6 replies to this topic

[Hans van der Maarel]

Picked up a copy of "The Freelance Design Handbook" by Cathy Fishel yesterday and I can't stress how much I would recommend this. Even after reading the first 20 pages or so I really wished I had this back when I started out.

It covers all aspects of working freelance or self-employed in a creative design-oriented field (though a lot of it would apply to pretty much any field of work), from finances to promotion to work/life balance. I give it 2 thumbs up. If you're thinking of starting out as a freelancer, or even if you've been doing it for a while, like me, you have to read this.

[christine.skl]

Is there any way to get an ebook? Unless I will change my geographic region (not sooner than in few months), I won't be able to get this book shiped:(

[Jean-Louis]

as soon as I saw it had a chapter called : 'How to avoid being a work-addict' I decided to get it.

[Charles Syrett]

Another resource I've used for years is Creative Business. You can subscribe to the newsletter, or feast on the many free forms and articles. It's all oriented toward creatives who are running businesses, such as writers, graphic designers, etc., and most of it is quite applicable to cartos. All kinds of stuff is covered, such as dealing with challenging clients, making sure you get paid, formulas for figuring out what your markups should be, how to estimate projects, conflicts of interest, etc. etc. The assumption is that you're a good creative but that you probably....well, need help in the area of running a business.

Charles Syrett
Map Graphics
http://www.mapgraphics.com

[François Goulet]

as soon as I saw it had a chapter called : 'How to avoid being a work-addict' I decided to get it.

Don't have much problem with that right now! but I'm not my own boss so...

Will surely look at the book to! Thanks!

[Damang Sarumpaet]

Picked up a copy of "The Freelance Design Handbook" by Cathy Fishel yesterday and I can't stress how much I would recommend this. Even after reading the first 20 pages or so I really wished I had this back when I started out.

It covers all aspects of working freelance or self-employed in a creative design-oriented field (though a lot of it would apply to pretty much any field of work), from finances to promotion to work/life balance. I give it 2 thumbs up. If you're thinking of starting out as a freelancer, or even if you've been doing it for a while, like me, you have to read this.

Hi there..
I've been watching the Cartotalk for a while.. and by knowing this subject of yours, finaly i decided to register..
My name is Damang Sarumpaet from Indonesia, and i'm proud to be a freelance designer.

The book you're referring to.. maybe you already notice, that I'm one of the designers featured in the book.
I've long wondered about what's inside the book, and how it would be like, because until now I'm still having difficulties to get it. But I am very glad to know that the book is well received by readers, and can provide good literature for designers. It means that I've participated in something so meaningful.

Your two thumbs up for the book heightened my curiosity more, since a lot of people outside my country, especially in Europe has provided a good appreciation of this book.

Well .. I hope I can soon get the book.

Thanks.
Damang Sarumpaet

[ProMapper]

as soon as I saw it had a chapter called : 'How to avoid being a work-addict' I decided to get it.

The chapter heading is great but only for those freelancers who get overwhelmed with work. Quite a few of the freelancers especially cartographers as per my understanding are spending more time trying to find jobs rather than working on projects. I am being brutally honest about me and a few more, whom I know. The freelance cartographers are a harried lot today.