3 Books Every Freelancer Needs To Read
Are you an avid reader?
Until recently (when I discovered the pure magic of audiobooks), I was not a big reader.
And as a result, I missed out on two essential things for any writer:
Great stories and great advice.
In this article, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite books that meet the brief for the latter part of this statement — because every freelance writer needs to read these books in order to improve their writing, business skills, and overall bad-ass energy.
The 3 books that changes my life as a freelancer
The following book recommendations are not to be taken lightly — I mean what I say when I say these books have changed my life and business.
If you are looking to become a freelance writer (or want to improve what you already got going on), these three books are a non-negotiable must-read:
#1 — I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
It is an understatement to say that this book changed the course of my life.
Written by the wildly personable and incredibly helpful Ramit Sethi (you may recognize his name from his recent Netflix show!), this book is exactly what it says in the title:
A 6-week no B.S. program designed to get your financial literacy skills in check.
I first read this book right after I graduated from university, and its step-by-step guide to setting up systems to save, invest, and use money to create financial freedom has been the backbone of my freelancing business ever since.
If you take nothing else from this article, let it be this — you must read this book. It’s amazing.
Honestly, stop reading this rn and go buy it. I won’t even be mad — it’s a must, must, must read. I promise!
#2 — Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depends On It by Chris Voss
A few months ago (as some of you may remember from one of my past email newsletters, which you should totally join if you haven’t already), I wanted to bolster my self-advocacy and negotiation skills to land better deals with clients.
I came across this book at the recommendation of a friend, and within the first chapter, I was invested.
Written by a former FBI hostage negotiator, this book is the perfect blend of high-energy stories from his time in the field and tactile, real-life advice you can implement right after reading.
This is a great and highly educational book that immediately changed the way I communicate with my clients (and, as a result, netted me a client for my highest hourly rate yet!)
#3 — On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Stephen King
Finally, as possibly one of the most commonly recommended books for writers, this memoir from Stephen King has well-earned its notoriety.
While this book does focus a lot on fictional story writing, learning about a highly successful writer’s process was incredibly eye-opening and inspiring.
My biggest takeaway from this book (other than the fact that Stephen King is one of the best writers of all time, no contest) is that no matter what area of writing you specialize in,
You need to be reading all types of books, articles, and content pieces if you want to improve.
(And that I need to get my use of passive voice under control!) 🫣
Reading books is essential for self-growth
So, that’s my list. Did I miss anything?
I really hope you found this helpful — and I am very interested in hearing your recommendations in the comments below. Please share your must-read books so I can add them to my to-read list!