For my non-freelancing readers, pardon my departure into the freelancer world. Then again, if you have been thinking about joining that world, read on.

I first met Jake Poinier online, like most of my freelancing chums, but he was going by a different name – Dr. Freelance. How’s that for a brilliant moniker?

Recently, Jake sent me a copy of his new book, The Science, Art and Voodoo of Freelance Pricing and Getting Paid. I thought I’d share my thoughts on the book (although this post’s headline probably gives you a pretty big clue).

By the way, this is not an affiliate deal. Jake doesn’t pay me for writing about this. These are my unsolicited musings.

Price for Fame

Ask any new freelancer what their number one struggle is and the response is probably ~

What do I charge?

As Jake’s title suggests, answering that question takes a bit of science, art, and voodoo.

The Science

For many of us, the leap from employee to business owner is one we underestimate.

• There is no marketing department.
• Or information technology.
• Or a human resources department to handle benefits.

You are all of the above (at least initially). Even if you go straight from school to freelancing, the business side is where many freelancers trip up.

Jake’s book offers “The Hard Facts” or Science of freelancing from calculating what you need to live on to pricing an individual project.

He also provides tips on building your Go-to-Hell Fund (love that!) for jump-starting your dream.

The Art and Voodoo

Along with the Science, Jake delivers practical, helpful hints on the Art and Voodoo of pricing, bidding, and collecting your fees. What Jake calls the Fudge Factors.

And we all have Fudge Factors – sometimes, too many.

One of my favorite factors throws in a little math – math I guarantee you will understand. It’s the P/H ratio or the Payment-to-Hassle ratio. See, you already are nodding your head in understanding.

An advantage for me getting into freelancing so late in my career was my appreciation for work/life balance.

Jake’s P/H ratio is similar to my Miller energy meter where I ask the question ~

Is this worth the energy?

Miller Energy Meter

Jake’s book is certainly worth the energy – and the cash. In fact, I liked it so much, I purchased a paperback version for my reference books.

The Complete Package

When you read this book, you instantly understand why Jake is such a successful copywriter. His storytelling balanced with solid resources delivers value for your hard-earned dollars.

This is a book for someone looking for a good-sense guide to pricing your services, knowing when and how to bid on the best clients, and how to deal with the challenges to getting paid.

This book will not tell you what to charge, although Jake has pricing resources. It shares great strategy, pros and cons, and methods for developing pricing that makes sense for your skills and services.

It is a book I wished I had when I started out.

The good news – I have Jake’s book now, and it’s never too late to improve your strategy. This book provides the tools to do just that.

You can get your copy at More Cowbell Books. The book is also available through Amazon.

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