We got so excited about the Freelancer’s Bible, we just had to share. And then we realized it’s not being officially launched until November 13th but guess what? We’re too excited to not share at this point! (Amazon’s release date is today so I suppose it’s all semantics at this point, yes?)

Written by Sara Horowitz and amassed from her nearly two decades of work on behalf of the freelance workforce, it seems this book provides steps to become more flexible in an ever-changing journalism landscape.

Some sections to highlight include the following: Seven start-up steps, building your portfolio, getting clients, marketing yourself, managing your work and your life and 10 steps to retirement planning.

In her blog post on The Freelancers Union, Horowitz wrote, “I’ve learned a lot about what makes a successful freelancer. It’s about networks, contacts, contracts, kindness, and so much more.”

When we read about this piece on JimRomenesko, we did a double-take. Kudos to the editor for being brutally honest about his thoughts on the state of freelancing writing. Or not? You be the judge.

When Dianne Jacob interviewed Coleman Andrews, editorial director at The Daily Meal, for her blog, Will Write For Food, she inquired about his stance on not paying freelance writers and as it turns out, he’s totally fine with it. Read more

Ever heard of the term “coffice romance?” You have now.

It’s no surprise when freelancers lack an office, they head to the local coffee shop to work. And just like a “real” office, sparks may begin to fly.

For instance, today’s New York Post focuses on a freelance writer who worked at her local cafe before being approached by a guy about the book she was reading for research. Well, they hit it off, went out that night and moved from the cafe to a local bar. Read more

Being a freelancer comes with many perks: working from home, flexible hours and the ability to pick your own projects. But it can be difficult to figure out how much your work is worth. Should you have an hourly rate or a per-project one? New writers might want to accept a lower rate to build clips, but how do you know when a rate is too low? Is the project even worth your time?

In the latest Mediabistro feature, seasoned freelancers share their experiences, so you can learn from their mistakes and maximize the value of your work.

Freelancer Aubre Andrus says she set a salary goal for herself and calculates her hourly rate from there. For her, the fact that she isn’t working on income-generating tasks 40 hours a week was a determining factor.

“This rate helps me devise my per-project fee and helps me decide if a project is worth my time,” explained Andrus. That, along with tracking her monthly earnings, has helped her stay on target to attain her salary goal.

Read more in 4 Things to Consider When Setting Your Freelance Writing Rate. [subscription required]

Some optimistic news from Ed “The Wealthy Freelancer” Gandia’s 2012 Freelance Industry Report. Freelancers say they’re happier than they were before going independent; they say they’re making decent money, and they were relatively unscathed from the recession.

Here’s a great infographic that sums up some of the key findings:

One interesting caveat: The freelancers who set out to be freelancers made more money and reported being happier than those forced into freelancing by layoffs. This makes sense, as it takes a certain type of personality to thrive as an indie.

Overall, women freelancers outnumbered men nearly 3 to 1. Respondents came in all age groups, and most respondents had been doing this for over a decade. Nearly half are the primary income earner in their households.

For more fascinating stats, download the full report.

As media folks immersed in social media and technology, our skills are always being invited to be honed.

And for freelancers looking to expand their reach into other areas such as blogging into vlogging or designing sites into managing social media accounts, we’re accustomed to thinking outside the cubicle. The combination may sometimes lead to a one-two fist punch to bigger endeavors!

Well, according to a piece in today’s New York Post, there are a few ways to expand one’s business while keeping a few key pointers in mind. Read more

As freelancers, sometimes it feels like we’re always doing the hustle, right?

Well, in addition to producing for current clients there’s the constant task of drumming up more business. According to The Brazen Careerist, there are a few simple ways to make your time and skills more valuable, thereby setting yourself up to succeed and land more work.

1. Complete a certification program or take a class. By making yourself more valuable, you’ll get to add a line or two to your resume with a specific program or class. It shows you put your money where your mouth is and that you consider yourself your best asset. Even if the investment in a class itself doesn’t make or break a potential new deal, it can only bolster your knowledge and expand your skill set.

2. Under promise and over deliver. As pointed out in the blog post, “Going the extra mile for your client is simple and only takes a little common sense.” When you hit the ball out of the park every time you go to bat, you’ll be deemed more valuable in the eyes of the client.

3. Treat your business like a business. Sure, you may work from your pajamas when you’re at home but treat the business seriously. Plus, think of it this way: Work begets more work and clients beget more clients. Getting a recommendation on your LinkedIn profile and/or having a client recommend you to other potential clients is worth its weight in gold.

The benefits of being a freelancer are plenty — flexible hours, working from home and being your own boss, just to name a few. But it brings its own set of challenges, and dealing with rejection might be the toughest one. A pitch that you’ve spent a lot of effort crafting could be met with silence, or a meager “Thanks, but no” response.  Luckily, not all hope is lost, and there’s always room to learn from your rejected pitches.

In the latest article for Mediabistro’s Journalism Advice series, freelance writer Kristen Fischer dissects some of the typical rejection responses that editors are known to give. Did you know that “we’re not assigning features at this time” is editor-speak for “Try pitching front-of-book pieces instead?”

For more on how you can learn from rejected pitches, check out The Real Reason Your Pitch Was Rejected. [subscription required]

Whether you’re a full-time employee looking to freelance on the side or a full-time freelancer, setting rates is something we all need to do from time to time.

Courtesy of a post on U.S. News & World Report, there are a few guidelines in order to determine what to charge.

1. What were you earning at your last job? In the piece, Lindsay Olsen writes, “Start by thinking about your last salary. Break that down into an hourly rate. You’ll want to charge more than that, most likely, because you probably won’t be freelancing 40 hours a week and you’ll have many other expenses to pay above the simple calculation.” Read more

Let’s face it: As freelancers we have several options for work locations and none of them truly include a traditional office with employees. That is, until now.

Sure, we can work from home, a nearby coffee shop or of course, rent coworking spaces whereby several freelancers also rent cubicles and convene at a communal water cooler.

Offering a twist to coworking, Loosecubes, gives freelancers the ability to work at host companies with spare desks. Consider it hoteling if you were actually in-house. Read more