We all know that one guy. Entitled, self-aggrandizing, always self-promoting at other people’s expense, always interested in what’s in it for them.

We all know that other guy, too: self-mortifying, passive-aggressive, demanding constant emotional labor, and somehow always the victim in every situation.

Both of these people are generally going to find that their colleagues avoid working with them, because it’s more hassle than it’s worth. In an industry where much of the work (anthology invitations, speaking gigs) happens because of personal relationships, inhabiting either of these extremes of being difficult to work with is going to limit your income.

Navigating a freelance career professionally and maintaining good relationships with colleagues, fans, and aspiring freelancers while you do it is a real challenge, especially in this era when a percentage of the random people on the internet think they are entitled to dictate how you spend your time, or whether certain characters should kiss, or what book you should be working on. Where people who ought to know better will presume that you will work for free (Exposure is a cause of death, not a means of payment) or on an unrealistic schedule or under unprofessional conditions.