Following on from my guide to being a freelance consultant, I’ve pulled together a list of essential freelance reads and top blogs so you can get up to speed on all the latest freelance thinking.
These are presented in no particular order, but feel free to add your own suggestions by leaving a comment!
Freelance Advisor
Packed to the rafter with top tips on going freelance and being successful when you take the leap. From weekly digests of freelancing news to helpful tax advice, this site really does contain everything you need. The five-years old site is aimed at UK freelancers, but will still contain useful information no matter where you are.
Freelancers Guide 2013
Brought to you by Clients From Hell, your daily digest of freelance horror stories. Its primary focus is to inform interested readers and help them avoid the sometimes unbelievably bad stories found on the site in their own professional careers. Dozens of interviews across a variety of fields were conducted in the making of the book, as well as hours of research into news, reports, and blogs about the industry. This is a simple, quick, but essential guide for freelancers everywhere.
Freelance Switch
A blog that aims to help you make the switch to becoming a freelancer. From getting started as a freelancer to pricing your services, finding clients and jobs to dealing with clients once you have them, Freelance Switch has everything you need to get started in the road to success. They also have a useful forum and a page where you can look for freelance jobs that are up for grabs. Worth a look just for that alone!
Freelance Folder
A must-read blog for all freelancers containing well written articles by influential writers. Similar to Freelance Switch but slightly more established, Freelance Folder also has a forum and jobs page, though mainly with jobs from the US. Check out their post on 20 Must-Read Blogs For Freelance Writers for more blogs to read.
The Creative Enterprise Toolkit
Brought to you by Nesta, an independent charity with a mission to help people and organisations bring great ideas to life. This a step-by-step interactive resource that can help you plan, build, and start your new freelance career, including four handbooks to help shape your creative idea into a business. Specifically designed for creative people; the contents and activities are focused on developing both you and your business idea. The worksheet activities help you to explore, visualise and plan key business issues, including: consider what future success looks, identify your customers, map develop your marketing messages, and use financial tools to ensure you are in control of your business finances and can start to build a plan.
Creative, Inc.
This excellent little book is written primarily for the US market but it contains many truths that are useful for freelancers everywhere. Freelancing pros Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho explain everything from creating a standout portfolio to navigating the legal issues of starting a business. An inspiring read, jam packed full of great advice and written in a way that won’t daunt someone with no marketing/business experience.
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That’s my suggestions, but what about you? What are your essential freelance resources? Add your own suggestions by leaving a comment!
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