I read a ton of books in my personal journey toward freelancedom, but I have to admit, the one that provided the impetus to my actually leaving my 9-to-5 was Michelle Goodman’s The Anti 9 to 5 Guide. In fact, my copy is so dog-eared that I couldn’t stop at just listing my five favorites:
1. Differing from all those books that are all theory and no action, Goodman includes actual action plans. Throughout the book, there are checklists in the areas of social networking, information-gathering, gaining hand-on experience, etc.
2. Goodman explores the various alternative to the typical 9 to 5. In addition to freelancing, she mentions telecommuting, job sharing, temping, and more.
3. Chapter 5 lists “the seven habits of highly effective homepreneurs,” including setting up your virtual office and keeping your resume and portfolio current.
4. Goodman lists helpful resources for researching your target market, including the U.S. Census Bureau and your local chamber of commerce.
5. She also includes resources that aid you in writing up a business plan.
6. Goodman also lists a number of low-cost publicity tactics, such as publishing an e-newsletter, starting a blog, guest speaking, etc.
7. She later touts the awesomeness of volunteering and/or interning in order to gain experience within the field of your choice. It’s a means of testing things out without full-on commitment to a career move!
8. She suggests ways of creating mutually beneficial partnerships with other companies, or even your present (or most recent) employer.
9. Goodman also explores alternative paths, such as international gigs, jobs that lead to extensive traveling, or even temping.
10. Near the end of her book, Goodman goes into the nitty-gritty of getting “legit,“ such as naming your business, getting a business license, and registering your business.
11. Score! Bonus reference section in the back! (I love those.)
If you feel yourself going into withdrawal once you’ve finished with the book (though you’ll never truly be finished with the book; it’s a great reference for your business bookshelf), Goodman also maintains a blog.
Hi Steph,
I’m a fellow freelance writer who found your blog through Brazen Careerist. I LOVED Anti 9 to 5 Guide, too, and I managed to get my hands on a review copy of Michelle’s follow-up book, My So-Called Freelance Life, which I also highly recommend. I’m really looking forward to reading more on your blog, since it sounds like we deal with many of the same issues as solo workers and as writers. Cheers!
Susan