I'm stumped by the 3rd option in 1099 section "How long have you worked in [area]."

[madwench5]

Example: I am a freelance technical writer. It has been a source of income for several years.

If asked, "Did you start writing in 2017?" I'd say no, because I've been doing this sort of work for 20+ years.

If asked, "Did you stop writing in 2017?" I'd also say no, because I've continued to work as a tech writer in 2018.

So, it seems to me that, to indicate that I worked throughout the year, I should pick option 3, since to me it can be interpreted as or I had 1099 from the same type of work I did in 2016 and will be doing in 2018.

However, I noticed that I could alternately pick both #1 and #2 and list start and stop dates that cover the entire year… which would essentially communicate the same thing as option 3.

So tell me, which is right?  Does "Didn't start or stop in 2017" actually mean I didn't have any 1099 income from [area] ?

[Vanessa · Accepted solution]

Yes, you should choose option 3 indicating that you didn't start or stop in 2017. This means that you were working in 2016 and still in 2018.  

Do not choose options 1 and 2 based on the information you provided, it will ask you questions that are not relevant to your situation. 

[madwench5]

Thank you!  (The perils of tech writing -- I tend to overanalyze wordings!)