The Pyjama Myth

‘A career-changing book, packed with real, lived-in wisdom and advice not just about working but really living as a self-employed person. If you’re thinking about going freelance, read this first’ Oliver Franklin-Wallis ‘Invaluable ... A wonderful, warts and all book written in a friendly, approachable manner. I wish I’d had a book like this years ago’ Simon Brew Self-employment has never been a more popular career path, and for thousands of writers, freelancing is becoming an appealing – and sometimes necessary – option. But alongside the benefits of a freelance career come very real obstacles that are daunting for anyone going it alone. We all need some guidance. Sian Meades-Williams – freelance writer, editor and founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter – knows all too well that while freelancing doesn’t come with hard and fast rules, sometimes there is a wrong way to go about things. Drawing on her extensive experience and dozens of industry interviews, she pulls back the curtain with tips on how to get out of your pyjamas and pitch effectively, find new ideas and hone your voice, build a network of contacts, deal with edits and editors, cope with rejection, know your worth and get more money for your work, manage your finances, deal with late payments and file your taxes, care for your physical and mental health and ultimately find a path to success that makes you happy. Inspiring, optimistic and – above all – real, The Pyjama Myth is an essential, practical survival guide for anyone embarking on their career, established freelance writers and everyone in between.

'Inspiring' - Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of Write It All Down 'Fascinating and useful' - Joe Moran, author of First You Write A Sentence Bestselling and award-winning authors share the secrets to their success, and the hard lessons they have learnt along the way. Where do the best ideas come from? How do you stay motivated? What does it take to become a published author? And how do you actually make money from your writing? For over five years the hosts of Always Take Notes podcast have posed their nosiest questions to some of the world's greatest writers. The result is a compendium of frank and frequently entertaining guidance for living a creative life. From the early failures that shaped them to the daily challenges of writing and the habits that keep them on track, literary luminaries offer guidance to inspire. Featuring: Alexander McCall Smith, Anne Enright, Candice Carty-Williams, Christina Lamb, Colin Thubron, Colum McCann, David Mitchell, Elif Shafak, George Packer, Hadley Freeman, Hollie McNish, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Jeffrey Archer, Joanne Harris, Kate Mosse, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Kit de Waal, Louise Doughty, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Maggie Fergusson, Mark Haddon, Marlon James, Max Hastings, May Jeong, Merve Emre, Monica Ali, Niall Ferguson, Nikesh Shukla, Oliver Bullough, Orlando Figes, Patrick Kingsley, Rory Stewart, Rosie Nixon, Ruth Ozeki, Ruth Padel, Sam Knight, Samanth Subramanian, Samira Shackle, Sara Baume, Sebastian Junger, Simon Lancaster, Simon Scarrow, Stig Abell, Terri White, Tessa Hadley, Tim Rice, Toby Young, Tracy Chevalier, William Boyd, William Dalrymple, and many more...

The conventional history of sport, as conveyed by television and the sports press, has thrown up a great many apparent turning points, but knowledge of these apparently defining moments is often slight. This book offers readable, in-depth studies of a series of these watersheds in sport history and of the circumstances in which they came about.

In this fascinating account, leading Australian military historians tackle 10 of the most enduring historical zombies, or national myths, that have staggered their way through the halls of military history for more than 200 years. From Aboriginal resistance and invasion to Australia’s recent involvement in East Timor, this record disproves the incorrectly memorialized and so-called gallant deeds of past Australian servicemen. Provocative and opinionated, this record attempts to correct the historical record.

This book tells the fascinating story of William John MacKay, a man who dominated policing in New South Wales for three decades, until his death in 1948. MacKay was fearless, brilliant and ruthless. He was responsible for beating-up striking unionists, but he also smashed the semi-fascist New Guard when it was a threat to democracy. He reformed and modernized the New South Wales Police Force, and he framed innocent men for capital crimes. He cracked down on organized crime and corruption, and he was himself corrupt. Dogged by scandal, he was the subject of no fewer than seven royal commissions. The story of W.J. MacKay is also the story of policing in Australia, from the 1920s through to the corruption-riddled period after the Second World War. This gripping history explores the messy complexities of police power and sheds new light on a fascinating period in Australian police history

The present anthology which covers eighteen well-explored articles on tribal perspectives in India, assesses critically the tribal art, culture and literature. It also endeavours to bring into surface issues and challenges faced by Indian tribes in reference to their life and hardships, policies adopted by government for their development and problems in their implementation. The book as a whole tries to meet all crucial aspects of Indian tribes. Hopefully the book would serve to larger section of humanity laying bare many hidden facts related to tribal life and culture.