Resources

The following are excellent resources for freelancers and are free unless noted. Keep checking back as more will be slowly added to the list.

Freelancing:

Coding Horror
Great articles and advice for the freelance programmer. One of the few great blogs in this area of freelancing.

Freelance Folder
A great portal on anything that has to do with freelance.

Freelance Switch
One of the original freelance information sites with advice, tutorials and job boards.

The Freelance Writing Jobs Network
The number one online community for freelance writers and network of seven blogs all dedicated to the the craft of freelance writing.

Men With Pens
A source for sharpening those writing and marketing skills from some of the best in the biz.

NO!SPEC
If you are a freelance web/graphic designer, get to know the process of spec work so you it doesn’t take advantage of your business.

Tuts+ Tutorials
Collection of free tutorials covering web design & development, Flash, music & sound, Photoshop and vectors & illustration.

Accounting/Time Tracking

Estimated Taxes For [U.S.] Freelancers (article)
This is a must-read article for freelancers in the United States. Taxes are easily taken for granted, but must be paid so get a little crash course here.

Paymo Timetracker
A key component of any freelance business is tracking time on all tasks. This free service is easy to use and even allows you to generate detailed reports for your own analysis.

Quickbooks Simple Start
Excellent software you can download to manage your income and expenses, create invoices and estimates, creating sales receipts and even reports. All in your currency, of course. And best of all, it’s free!

Quickbooks Online
Similar to their Simple Start but is completely web based. If you do a lot of travelling or if you do not want all your financial information stored on your computer, then access from the web may be your thing. Free 30 day trial and $9.95/month for the service after.

Blogging:

Building a Better Blog (pdf)
This is essential reading for those of you thinking of starting a blog or have already started but are stuck with how to make it grow and draw loyal readers. Courtesy of Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar.

Copyblogger
Pretty much all-in-one website to create and promote a successful blog. They also have excellent resources section to help you out.

Pro Blogger
Another all-in-one site dedicated to showing you how to improve your blog and earn money from it. Also has a helpful “30 Days To Better Blogging Tutorial.”