This is what Wikipedia says about the term freelancer ::
A freelancer or freelance worker is a person who pursues a
profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer. The term was
first coined by Sir
Walter Scott (1771-1832) in his well-known historical romance Ivanhoe to describe a "medieval
mercenary warrior." The phrase later transitioned to a figurative noun around
the 1860s and was then officially recognized as a verb in 1903 by various authorities in etymology such as the Oxford
English Dictionary. Only in modern times has the term morphed from a
noun (a freelance or a freelancer) into various verb forms (a journalist who
freelances), and an adverb (she worked freelance).
The author and poet Ernest William Hornung (1866 - 1921)
also used the term in "The Gift of the Emperor" to describe something of poor
quality: "I warmed to my woes. It was no easy matter to keep your end up as a
raw freelance of letters; for my part, I was afraid I wrote neither well enough
nor ill enough for success."
Fields where freelancing is especially common include journalism and other forms of writing, copywriting, computer programming and graphic design, consulting, and many other
professional and creative services. The military sector also still makes considerable use of
freelance mercenaries[citation needed].
The Internet has opened up many
freelance opportunities, expanding markets and helping to build it into one of
the largest economic segments for many economies. Development for freelancing
has been especially high for software development, website design, information
technology, and business documentation.
Freelance practice varies greatly. Some require clients to sign written
contracts, while others may perform work based on verbal agreements, perhaps
enforceable through the very nature of the work. Some freelancers may provide
written estimates of work and request deposits from clients.
Payment for freelance work also varies greatly. Freelancers may charge by the
day or hour, or on a per-project basis. Instead of a flat rate or fee, some
consultants have adopted a value-based pricing method based on the
perceived value of the results to the client. By custom, payment arrangements
may be upfront, percentage upfront, or upon completion. For more complex
projects, a contract may set a payment schedule based on milestones or
outcomes.
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