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STARTING YOUR FREELANCE CAREER
More Reading Choices for Freelancers

Marilyn Crain

Thanks for your response. I'll let you speak for yourselves in this column.

Graphic Designer:

"Hi there. Just wanted to contribute a book that I'm reading to learn more about beginning my freelance Digital Retouching and Graphic Design career. It's called 'Your Perfect Home-based Studio' by Poppy Evans. It should be called '...For Dummies', because it's very straightforward. All of the trauma I've had about doing this on my own has seriously diminished! I also recommend it for those looking for good ideas on setting up their studio."

Freelance Writer:

"Your timing is great! I just started reading a new book. It still early but this one looks like a winner. The title sounds a little too much like hype, 'The Well-Fed Writer Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less'. In fact, the author Peter Bowerman almost lost a sale because of his choice of title. However, the more I read the more I think this is the real deal.

Obviously I have not had time yet to try his strategy, but it appears to be very sound advice. And his friendly, but professional, writing style gives him an edge. I'm not sure I can be financially self-sufficient in half a year, but he lays out a no-nonsense plan to approach a freelance corporate writing career.

He addresses all the issues. A lot of his points I had never thought of and I'm not even halfway through. He covers some of his background and how he got started. He also includes pages and pages of nuts and bolts stuff. All very encouraging, but realistic for the most part.

Give me six months and I'll let you know if his plan works because I intend to follow it to the letter. Hey, what can I lose? Thanks for giving me the chance to share…. guess I just made a commitment to see if I can make this thing work, didn't I?"

That's it for now. I do appreciate your input. We'll revisit this topic again soon.

It's not too late to contribute to this list of helpful books for freelancers. Just send an email to freelance@evoicenewsletters.com. Be sure to include the name of the book and author and what freelance career you are pursuing.

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Marilyn Crain is a freelance writer with an extensive background in human resources, information systems and performance improvement. Most of her writing has been in these business fields, but she is now expanding her horizons into other areas.

She has had a lifelong love of reading and writing. Among her many passions is sharing history with children through her developing series of children's historical fiction soon to be out on www.ezetta.com.

She is a partner in the e-newsletter/e-marketing site http://www.evoicenewsletters.com/, as well as, the soon to be launched eZetta.com, author's site devoted to e-book publishing and decodiva.com, a site filled with beautiful living resources. She is co-publisher of two newsletters, The eVoice and The Freelance Life. You may contact her: marilyn@smartwriters.com.

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