The Freelancer’s Survival Guide: Employees Part One Kristine Kathryn Rusch Really, this section shouldn’t be titled “Employees.” It should be titled “People You Hire To Do Stuff For You.” But that’s too long and a little too wordy, even if it is accurate. You see, the word “employee” has a specific meaning in the culture and under the tax code. According to the dictionary, an employee is someone who is paid by someone else to do work. Which is a lot like people you hire to do stuff for you—just as wordy and almost as vague. (Maybe I should have written “to work for you,” but I digress.) In the culture, however, an employee is someone who goes to your place of business and works for you there. You schedule that employee for a … Read entire article »

< The Freelancer’s Survival Guide: Money, Part Seven Kristine Kathryn Rusch It’s nice to be back in my office in the middle of the afternoon, which this space is designed for. The light is better and I’m not groggy, which always makes writing more fun. Last week, I figured I could cover billing in a single section, but soon figured out I had much too much to say. All of the money sections have gone like that. Dealing with money is the most important part of fulltime freelancing, but it is the least glamorous. And it tends to make my readers very quiet. Thanks to those who commented last week, and the handful of people who talked to me about the Guide in person. (That’s the benefit of a workshop.) I also want to … Read entire article »

The Freelancer’s Survival Guide: Money, Part Six Kristine Kathryn Rusch I’m sitting in my office at the exact moment my alarm normally goes off. I’ve never been in the new office this early in the morning. The main window faces east, and I’m squinting as I write because I’m too lazy to lower the blinds. I’m here early because I’m so scheduled today that this is the only time I have to write the Freelancer’s Guide. I’m teaching a workshop this week. I thought I would have time in the evenings to write, but I don’t. In fact, I’m busy every single moment I’m awake, and for the past week, I’ve been sleeping two hours less per night than I normally do. So here I am, doing exactly what I used … Read entire article »