to whether anyone can survive working 6 straight months at 120 hours a week, that’s pretty problematic. I’ve done 80 hour weeks for 3 weeks or so but by then I’m either sick or brain dead . . . well actually truth be told I started out brain dead anyway so that didn’t matter! LOL. I think though that this isn’t quite as cushy as it sounds. Picture working 120 hours a week for 6 months, that’s pretty damaging to mental and physical health.</p>
<p>Of course one could do it until you have a name then work from a less expensive location and cut back on hours if you are in demand. But also you turn someone down more than twice and they probably won’t come back even if you’re superman or woman.</p>