Overall Concept:
You can’t really judge a book by its cover, but you simply have to judge a book by its concept. Does the subject matter make sense to cover and do the methods that the author proposes actually make sense? The subject matter of this book, i.e. The Principles of Successful Freelancing are pretty self evident, and in times like these more people than ever are considering working for themselves, or attempting to turn their existing skill set into a source of direct income.
The author, Miles Burke, does a very good job laying the information out in an easy to understand progression, designed to take one from an having an idea to starting a business with that idea.
Impressions:
When most people read books they tend to hear the authors voice in their head, or they give the character’s voices instead. I love to ask people what the narrator sounds like, how does the tone affect the way you are learning the information? The tone of a how-to book can often come across condescending and technical manuals as that boring professor from college who droned on in a monotone.
This book has a lovely warm tone, the author not only seems to enjoy telling you stories that flesh out his points but constantly refers to real life experiences. Thusly the book tends to not only read a lot quick that the 200 pages it weighs in at, but also comes across as a warm and helping friend lending you advice along the way.
Rent or Own:
I judge all books on this basis. Re-readability is very important to me. Do I buy a book, get it from a Library or the third category Shelve it for a reference. The third category is by far the most selective; seriously how much readily accessible shelf space do you have in your office?
With this book I place it firmly in the buy camp. It’s a great read, and unlike most how-to books it deals very well with troubleshooting the potential problems that crop up during the course of following its advice. This is a book that understands what it takes to be a continued resource. By laying the basic tenants of freelancing out in plain English, giving real world problems and how the author found solutions to them, it becomes a great tool.
Conclusion:
If you are considering starting a business, or have already done so, this book is a great collection of knowledge designed to help you get things off on the right foot. It covers a great many of the highs and lows you could experience and does so in a warm and inviting manner.
Book Information
The Principles of Successful Freelancing
Publisher: SitePoint
Miles Burke
ISBN: 9780980455243, 200 pages, $34.95 USD