In an innovative fusion of labor and environmental history, Making a Living examines work as a central part of Americans' evolving relationship with nature, revealing the unexpected connections between the fight for workers' rights and the rise of

A guide to making money sans job offers insight-provoking interactive tests, self-evaluations, charts, and checklists, as well as numerous anecdotes about people who are successfully self-employed. “If you are ready to stretch your mind to the idea of making a living without a job, you’ll find plenty of encouragement and practical information here. Designing a lifestyle for yourself that nurtures and supports who you are and what you value won’t happen instantaneously, but this book will certainly make the process simpler and easier for you. Becoming joyfully jobless begins with a commitment to self-discovery, a curiosity about your potential, and a willingness to acquire the information and skills that will enhance your work. Your way will be unlike anyone else’s, although you will share a deep camaraderie with others on this path. Being your own boss is both heady and humbling, but it’s seldom boring.” —Barbara J. Winter, from the Introduction

A collection of essays from today’s most acclaimed authors—from Cheryl Strayed to Roxane Gay to Jennifer Weiner, Alexander Chee, Nick Hornby, and Jonathan Franzen—on the realities of making a living in the writing world. In the literary world, the debate around writing and commerce often begs us to take sides: either writers should be paid for everything they do or writers should just pay their dues and count themselves lucky to be published. You should never quit your day job, but your ultimate goal should be to quit your day job. It’s an endless, confusing, and often controversial conversation that, despite our bare-it-all culture, still remains taboo. In Scratch, Manjula Martin has gathered interviews and essays from established and rising authors to confront the age-old question: how do creative people make money? As contributors including Jonathan Franzen, Cheryl Strayed, Roxane Gay, Nick Hornby, Susan Orlean, Alexander Chee, Daniel Jose Older, Jennifer Weiner, and Yiyun Li candidly and emotionally discuss money, MFA programs, teaching fellowships, finally getting published, and what success really means to them, Scratch honestly addresses the tensions between writing and money, work and life, literature and commerce. The result is an entertaining and inspiring book that helps readers and writers understand what it’s really like to make art in a world that runs on money—and why it matters. Essential reading for aspiring and experienced writers, and for anyone interested in the future of literature, Scratch is the perfect bookshelf companion to On Writing, Never Can Say Goodbye, and MFA vs. NYC.

In a world in which individuals will undergo multiple career changes, is it possible any longer to conceive of a job as a meaningful vocation? Against the background of fragmentation and rationalisation of work, this book explores the significance and meaning of work in contemporary life, raising the question of whether people continue to feel motivated to dedicate their lives to their work, or must now look to other areas of life for meaning. Based on rich, in-depth interviews conducted with workers of different ages and across a broad range of occupations in the major city of Melbourne, Making a Living, Making a Life reveals that work continues to be a source of pride, passion and purpose, the author shedding light on the ways in which cultural narratives, collective meanings and structural factors influence people’s feelings about work. An engaging and empirically grounded examination of the meaning and centrality of work to people’s lives in today’s 'liquid' modern world, this book will appeal to sociologists with interests in cultural sociology, social theory, ethics, the sociology of work and questions of identity.

Harvard Business School professor and successful entrepreneur Mark Albion had it all, but not enough to satisfy his body and soul. So he did the unthinkable and started over, dedicating his passions to a better self. This breakthrough book that examines how readers can pursue their dreams in life, both financially and spiritually, is now in paperback.

Fantasy roman.

You can survive happily as a musician in your local music market. This book shows you how to expand and develop your skills as a musician and a composer right in your own backyard. Making a Living in Your Local Music Market explores topics relevant to musicians of every level: Why should a band have an agreement? How can you determine whether a personal manager is right for you? Are contests worth entering? What trade papers are the most useful? Why copyright your songs? Also covers: * Developing and packaging your artistic skills in the marketplace * Dealing with contractors, unions, club owners, agents, etc. * Producing your own recordings * Planning your future in music * Music and the Internet * Artist-operated record companies * The advantages and disadvantages of independent and major record labels * Grant opportunities for musicians and how to access them * College music business programs * Seminars and trade shows * Detailed coverage of regional music markets, including Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Miami, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon.