5 Books Freelance Creators Will Love
You wrote down that you want to read more in 2022. I know you did. Everybody does. But you haven’t touched that book your uncle gave you for Christmas. The one he was sure you’d “really enjoy.”
That’s okay. Not every book is for everyone.
The trick is to find books that pique your interest and that help you achieve your goals. Not what other people want you to achieve. I write this blog for digital creators, and I want them to achieve their dreams. So here’s a list of books that digital creators will love.
Building a Storybrand - Donald Miller
Building a Storybrand will help you market yourself better. Does anybody else get completely stuck when a potential client asks what you do? This book will help you get over that, by giving you a framework to tell your story.
Miller focuses on customers with his storytelling framework. Instead of teaching you how to brag about all the great things you’ve done, he teaches you how to empathize with the customer. He wants you to position yourself as the guide who will help others achieve success.
Beyond the marketing benefits, Miller’s storytelling framework is useful across all creative disciplines. Whenever I get stuck, wondering how to arrange parts of a story I’m telling, I think of this framework, and the path becomes clear.
Steal Like an Artist - Austin Kleon
This is a classic, and it’s on every creative person’s bookshelf. Is it not on yours? You better order it quick! In a short, simple book, Kleon destroys decades of harmful “creative” advice, about inspiration and originality.
He says that great artists pull inspiration from dozens of sources, to create something unique. Instead of searching for complete originality (which doesn’t really exist anymore), Kleon says to steal bits and pieces until you have a new combination.
Buy it here, before anyone notices you don’t have it already.
Free to Focus - Michael Hyatt
Michael Hyatt speaks the language of the freelancer, and the people who create their own calendar. He understands how difficult time management can be, especially with an inconsistent schedule. Free to Focus help you see the difference between meaningful tasks and menial tasks, and helps you focus on the meaningful ones.
Hyatt also gives a great rubric for deciding what tasks to delegate. He makes it very clear that a successful business with a balanced life depends on delegating tasks. Free to Focus gives a rock-solid plan for finding help, and delegating work out.
Linchpin - Seth Godin
Freelancers are disconnected from the inner workings of an organization–and this is a bad thing. Freelancers need to understand how organizations work, and more importantly, how they make decisions on who to hire and fire. Linchpin teaches people how to become indispensable within their organizations.
This book transformed me from being someone who bounced quickly between clients, always getting let go, into someone who has maintained long-lasting relationships with a few great clients over a few years. This is Seth Godin at his best, and this is a fascinating book for anyone who works for a business–which is almost all of us.
Perennial Seller - Ryan Holiday
Perennial Seller will show you what it takes to create works that lasts. In the digital age, it can be tempting to believe that staying on-trend is the most important thing. But Holiday shows us that great work is worth it, and the year-over-year sales will far outweigh a short-term boost for a trendy work.
There isn’t time to read books you hate. And there’s nothing wrong with putting a book a down after you’ve gotten what you need from it. There are no teachers anymore, and there are no book reports. Find the books that make your mind come alive, and forget the rest.
I hope this list was helpful Have a great day!
