Most people become freelancers without any idea of how to run a business. They learn in the school of hard knocks. Kristine Kathryn Rusch has taken the school of hard knocks and made it into one of the most useful business books written in years. Included are these indispensable topics:*How To Negotiate Anything: Freelancers must negotiate everything from the rent they pay to the contracts they sign. Here's how to negotiate on your own-and when to hire someone to negotiate for you.*Online Networking: In addition to tricks and strategies for online networking from Rusch herself, this Guide also includes advice from such online networking experts as Neil Gaiman, Michael A. Stackpole, and Mitch Wagner.*The Importance of-and the Difference between-Goals And Dreams: Freelancers often confuse their goals with their dreams. Rusch offers practical advice on how to meet your goals, and the importance of dreaming big*How To Survive Failure-and Success: Success, more than failure, derails many freelancers. Rusch explains how to turn your failures into successes-and how to optimize the success when it finally happens.

How to start your own business, grow you client base, and promote yourself without selling out or starving. This no faff, no fluff guide is peppered with applicable advice (things we learned from starting our own business), unasked-for humor, and worksheets (homework, gasp!) to help you just get started already. Because raw talent and good ideas aren't enough. And because you can do this. Really.Learn How to: Structure your business, File all the paperwork,Write a business plan, Make a budget, Get great contract templates, Set pricing, Pitch a quote, Build a client roster, Communicate effectively, Stay organized, Grow your audience, Manage your money, & More!

The definitive resource for a new generation of freelancers! Freelance writer, internet marketer, and mobile entrepreneur Yuwanda Black specializes in helping young freelancers build a business and "live the freelance life," and in The Ultimate Freelancer's Guidebook, she gives you the tools you need to be successful in the ever-growing freelance market. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow and expand, you'll learn how to: Break into the freelance market Find the best-paying jobs Negotiate a contract Build a brand Create a strong online presence and portfolio You'll also learn how to build your reputation in the freelance market, form long-lasting professional relationships, and start taking control of your own employment destiny--and success!

Build Your Own Thriving Illustration Business The boundaries between art, design and illustration are blurring, and with all the new opportunities for visual creatives, now is the perfect time to unleash your talent on the world! Breaking Into Freelance Illustration provides a step-by-step roadmap for promoting yourself and running your creative business. You'll find up-to-date advice about best business practices, ideas for new promotional tools, answers to common questions and words of wisdom and inspiration from top illustrators. This book shows you how to: Set up a home office and balance your professional and personal life Create a professional portfolio and promote your work online Search out and negotiate with potential clients Create your own brand and work with an agent Develop a fair and accurate system for pricing your work Network within the creative community Full of industry insight, this book is a down-to-earth guide that fills in the creative business blanks. If you've ever wanted to moonlight as an illustrator, start a full-time business, or simply see your work published, this book will give you the information you need to make it happen.

Grounded in real-life experiences and scenarios, this practical guide offers editorial, non-profit, foundation, and corporate photographers an honest and insightful approach to running a freelance photography business. Pulling from thirty years of experience as a freelance photographer, veteran Todd Bigelow presents a timely and detailed account of the methods and tactics best used to navigate and succeed in the profession. He explores the topics that define the business of freelancing, including: analyzing photography contracts; creating and maintaining an image archive; licensing for revenue; client development; registering for copyright; combating copyright infringement; and understanding tax issues, freelance business structures, and more. Chapters feature examples of real contract clauses and emails to better prepare readers for the practical daily activities that are essential to growing a success business. Likewise, Bigelow shares conversational anecdotes throughout to provide real insight into the world of freelancing. Based on the author’s sought-after Business of Photography Workshop, this book is an essential guide for emerging, mid-career, and experienced photographers interested in starting or improving their own freelance business.

Tired of clocking in and losing out? Want to pursue creative, fulfilling work on your own time and also make a living in the process? My So-Called Freelance Life is a how-to guidebook for women who want to avoid the daily grind and turn their freelance dreams into reality. Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide and self-proclaimed former "wage slave,” offers tips, advice, how-to’s, and everything else a woman needs to pursue a freelance career. Confused as to whether you should tell your clients that the odd gurgling sound during a conference call is emanating from the infant sleeping on your shoulder? Goodman answers all of the unusual questions that may arise for women exploring the freelance world. Far more than your normal business guidebook,My So-Called Freelance Life blends candid, humorous anecdotes from a wide variety of freelancers with Goodman’s own personal experiences as a creative worker for hire. Whether you’re a freelance first-timer or a seasoned creative professional, copyediting queen or web guru,My So-Called Freelance Lifeis an invaluable resource for anyone interested in freelancing.

Amazingly, one-third of the American workforce is freelance—that’s 42 million people who have to wrestle with not just doing the work, but finding the work, then getting paid for the work, plus health care, taxes, setting up an office, marketing, and so on. Now help is here, and consultants, independent contractors, the self-employed, “solopreneurs,” and everyone else living a freelancer’s life will never be alone again but instead can be part of a strong and vibrant community. Written by the authority on freelance working, Sara Horowitz, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and founder of the national Freelancers Union and, most recently, the Freelancers Insurance Company, The Freelancer’s Bible will help those new to freelancing learn the ropes, and will help those who’ve been freelancing for a while grow and expand. It’s the one-stop, all-encompassing guide to every practical detail and challenge of being a nimble, flexible, and successful freelancer: the three essentials of getting clients and the three most important ways to keep them happy. Five fee-setting strategies. Thirteen tactics for making it through a prolonged dry spell. Setting up a home office vs. renting space. The one-hour contract. A dozen negotiating dos and don’ts. Building and maintaining your reputation. Dealing with deadbeats. Health Insurance 101. Record-keeping and taxes. Productivity, including a quiz: “What Is Your Ideal Day?” Building a community. Subcontracting and other strategies for taking your freelancing career to the next level. Retirement plans, plans for saving for education, and how to achieve financial freedom.