Freelance tips from a freelance pro

Freelancer Michelle Goodman is coming to the Seattle PI tomorrow to teach a session on freelancing to the PI staff. Here's her resource/link guide:

Michelle's excellent Blog: www.anti9to5guide.com

Michelle's excellent book on freelancing book: My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire

Mark Matassa's review: ""My So-Called Freelance Life" offers as many laughs as great tips for those just starting or returning to a freelance career. This is a practical, useful, real-life guide to a real life outside the cubicle. Highly recommended!"

Follow Michelle on Twitter


Articles/blog posts of mine that may be of interest:

The Accidental Freelancer's Survival Kit

When to Work for Nothing

Recession Tips for Freelancers

A Luddite's Guide to Linked In


Freelance Tax Tips [Note: I'm not an accountant; this advice is just a
jumping off point. I encourage all freelancers to hire an accountant who
works with freelancers.]


Using a Blog to Build a Book Platform

To Blog or to Pitch?

Freelance media leads/news/tips:

www.mediabistro.com - Classes, news, how-to articles, blogs, forums, and
everything else you could want to know about the media (+ for $50/yr or so
you get access to subscription content, which includes their helpful How to
Pitch guides - for pitching web and print publications).

www.freelancesuccess.com - This is a $100/yr leads list, but it's been
around for years and people I'd vouch for swear it's great. Not a reprint of
those scammy work-from-home Google ads. Known for great finds like $1/word
trade magazines. You can get a sample subscription for a week before you
sign up. Also people who use this service also rave about the site's forums.
(I plan to sign up in April or May when a big gig of mine ends.)

Great (free) discussion lists (for tips, networking, and the occasional job
lead):

www.freelance-seattle.net (job leads for all freelancers)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/upod/ (national networking list; mostly
seasoned editorial workers... if you sign up for one list, sign up for this
one!)
http://www.digitaleveseattle.org/ (Seattle tech workers talking about job
market, job hunting, technology...)
http://seattlewritergrrls.org/ (networking with local writers; men welcome!)

Favorite freelance writing blogs:

http://therenegadewriter.com/ (The Renegade Writer)
http://www.bizzia.com/topic/freelancing/ (The Golden Pencil)
http://inkthinkerblog.com/ (Inkthinker)

Great books for freelance writers:

The Renegade Writer - on pitching
Query Letters That Rock - just like it sounds
The Well-Fed Writer - on copywriting

Seattle networking source: I love Seattle