Freelancing for dummies

Thinking about leaving a salaried job to work for yourself? Plenty of people are making that move. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, close to a quarter of American workers are self-employed, and that share is expected to keep growing through the next ten years. Before you commit, though, you need to know whether you have the temperament and skills to freelance, consult, or take on contract work, and what the path actually involves.

This guide covers how to start and run a freelance business, whether you are still weighing the idea or have already made up your mind. Established freelancers who want to strengthen their practice will also find useful material. The author, a corporate communication consultant, draws on advice from working freelancers across many fields, including an accountant, a writer, a computer trainer, a graphic designer, a market researcher, an event planner, and a medical trainer.

The book addresses the practical side of self-employment: setting up and organizing a home office, managing time and a budget, creating a productive workspace, judging which jobs and projects are worth pursuing, finding clients and maintaining those relationships, handling money and taxes, and coping with the emotional ups and downs of working alone.

Readers get self-assessments for measuring their skills and personality, quick-reference warnings on essential points, checklists, tear-out worksheets, sample forms, top ten lists, and firsthand accounts from freelancers who have built successful careers.