Freelance Book Reviews: Creative, Inc.
I read six different books for my freelance project and they fall into two categories: those that focus on the business mindset side of running your own business (these are more inspirational mindset books that don’t necessarily apply directly to freelancing), and those that are written with the freelancer in mind and offer more actionable, specific how-to advice for freelancers. This one falls into specific freelance advice.
Creative, Inc.
by Meg Mateo Ilasco & Joy Deangdeelert Cho
"Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business" was the least self-helpy book, but was still written in a relatable style and has a modern layout and formatting. It was written for people pursuing any area of freelancing, from design to writing, so it’s widely applicable. The book also includes several case studies of real freelancers and sequences their paths into freelancing--this was a feature I really liked because it shows that there is not one “correct” way to do it. This book includes information on creating a business plan, marketing ideas, handling clients, getting paid, agents and balancing regular life with your freelance career. This booked appealed to the technical communicator in me because it was set up like a how-to manual with clear sections, but didn’t feel too boring.
The purpose: To help people in any field learn how to become a freelancer through practical advice and real-life case studies
The good: The book had an attractive layout and tips and case studies that were interesting to read, even if they didn’t all apply to my own situation
The bad: Since the book covers such a broad array of freelancing areas all the information may not be applicable to a technical communicator