Market's Got Me Scratching My Head

A lot of writers have been talking about recession worries, but I've been talking with some of my colleagues who work more in the custom publishing and corporate arenas. They tend to be unusually busy with companies willing to pay good rates. It's had all of us scratching our heads, because publishing is typically on the leading edge of trouble; when companies fear a lack of money, they often cut back on their marketing and advertising (which would seem exactly the opposite of what you'd need to do so things would get better). Perhaps companies see online custom and ghosted publishing as ways to have more direct relationships with customers and prospects. As one PR and marketing person I know suggests, maybe this is all "low-cost, no-risk, high upside" activity on the part of companies that don't understand editorial and the issue of getting an audience. Or maybe the economy is about to turn around a bit and we're seeing the more pleasant side of working in a leading indicator industry. In any case, at least if you write about business, there does seem to be some good-paying work and a growing number of clients ready to spend some money.