Careers Books

I've read four of these get-started-freelancing books and most were very helpful. Renegade provides a lot of tips from not only the very experienced authors but from other veteran and beginning freelancers and editors, including snappy query letters, tips on getting along with editors and getting paid, and getting paid better.

The advice isn't as renegade as the title indicates. Every suggestion comes under a heading of ``Break this rule:'', which is a good idea for a book. But in reality, in almost all cases, what the authors really mean (and they seem to acknowledge this) is that there are occasional exceptions to these rules. You'd be an idiot to pull a George Costanza and do the opposite of these rules to change your luck.

A minor peccadillo: The writing style sometimes is overly flip, in a ``Freelancing for Dummies'' sort of way. Here's an imaginary example, because I don't have time to reread the book right now to find real ones: ``If you don't hear back about your query in two weeks, don't go setting yourself on fire and jumping off a cliff.'' For me, it sometimes distracts from the message, but I know others will find it friendly and comforting.

I'd like to suggest something I haven't seen in any of the books I've read. Why not have a hand-holding, get-started kick in the pants for procrastinators -- perhaps a step-by-step work session that would tell them to come up with a story idea in a certain field, let's say arthritis treatment, and then list a few websites or other sources for research and some experts in the field on that narrow topic. The exercise would walk the writer through finding actual magazines that would use stories about arthritis and judging which pay the best and are most writer-friendly, and would name the contact people and their emails. Next, a template query on an arthritis story, which of course the hopeful freelancer would rewrite to his/her specific story idea. I think many who are just getting into freelancing can find the whole thing overwhelming. A lesson like that could break the ice.

Yes, this book is full of facts that seasoned freelancers already know. But for a beginner, this is a great book. One thing to keep in mind, though: you need to KNOW the rules before you break them. The authors do a good job of explaining why certain rules are in place and when they should or shouldn't be broken, but new writers need to use their common sense as far as what they are comfortable with.

The chatty tone makes this an easy to read, un-intimidating intro to the craft of selling yourself as a freelance writer. I highly recommend it for newbies.

I have to say I'm pretty happy with it, overall. Probably not the sort of book you'd want to cosy up in bed with and read cover to cover, as it's really a book full of tips and references for freelancers, but it had a lot of good stuff.
I thought for a while it was a little self-contradictory, but then I re-thunk that. I think it's more a question of them giving you different points of view on how to tackle the same issue. It was written by two women, after all. They're bound to have differing opinions from time to time.
But the tone was folksy, if a little forcedly so; sometimes they sounded like chirpy little squirrels. But it gave a very clear idea of what the freelance writing life would be like, so it was worth the read.

I have read just about every book I've come across on freelance writing and I find this by far to be the best. Most of the others re-hash all the same old outdated information time and again. This one takes a fresh approach and gives you something to think about. I even break their rules! If you are interesting in freelancing this book is one worth reading.

I was really disappointed. The book is just stuffed with common sense advice , which anyone who has some writing experience already knows about. I wouldn't read anything else from these two garrulous writers.

I teach writing to home school kids and have been surprised by what inspires them to write-- HINT: it's not the standard ideas found in most text books. 501 Writing Prompts has a wide variety of topics for writing and includes "how to score" information for each essay category. This book would help students practice for the essay portion of the SAT or other standardized test. If you're looking for something to teach you ABOUT writing, or HOW TO write, this isn't it. It is simply a thorough collection of ideas to spark a student's writing. (Examples of good, mediocre, and poorly written essays are included for several of the topics.)

I've used this book for journal writing every day. The students like to choose the prompts and write them on the board. It's been a helpful resource.

This is a great book to get ideas for essay writing practice. It is divided into four sections with Persuasive, Expository, Narrative and Literary writing prompts. There are also graded model essays to show what is expected of students in the SAT exams. It is interesting to see what will give you a mark of 6, 4 and 1!! With 501 writing topics to choose from, you are guaranteed to get plenty of experience as a writer. I think it's a book worth having.

This not only gives you 501 writing prompts (some not all that great, but there are so many it makes up for that downfall)... it gives you samples of different student writing that fits each style - personal narrative, persuasive, etc. - and rubrics for each style also! I wasn't sure what I was going to do when I was told I was going to be teaching writing to secondary students, but this book eased a lot of my fears and helped me through!

This collection of writing prompts has some excellent features. Prompts are organized into three modes of writing: Narrative, expository, and persuasive. Sample responses at various score points are given for several prompts in each section. Many of the prompts are compelling and accessible to students across a variety of writing levels.

As one might expect from a collection of over five hundred writing prompts, there are also a great many that miss the mark for one reason or another. There's enough here, though, to complement any writing program.

Barry Baker was a street cop for 20 years in a very tough town before taking promotion. He accurately reflects the central role of patrol - street work - and does not sugar-coat or avoid difficult issues. The conciseness of the book is a strength. His advice to young people is genuine and not idealistic or poorly informed. A nice job.

I found the book to be packed with invaluable advice. I've only been a cop for about 6 months now, but I wish I had read the book before I became a cop.

The book offers great advice on choosing a department. It also has inspired me to write more reports and write them better.

One of the main points I took from the book was to never sacrafice your integrity.

I didn't like how the auther put a little introductory phrase before almost every single paragraph in the book. If he didn't do that, the book would probably only be 60 pages long.

I found this book to be very entertaining and it certainly gave me some fresh and creative ways to look at situations/problems. I'm not sure yet how I will be able to put any of them to use, but that may be because I'm a bit overwhelmed after just reading the book. The exercises within the chapters did not always offer me the insight on how to use the topics they were supposed to be practicing. I am hopeful that the next time I run into a brick wall, some of the suggestions occur to me and that I can put them into practice.

I can see how this would make a very effective seminar or training, with groups working on the exercises, bouncing ideas off one another and spurring one another on to more creative thinking.

I bought this book several years ago and still find it helpful. It is worth rereading every year or so. The suggestions von Oech presents never go out of date. Getting stuck in a rut is a surefire way to squelch creative thinking. As a help to avoid getting in a rut, he suggests that men look for a new shaving pattern every day - look for a creative way to whack off those whiskers. Every morning when I see my face in the mirror, I get a daily challenge to look for a new way of doing routing tasks. That mental exercise helps keep my mind sharp.

A delightful book that is easy to read. If you are stuck in your current way of thinking or perhaps don't even know you are stuck this book provides practical tools for opening up your mind to new ways of thinking. This book is loaded with 10 key concepts about how we get stuck in our current ways of thinking. With each concept are 2-3 practical solutions to getting unstuck. This allows the reader to explore the infinite potential that exists in the world of imagination, innovation, and creativity. What a treat.

Roger von Oech deeply understands that the creative juices flow best when people are relaxed and having fun. He does this by creating a common sense book that has easy to read, and powerful exercise to help tap into the creative nature that we all have.

The book is a key element in critical thinking. It focuses on developing the left brain, right brain crossover. I found the book refreshing, fascinating and insightful..

The title says it all. The format is user friendly, the exercises are engaging and the cartoons are hilarious. The book firmly pushes anyone who reads the book out of his or her box to become a better critical thinker!

The topics are fascinating. They include: Opening mental locks, Learning how to think, Making the strange familiar, Challenging the rules, Play is frivolous, The fools and the rules and many more.

This is a great book for anyone who is ready to open doors to their mind and become more creative. It lubricates the door hinges that may have become a little rusty over time!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

A Whack on the Side of the Head does just that. If you need something of a jolt to get the creative juices flowing again, this is the perfect book to get you going. It's not going to give you detailed explanations of every brainstorming technique that's ever been devised by humans, but it will give you a lot to think about -- and that's half the battle. Kudos to Mr. Oech for putting out a fun, stimulating book.

I purchased this book for my high school aged daughter who in interested in a career in interior design. The book is ideal for someone like her. It provides a good overview of the design process, design specialties (residential, commercial, hospitality, etc), educational preparation required, where jobs are, and general business aspects of the field. A defining feature of this book is that author includes several interviews with people in the field asking practical questions such as "How did you become an interior designer?", "What is the greatest challenge of your work?", "What is the single most important skill an Interior Designer needs to be successful?", "How important is Interior Design education/Certification in today's industry?", "What do you look for in Hiring a new designer?", etc. This aspect allows the reader to hear from several real people rather than just getting a dry Occupational Outlook view. The interview responses are practical, sobering (you realize how much work it is!) and inspiring. Just right for helping someone make an informed choice.
My only knock against this book is that at $23 it is a bit pricey for a paperback with only black and white photos. It strikes me more as a $15 book. I might look for a used copy. That said, it has been very valuable and I would buy it again.

I recently read Becoming an Interior Designer by Christine Piotrowski, ASID, IIDA, for a critical analysis paper in my english class at OSU. After reading it, I would agree that interior design is more complex than the average person might assume. Throughout this selection, Piotrowski discusses the types of design, the changes in the profession over time, and the educational preparation to gain a better understanding of the career overall. This informative "how-to" book discusses commercial and residential areas of interior design and what is important to know in order to become successful in the rapidly growing field. In her attempt at writing an educational book, Piotrowski uses techniques, variety, and tips that ultimately reveal to readers whether this career is suitable for them. This book is best for anyone who is interested in the field and is looking for a quick light read. I found the book to be repetitive, not necessarily intellectually challenging, but a fun read that can either discourage or encourage one to follow their dream to become an interior designer. So if one has the desire to learn more about this book check out this guide to careers in design.

This book is an excellent source of information for those interested in becoming designers and those already studying interior design. This book explains commerical design well and gives truthful information on what potential employers will expect from a design education. If you are serious about becoming an interior designer, read this book - so you will be completely informed on this fun and dynamic profession. It is not decorating!

I bought this book because I am interested in going back to school for a 2nd degree in Interior Design. This book gives a great breakdown of the industry. It breaks down the different specialities and highlights the major points in each specialization. It also discusses education and certification. I love the Questions to Interior Designers section, because they interview practicing interior designers. I have made my final decision to go back to school and this book has helped alot in my decision making process.

Piotrowski writes about the steps on how to become an interior designer. There are several chapters describing the design process and the different types of design. There are detailed accounts of what is put into residential and commercial spaces. She takes a look at the future of the profession. There are several testimonials and showcases for active designers giving their opinions and advice on the profession. This book offers an in depth account on the profession and what is to come in the interior design field. As an aspiring interior designer, this book talked too much about current designer's experiences and not strictly about the profession. The book overall was helpful and knowledgable and I suggest those interested in the field get this book and take it to heart. This book is a fairly easy to read book; it rates only at the twelfth grade level on average. It is appropriate for those in high school and older. It helps inspire those that are looking at the profession and those already in it.

Jerry Mundis makes an interesting case for treating poverty like drug and alcohol addiction. While I agree with Jerry's insights and some methods, I found the book a bit too group-huggish for my personal taste. But, having applied the methods to earning, physical training and studying and I have to admit that it actually works. It is an easy read and worth a look at by psychology fans.


Doug Setter
Author of Stomach Flattening

This book changed the way I look at money. I started making more money one week after starting to read this book. I have made substantally more money each and every year since.

This book is a great tool to use if you know you are earning less than you deserve, or have done so in the past. It helps you bring to light patterns within you that contribute to underearning, and gives practical and spiritual methods for earning more money in your life. You do not have to be a chronic underearner to benefit from this book- it can benefit anyone who has had past experiences with lack. The book will help you realize you are not alone, and there are ways to release experiences of lack and limitation in your life through spiritual and practical means. Especially helpful for people who are interested in Debtors Anonymous, or feel their debt is overwhelming. It covers the 12-step program used by Debtors Anonymous, but applies it specifically to those who underearn. A powerful self-help tool!

i bought Mundis's first how to get out of debt and already i started to see some of the thing manifest itself in my life.this book is another great read too along with tools and strategies to help one overcome chronic underearning.

I first read a book written by Mundis when looking for help with my cronic writer's block, and while his system didn't produce an instant cure it continues to give me a bit of understanding and support for times when the pen won't write and the keys won't move. Like many writers Mundis confesses to periods of ineritia, and underactivity, and uses the 12 Steps to help guide the underemployed and underpaid to rightful livelihood. This is not an business book in the strict sense, he's more a kindly godfather whispering good advice, and dishing out the daily chores for making a living. If you wonder why your friends always seem to have more, why raises never come to you and why you are always starting over, the answers are here; and the advice is reasonable even for people adverse or unwilling to do a 12 Step program,

This book has helped me recognize several factors holding me back in my job position. It is an easy read, with heplful useful information that is practical. I feel I have been able to excel and optimize my skills at my job position by implementing the recommendations outlined in the book. If you are at all doubting your abilities as a manager, and you are a women, this book is a must.

This book, although marketed to women, has many things that men can also use as they climb the organizational ladder. Becky Shambaugh stresses the importance of first knowing yourself and then deciding what it is that you want. She peppers the book with many effective personal and professional anecdotes and stories to punctuate her points. This is more than a book. It is a manual for turning your professional life around. The "Sticky Floor" metaphor is a powerful reframe that changes the context of what it is that prevents us from moving up. Barriers are not imposed by anyone except us. Shambaugh does a masterful job of guiding us to put on a new pair of Teflon shoes - non-stick shoes that only we can create for ourselves.

For a change, practical insight with action steps to take to "un-stick" oneself. It's about time we take a hard look at what holds us back (usually ourselves). Shambaugh's style makes this a read a breeze. Shambaugh takes time to provide excellent examples from real life. If you don't read any other business book this year (or next)...You should read this one. Rare to find a book centered on leadership development that focuses on action women can take to make a big difference; not just restating the obvious.

It's Not a Glass Ceiling, It's a Sticky Floor: Free Yourself From the Hidden Behaviors Sabotaging Your Career Success

Awesome toolbox, particularly for women who find themselves trying to figure out how to break into the "C-suite" and truly be corporate leaders. Easy to read and very accessible for many future references. Successful leaders will find a dog-eared version of "Sticky Floor" in their continuous reading pile!

I think this book was well worth the money. It's well-written, easy to understand, and is a quick read. Sure, there are other Law of Attraction books out there--and he gives you a link to eight of his recommendations. I've read a few books on the Law of Attraction and they all have their own mix to add to the pot, so you pull what you need from each one. He also includes an Experiential Meditation for you to record yourself to play back daily which I found helpful. He basically gives you all the tools you need, then it's up to you to put them to use.

Wealth beyond reason by Bob Doyle is worth whatever you paid for it. Many books have been written about the Law of Attraction, and recently also many have written about The secret (or the Key) behind The Secret, the book/dvd by Rhonda Byrne. What makes Bob's book stand out among the others is his way of explaining things from the point of view of Quantum physics. I admit, this may not be the right thing for people not familiar with physics. Another achievement of Bob is the clarity he gave me about the limiting beliefs or roadblocks that hinder our success in manifesting our desires. This is the strong point of his book. I would definitely advise everyone to read the book, especially those who are familiar with the LOA and The Secret and have not been very successful so far. Try this book.

Bob Doyle's conversational style makes this book easy to read.
He is careful to introduce unfamiliar concepts clearly and concisely and to reiterate each point, often using various examples to illustrate their relevance to the reader.
His use of short paragraphs adds to the book's readability.
Mr. Doyle succeeds in conveying his genuine compassion for his readers and his desire for their success in absorbing the strategies which have made him so successful. His positive outlook is infectious!

This is a good book on the law of attraction. It takes the material in "The Secret" to the level of practical application. The author emphasizes the action steps needed to use the law of attraction. He has also dedicated a section on answering questions one might have on using the laws described. I think this book is a must read for anyone starting out on using the law of attraction.

This was indeed a good read and uplifting to one's basic inner instincts just what we need in todays madding world! Bob is kind of a turn on as well.

I loved the title and grabbed this book on impulse off of the new books shelf at my local library. A couple of hours later I was very disappointed. The author has some good basic ideas (albeit a bit trite) but they are clogged by the tales of her version of "the good life"--a round-the-world trip at age 16, multiple trips to Bermuda and Paris, her meals at the "finest restaurants in New York". I especially loved the part when she gently chides her readers to ease back on some of the technological demands of their jobs, as she does thanks to her three assistants. I can't afford to pay someone to screen my e-mails for me, and funny, my boss doesn't seem to be receptive to picking up the tab either. Some of her examples are alienating, insensitive, and insulting to the readers out there who are squeaking by financially and can't afford to have a dress made for themselves in Hong Kong. I will never pick up another book by Alexandra Stoddard.

I ordered this book looking for inspiration during a down time. I didn't find it. Stoddard does nothing but quote Western philosophers and brag about her own experiences living the good life. The book is, literally, all about her. We hear about her trips to various resorts, how she and her husband (an attorney)treat themselves to a hedonistic dessert every day, and about her design business. We hear about what type finial one customer requested and about the maple bed another client fussed over. I have no idea what any of the Aristotle quotes, Barbados trips, ice creams, or design customers have to do with me learning to live the good life, but Stoddard spends the entire book sprinkling mindless rhetoric with these unremarkable bits of news.

If you want to help yourself live the good life, save a few bucks by avoiding this book.

This book reminds us of what we already know - that we are indeed responsible for our choices which result in our lifestyle outcomes.

It is a timeless nudge at what we are all hoping to achieve and how we embrace or block the results - a very inspiring read.

I enjoy Alexandra Stoddards books. This book was also very good. You can pick it up and read a small section at a time which is very nice if you are busy. Its just a short pick me up to get the day going on a positive note.

I believe it is so beneficial to read something inspirational every day, and especially before bedtime. This is a great book for inspirational reading.

Alexandra encourages you to "read these fifty essays in any order you choose-just dive in and muse." -from the book
I first thought that's just what I'd do, -being one who doesn't do well with rules and the 'proper' way of doing things. I love books of essays because you get to skip around and read just what you want, when you want. Well, after I read the introduction, which is actually labeled: "An Invitation", I thought I'd go ahead and read a few pages in and then look around in different places in the book and read whatever looked appealing to me. Well, I guess I got sucked into reading it in chronological order because the 'invitation' was so non-demanding that I couldn't help but keep reading it in order!

Once again, as happens so often with me, the right book at the precise time I needed it. Sometimes it's almost scary how that seems to work out. I recently (the same day I got this book!)was faced with making a decision about something that was pretty important to me. I was struggling with how to pick the right one, because isn't that what we all really want when faced with big decisions -To choose the right one? The second chapter is "Be True to All Your Choices" I LOVED that one as it made me feel confident and reassured in the decision I had made. Then, I just kept reading and trying to absorb all the healthy inspiration I just came across.

The nice thing is that you can dive in anywhere in the book and get a lot of great advice no matter what you're reading about. The chapters (essays) are only a couple of pages each. The point is made in a pleasant short and sweet style. There are quotes and references from many inspiring philosophical sources throughout the book.

I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! Really great gift idea!