Re: FWD: Getting started as a part-time freelancer

["Gururaj B S" <gururaj_bs -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

I've been offered a contract to do some small freelance
writing and editing jobs aside from my regular tech writing
job. I've always been a full-time employee, so contract work
is new to me.

I will search the archives for relevant posts, but I'd
appreciate any additional hints from the Whirlers about
getting started with this new endeavor. I'm not even sure
what to look for in the archives, or what questions to ask!

<<Guru
What would you find in the archives? Would you be able to see a complete 
response to this elusive question? You haven't told where you are getting 
these freelance assignments from. You might need to confer with experts to 
act in accordance with norms in different regions. Make a meaningful 
decision! Consult a lawyer only if there is a potential for earning some 
decent money. At the end of the day, what matters to you is, an appropriate 
compensation structure. Perhaps you should look at some numerical figures 
before agreeing to what your customer says. Try to derive the price of your 
service from these *proven* statistics. This is available on the Internet. 
Use the magnanimous google power to discover what the freelance writing 
business has in store for you!


I've received a 17-page contract, and I'm not sure what to
look for in there. Will I need to make additional payments
to the IRS beyond my usual withholding? I'm not in a
position to consult with a lawyer and accountant right now;
that would cost more than I'll make on the first job!

<<Guru
Look for these key things in your contract agreement: Duration (goes without 
mention!), repair costs (in case of breach of the signed contract), foreign 
exchange rules, if applicable. So, don't become a multifarious communicator, 
substituting for lawyer, consultant et al. Let's not deprive them of an 
opportunity to use they have learnt.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers
Gururaj

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