Going Solo  

These workshop notes list many of the things that you will need to consider if you intend to become a freelance technical communicator in the UK. The main topics are: your motivation; getting help with your business; legal and administrative issues; business infrastructure; working practices; advertising and publicity; office environment. The workshop was presented at the ISTC Conference, Bosworth, 2002.

Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2002). Careers>Freelance>Regional>United Kingdom

Growing Your Practice by Managing Business Relationships  

Independent contractors and consultants know the value of working cooperatively with other professionals to complete complex projects. 'Other professionals' includes subcontractors, other independent contractors and consultants, and business partners. The formation of these kinds of strategic relationships can help meet the demands of today’s diverse markets and clients. This paper outlines some of the basic issues that surround business relationships, including planning (estimating and bidding), formalizing project-based contractual relationships, and exploring more permanent partnership arrangements.

Barker, Thomas, Ryan Bernard, Melanie G. Flanders, Rob Moschak and Nicole Wycislo. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>Freelance>Consulting>Collaboration

Guerilla WriteFare™: Nice Work If You Can Get it -- Here's How

My experience in the corporate environment has been that larger companies don't go out of their way to hire home-based freelancers. That's not to say that they never do -- it simply hasn't been my experience with them. I run into this problem all the time. Finding off-site work is a challenge. I scour the top 20 or so job search engines and other places for work and, while there really are quite a few contract positions out there, nearly all of them require on-site work. That's the bad news. Here's the good news: I have figured this thing out, believe it or not. In fact, I'm working on a book and a seminar about it. To locate good work that allows you to work out of the home office, you must know three things: How to look. Where to look. Hw to build trusting relationships with your customers.

Knowles, Michael. AIPMM (2003). Careers>Freelance>TC>Case Studies

How Much Is Enough?

Conventional wisdom defines business success largely by company size; the steeper the growth curve, the better. But is this model appropriate for freelancers? Most freelancers in publishing work independently; the amount of work we can accept is limited by the number of hours we can work and how many pages we can edit, proofread, or index per hour. For this reason, if we cultivate too many clients, we’re forced to turn down projects we’d like to accept. On the other hand, few freelancers have arrangements for receiving regular, predictable assignments from clients.

Shore, Lys Ann. Editorial Freelancers Association (1995). Careers>Freelance>Management

How to Find Clients Who Need White Papers

Freelancers often wonder where to find clients. What kind of companies need white papers written for them, anyway? Here's three simple questions that will tell you the answer.

Graham, Gordon. WhitePaperSource (2006). Careers>Freelance>Writing>White Papers

How to Start a Business: Five Key Steps to Getting on Track

I received a slightly panicked call the other day from a colleague who had recently ventured out on her own after many years of working for others. She had been lured into self-employment by an opportunity that matched up her passion and her skills—but it wasn't going to pay all the bills. So she needed to get serious about starting up some kind of freelance business. But where to start? Although my colleague had taken the necessary legal steps in her state (notably, applying for a business license), she didn't know what to do next. She was, in her own words, paralyzed.

Steigman, Daria. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Careers>Freelance>Business Communication

The Independent Contract: What's In, What's Out

Many years ago I was asked to develop a marketing package for the environmental practice group of a large, Washington-based law firm. When I submitted the draft I got exclamations of delight and a promise to provide quick feedback from all the principals. It never came, and my phone queries went unanswered. So I waited, and waited, and waited—and then waited some more.

Steigman, Daria. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Careers>Freelance>Marketing>Environmental

De Information Process Maturity Model (IPMM)  

There are several reasons for the Information Process Maturity Model: moving beyond chaos; moving beyond the heroism of talented and dedicated individuals; moving toward a repeatable, reliable process. It is the reality of the 21th Century: People from the Western countries don't understand the real imagination of the post-soviet people in The Eastern European countries. The matter is: we have not been living in a private property society & and in a national liberal country till 1991. So, my personal and my colleagues' experince had been summarised there in the publicity book "BUSINESS in Ukraine". The main problem to solve is the countrywide system of a liberal market tersonality training. Everybody has to learn to be a master of its own personality and lot. Oleksandr Nahornyy, author, editor, producer

Oleksandr Nahornyy. ComTech Services (2008). (Russian) Books>Freelance>Policies and Procedures>Ukraine

The IRS' 20 Questions for Independent Contractors

Independent contractors who don't know about — or who ignore — the relevant aspects of current contractor tax law are endangering their own livelihood and pose a significant threat to their client companies. They're complex, arbitrary, and inconsistently applied, but knowing the rules can keep you and your clients safe. So here they are, in a nutshell.

Synergistech.com (2000). Careers>Freelance

Is the Freelance Writing Life for You?

Freelancer writers tend to develop something of a superior attitude at times. Some of us feel that we are a cut above our brothers and sisters who work as employees.

Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2004). Careers>Freelance>Writing

Is the Independent Life for You?  

Frick lists thirteen questions for people who want to know if they have the personality to succeed at self-employment.

Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2001). Careers>Freelance

Is There Intelligent Life Outside the City? A Personal View on Some of the Dos, Don'ts and Elephant Traps in Freelance Consultancy    

Offers comprehensive advice to information professionals considering taking up self-employed freelance information consultancy. Draws attention to the risks associated with leaving the protection offered by corporate employment, alongside the benefits of empowerment through being self-employed. Emphasizes the need for prior business planning and offers advice on business name, web presence, logos, business cards, professional subscriptions, the need to have an accountant and register for value added tax, and dealings with banks and with the local Business Link. Advises against acquiring company status, joining trade groups, untargeted advertising, brochures and mailshots, and professional indemnity cover. Suggests ways of seeking work through networking with contacts, advises on the risks associated with imprecise agreements with clients, and emphasizes that the most important aspect of successful self-employment is self promotion.

Newgass, Oriole. Business Information Review (2007). Careers>Consulting>Freelance

Knowing When to Bail Out  

Lathrop identifies the red flags that might indicate an uncooperative client.

Lathrop, Lori M. Intercom (2000). Careers>Freelance

Lessons Learned After Two Years (Almost) in the Self-Employment Trenches  

Taking the plunge into self-employment in the field of marketing and technical communications is a major step to contemplate. The many factors that one takes for granted when working in a corporate environment become problematic when one goes out 'on one’s own.' On the other hand, staying in a boring, less than challenging, or limited job largely because of the security it carries might be called 'sure-a-cide.' In making the transition to self-employment, it is necessary to pay close attention to a number of issues, but these issues may not be obvious at the beginning. On the other hand, many concerns that might otherwise appear to be essential to this transition may basically take care of themselves and can be lowered in priority. The 'trick' is figuring which is which.

Teich, Thea. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>Freelance

Lessons Learned After Two Years in the Self-Employment Trenches

The advantages of staying in the same profession as when you we employed in a standard way: you already know the job; no need for immediate additional training; you probably have a good idea about procedures, costs, processes.

Teich, Thea. STC Orange County (1998). Careers>Freelance

LOA 101: Intro to Letters of Agreement  

Answers some common questions about Letters of Agreement, documents used by independent contractors to define the specifics of particular projects.

Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2002). Careers>Freelance>Contracts

Managing Your Productivity  

Offers tips for independent contractors on staying efficient and productive.

Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2000). Careers>Freelance>Consulting

Marketing Your Business

This month's column doesn't focus on business strategy per se, but rather on how independents market themselves once they identify their markets and know what it is they want to convey.

Steigman, Daria. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Careers>Freelance>Marketing

Marketing Yourself

Marketing yourself is an attitude, not an activity. It is learning to think of yourself and your skills as a product that someone can use.

West, Elizabeth. Editorial Freelancers Association (1990). Careers>Freelance>Marketing

Marketing Yourself as an Independent Technical Writer

Some technical writers go into business for themselves as freelancers or independent contractors. A number of those become successful enough to form a writing company and hire a staff of other writers. In either case, the technical writer who is in business for him- or herself must continually perform marketing to maintain a steady income.

Kurtus, Ron. School for Champions (2000). Careers>Freelance

Negotiating: Theory and Practice

Some negotiating situations can be extremely difficult. If you find yourself in such a situation, recognize it. Don’t conclude that it represents a failure on your part.

Benison, Denise. Editorial Freelancers Association (1993). Careers>Freelance

Note to Contractors: Expose Your Writing Tasks  

Some contractors short-change themselves by failing to reveal in cost proposals all of the tasks they perform. Argues that full disclosure can improve a contractor's bottom line.

Hall, Mark D. Intercom (2004). Careers>Freelance>Proposals>Writing