Thinking about becoming your own boss and embarking on the wonderful and rewarding journey of freelancing? The Principles of Successful Freelancing is for you. In this easy-to follow guide you'll learn what's important in transforming your skills into a booming freelance business. This book leads you through the entire process, from getting started, through to winning and keeping loyal clients. Running a successful freelance business is easy, and with the information in this book, you'll confidently turn your freelancing dream into a profitable reality.

• Learn how to make a smooth transition into freelancing

• Understand how to effectively manage your money

• Ensure you spend your time on the right activities

• Discover why a work/life balance is important

• Learn how your network can support you and your business

• Overcome your fear of selling

• And much more ...

The 12 Principles Of Successful Freelancing

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 8 Ratings

a must-read for anyone considering freelance work - 2009-05-20
Reviewer Rating:
Excellent book on what to consider when moving into freelance work. Clear and concise, offering tons of useful advice, aimed squarely at either those new to freelancing or those considering a move.

It asks the reader to consider if they are ready to make the move into freelance work, as well as all the preparation necessary to do it successfully. Some of the advice is aimed more towards the US market, but the core principles apply, and the information is presented in such a way that it's easy to follow. Sections on managing finances (determining costs/charge rates), setting up your business, winning work and managing work/life balance are interlinked with a case study following two typical freelancers.

The book is packed with excellent references to resources on the web, and I spent a fair bit of time flitting between the two.

As Justin said in another review, this book could do with a follow-up volume for those having made the move, at a deeper level.

Highly recommended for those making the switch though.

Keeping it simple, straightforward and useful - 2009-08-14
Reviewer Rating:
I wasn't sure what to expect before receiving the book. I already had ideas about what needed to be done to get into freelancing. Allot of what I already thought was in the book but there were also many ideas I hadn't given any thought.

Miles Burke does a very good job of laying out a freelancing road map without omitting any information and still keeping the book concise. You can read through it on a weekend afternoon without much problem. If you do don't just read through it once and then forget about it, you would be doing yourself a disservice.

The Principles of Successful Freelancing - 2009-07-15
Reviewer Rating:
The Principles of Successful Freelancing is a comprehensive introduction if that's not a contradiction of terms) to striking out on your own as a freelancer. This book is perfect for someone who is considering moving to freelancing or possibly for someone just starting out.

Mr. Burke covers all of the basic areas of starting and running a freelance business. He discusses how to set up your business and your office, how to sell your services, how to manage your money, and how to give good customer service, which is ultimately the most important aspect of a personal freelancing business. He also addresses how to balance work and life beyond work, which is hard in general and specifically hard in a one-man shop. He concludes with something I haven't seen in a "start you own business" book - where to go next. Do you want to remain as a one-man shop, do you want to grow into a "real" business, or do you just want to "retreat" to the old 9-to-5 job? I don't recall a book like this consider the option of going back to the grind.

Each chapter concludes with two "case studies" - Emily and Jacob. These two characters represent two very different people who might want to go into freelancing. The studies at the end of each chapter explain how these personality types might react to the issues and challenges discussed in the chapter. This device helps the reader envision how he or she might deal with the issues discussed.

Early on, I got the mistaken impression that this book was a bit fluffy. The typography has a fair amount of white space, and it looks kinda arty rather than serious and dense. (OK, I grew up with punched cards and line printers. When's Matlock on?) But, by the time I finished the book, as I looked back across it, I really couldn't think of anything that wasn't covered. Sure, there are whole MBAs built around marketing, and this book only has one chapter on it, but the Mr. Burke provides a perfectly reasonable introduction to the subject. I think I got this "fluffy" mis-impression because immediately prior to reading Successful Freelancing I read Eric Sink's The Business of Software, which is very detailed about a few aspects specifically related to running a small software business. Successful Freelancing covers a wider range of topics, and it is not aimed specifically at software freelancers. If anything, it's aimed more at web designers who probably like nicer typography.

To conclude, The Principles of Successful Freelancing is a great first introduction to the idea of freelancing. It covers all the bases to help someone evaluate whether or not to go into business for himself.

Any collection strong in entrepreneurial guides will find this an exceptional pick - 2009-05-11
Reviewer Rating:
If you're thinking on freelancing on your own, then THE PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL FREELANCING is for you. It tells how to transition into freelance work, how to manage money and balance work and living, and how to create a business network of support. Any collection strong in entrepreneurial guides will find this an exceptional pick.

If you are thinking about freelancing... - 2009-02-14
Reviewer Rating:
this book would help you a lot, it's well written with lots of samples and two interesting case studies.

Also if you are already a freelancer with some years of experience this book could help you, maybe there are some tricks you haven't thought of.

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