Survival Skills For Freelancers

Survival Skills for Freelancers will help you achieve freelance success, and get more enjoyment from self-employment. Through a combination of personal anecdotes, practical advice and tales from the freelance community, it busts the myths about solo working and takes an honest look at the reality of freelance life. Discover how to survive and thrive as a freelancer - without neglecting your mental health and wellbeing. THE CASE FOR FREELANCE LIFE The freelance dream is often portrayed as: Earning good money doing the thing you love+working where you like+working how you like+working when you like Why does no one tell us just how relentless the business end of freelance life can be?! There are 2 million freelancers in the UK alone. Yet 20% of self-employed businesses don't make it through the first year, and 60% don't survive beyond five years. Those are scary stats! Yes, working alone can be damn hard. But going into self-employment with your eyes wide open gives you the best chance of success. Survival Skills for Freelancers shares an honest and realistic view of self-employment, to help you rock the socks off freelance life. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarah Townsend has spent the past 20 years as a freelance marketing copywriter. She built a successful freelance career with very little guidance - but you don't have to. In Survival Skills for Freelancers she shares the secrets and surprises she's learnt from self-employment: both the things that worked AND the things that didn't. She guides you through the highs and lows all freelancers face - from isolation, uncertainty and self-doubt to knowing what to charge, when to ask for help, and when to say no. These tried and tested strategies are based on her own experience, backed up by research, resources and quotes from the freelance community. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING "I've been freelancing for over 15 years and I wish I'd read this book on day one. Every page is packed with practical advice and hard-won wisdom. Get it!" Tom Albrighton Author, Copywriting Made Simple "A brilliantly relatable and comprehensive guide that holds your hand with compassion and humour through the rocky yet undeniably exciting world of self-employment." Louise Goss Founder of The Homeworker "Genuinely useful advice, delivered in an honest, charming and witty style, with a focus on mental health and wellbeing. An essential read whether you're a new or established freelancer." Steve Morgan Author, Anti-Sell "An honest and human perspective of 20 years of freelance experience. This book is like having your own personal business mentor." Anna Gunning Copywriter and speaker "Before you take the leap into self-employment, spend your first few pounds on this book. It'll make every subsequent pound and hour better spent." Matthew Knight Founder, Leapers WHAT'S INCLUDED Survival Skills for Freelancers covers issues such as: the fundamentals of freelancing three strategies to deal with isolation knowing your worth - and what to charge trusting your instinct, and learning to say no achieving balance and avoiding burnout the importance of investing in your business the qualities that help you survive and thrive as a freelancer

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; Online networking; The Importance of -- and the difference between -- goals and dreams; How to survive failure -- and success. Rusch explains how to turn your failures into successes-and how to optimize the success when it finally happens.

Are you ready to fly the corporate coop and become the boss of you? Do you dream of busting out of the cubicle wasteland and finding greener pastures as a freelancer? If so, you’re in good company. The U S Department of Labor estimates that nearly one-fourth of the American workforce is self-employed and that number is sure to increase over the next decade. But do you have what it takes to succeed as a freelancer, consultant, or contract employee? Do you even know what it takes to make it on your own? Here’s your chance to find out. A total guide to starting and running a freelance business, Freelancing For Dummies is for anyone thinking about striking out on their own, or who’s already decided to make the move into self-employment. It’s also an excellent resource for established freelancers looking for ways to jumpstart their businesses. Written by a top corporate communication consultant, it features hard-won tips from a slew of successful freelancers, including an accountant, a wr iter, a computer trainer, a graphic designer, a market researcher, an event planner, a medical trainer and others who share what they know about how to: Organize your home office and budget your time Create the ideal working environment Evaluate jobs and projects Land new business and manage client relationships Manage your money and pay your taxes Stay positive and manage the emotional uncertainties of self-employment Here’s your chance to take the leap from employee to boss with minimal stress and minimal sweat. A survival guide to building a successful freelance career, Freelancing For Dummies features: Self-assessments to gauge your skills and personality Critical “Get in, get out” information A gold mine of checklists, tear-out sheets, and sample forms Top ten lists War stories from freelancers who’ve made it Do you long for the freedom of being your own boss? Relax and let expert Susan Drake help you make the transition to becoming a fulltime freelancer.

Anyone who opts for self-employment quickly learns that succeeding as your own boss is no walk in the park. While professional freedom has many, many joys, it also involves significant risks. If you’re considering self-employment, or you’re already self-employed, The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss alerts you to the challenges involved and provides proven strategies for surmounting these obstacles and succeeding. You’ll also learn what you need to put in place before taking the leap to being your own boss to help assure your success. Working for yourself offers personal freedoms and rewards, but the road can curve or travel uphill at times. Here, Jeanne Yocum shares eight key behaviors that impede success and provides proven solutions for the various obstacles that might cross your path, including unreasonable client demands, slow payers, unexpected client defections, daily schedules, health and financial planning, and the feelings of isolation that can sometimes accompany working on your own. Unlike many books that provide only a rose-colored view of self-employment, this book gives a full, realistic view of what being your own boss is actually like. By learning about the ups and downs that come with being in charge of your own livelihood, you will be better able to handle the demands of self-employment and succeed on your own terms.

Inability to adapt is the new illiteracy and freelancing is becoming America's new normal. What 2008 taught America was not just that derivatives are dangerous and the housing market doesn't rise forever. It also taught us that survival requires juggling and pivoting, two skills that any freelancer is forced to acquire if they want to keep paying their rent. Adapt or Wait Tables is a mix of information, tricks and advice for all the freelancers out there, and the ones who will be stepping onto that playing field as they graduate from college. Written by a freelance writer who has spent the past two decades covering Hollywood and the world of pop culture and fashion, their tips for survival are laced with gossip and references to the famous as well as what they call the ?secret celebrities” whose paths they have crossed. Consider this an entertaining how-to manual for anyone with ambition and no road map.

Popular science writing has exploded in the past decade, both in print and online. Who better to guide writers striving to succeed in the profession than a group of award-winning independent journalists with a combined total of 225 years of experience? From Thomas Hayden's chapter on the perfect pitch to Emma Maris's advice on book proposals to Mark Schrope's essential information on contracts, the members of SciLance give writers of all experience levels the practical information they need to succeed, as either a staffer or a freelancer. Going beyond craft, The Science Writer's Handbook also tackles issues such as creating productive office space, balancing work and family, and finding lasting career satisfaction. It is the ultimate guide for anyone looking to prosper as a science writer in the new era of publishing.

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.

More time with your kids, making the money you know you're worth and a better work/life balance. No wonder more women than ever are choosing to be become freelance mums. In the last decade, 70% more mums have chosen to go freelance. Annie Ridout was one of them. And in her enlightening new book, she shares the tips and tricks that helped her build a better working life around her family. From choosing a career and launching a website, to getting your name out there and perfecting your brand, to the nitty gritty of childcare options and daily routines, The Freelance Mum is a comprehensive guide to setting out on your own path. Using her own experience, alongside advice from other mums that make it work, including Arianna Huffington, Scummy Mummies, Carrie-Anne Roberts, Robyn Wilder, Zoe de Pass, Cherry Healey, Sali Hughes and Anna Jones, Annie will show that with hard work and determination, any mother can thrive as a freelancer.