The Secret Sauce to Freelance Writing on the Side by Jodee Redmond: A Book Review

Are you currently stuck in a traditional job but dream of working from home for yourself? Have you always had a knack for writing and wonder if you might be able to make money from your skill? Are you a stay-at-home mom who wants to make some money from home? If so, The Secret Sauce to Freelance Writing on the Side: How to Launch a Successful Freelance Writing Career Without Leaving Your Day Job by Jodee Redmond may be the book for you.

Redmond, of freelancewritinggigs.com, has created this less than 100-page e-book to help you make your dreams come true. This book is specifically tailored to someone who has not yet landed their first freelance writing client.

The book contains seven chapters plus a bonus chapter:

• Chapter 1: The Business of Freelance Writing 
• Chapter 2: Preparing for your First Freelance Writing Client 
• Chapter 3: How to Set Rates for your Work 
• Chapter 4: Start Marketing your Writing Services 
• Chapter 5: Time Management for Part-time Freelancers 
• Chapter 6: Put the Service in Customer Service 
• Chapter 7: Putting it all Together: Your Secret Sauce to Freelance Writing on the Side 
• Bonus Chapter: The Next Chapter: When to Consider Going Full-time with a Successful Part-time Freelance Gig

For new writers, there are many chapters that will be useful. In Chapter 1, Redmond goes into detail about what should be included in a business plan, but she also includes a business plan template, which is invaluable for a new business owner.

If you’re currently employed full-time and begin freelancing on the side, you’ll likely appreciate the bonus chapter. Redmond offers suggestions for when you should be able to quit your day job as well as how you can manage a growing freelance business if you don’t yet want to quit your day job.

For both new and experienced writers, Redmond’s chapters on marketing your writing service and time management include valuable tips and tools such as websites where you may find jobs and apps to help you with invoicing and managing your time.

While this e-book contains plenty of useful information for new writers, some chapters could be strengthened. For instance, pricing your work is always tricky for a writer. In Chapter 3, Redmond attempts to guide new writers through how much to charge, but she’s not specific enough. Yes, writing experience and the type of writing being done all affect pricing, but my guess is that new writers still probably won’t know how much to charge after reading this chapter.

If you’re a writer looking to launch a freelance writing career, at $3.99 on Amazon on Kindle, you can’t go wrong with this book. True, it doesn’t contain all of the information you will need to launch a successful freelance career, but it does offer a nice starting place, and there’s much you can use in this book.

If you’re an experienced writer, you may still want to check out this book just for the tips and tools mentioned in Chapters 4 and 5.