The law grants protection to freelancers of all kinds (including writers and editors) who work in New York or work with entities based in New York. Written contracts are now required for all freelance work; freelancers must be paid by the agreed-upon date in the contract or within 30 days. Freelancers can demand double pay if requirements are not satisfied. For authors organizations like the National Writers Union, Freelancers Union, and Authors Guild, the law represents a big win after a long fight. Learn more in Publishers Weekly.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
