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Part I The Freelance Life |
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3 | (4) |
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Chapter 2 There's No One Path and Here's Mine |
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7 | (16) |
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The Very Beginning Of The Story |
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7 | (2) |
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9 | (2) |
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11 | (2) |
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13 | (1) |
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14 | (2) |
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Hey, There's a Writing Community! |
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16 | (1) |
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16 | (1) |
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17 | (3) |
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20 | (1) |
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21 | (2) |
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Chapter 3 Your Network: It's More Than the Contacts You Collect--It's Your Community |
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23 | (8) |
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23 | (1) |
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24 | (1) |
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The Network As A Community |
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25 | (1) |
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Some Characteristics Of Culture |
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26 | (1) |
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Some Characteristics Of Community |
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26 | (1) |
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Building Supportive Networking Communities |
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27 | (3) |
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30 | (1) |
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Chapter 4 Be Kind To Yourself G |
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31 | (10) |
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Know That You'll Make Mistakes |
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31 | (1) |
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Expect Impostor Syndrome To Pop Up |
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32 | (1) |
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You'll Probably Learn Something New On Every Project |
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32 | (1) |
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Not Getting A Job Doesn't Mean You're Bad At What You Do |
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33 | (1) |
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33 | (1) |
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Taking Care Of Your Physical Health |
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34 | (2) |
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Taking Care Of Your Mental Health |
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36 | (1) |
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Don't Compare Your Level Of Success To Anyone Else's |
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37 | (1) |
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Reach Out To Your Friends |
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37 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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38 | (1) |
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39 | (2) |
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Chapter 5 What a Freelancer Is, and What a Freelancer Is Not |
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41 | (4) |
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Chapter 6 The Telecommuting Freelancer Starter Pack |
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45 | (12) |
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45 | (1) |
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46 | (1) |
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46 | (1) |
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46 | (1) |
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47 | (1) |
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Information You Need on Your Template |
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47 | (3) |
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The Knowledge Of What "Work" Entails On A Gig |
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50 | (1) |
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Pre-Planning, Planning, and Preparation |
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50 | (1) |
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Brainstorming or Free Association |
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50 | (1) |
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50 | (1) |
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51 | (1) |
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Watching TV, Films, and Other Games |
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51 | (1) |
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Reading Comics, Novels, and Tabletop RPG Rulesets |
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51 | (1) |
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Analyzing Aspects of Other Games/Media |
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51 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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Writing E-Mails or Other Messages |
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52 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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52 | (1) |
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53 | (4) |
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Part II The Freelance Business |
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Chapter 7 The Skills Every Freelancer Needs |
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57 | (20) |
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Freelancing Skill #1: Time Management |
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57 | (1) |
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Developing That Internal Clock |
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57 | (7) |
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Freelancing Skill #2: Marketing |
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64 | (1) |
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64 | (1) |
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Words of Devalue ("Aspiring," "Novice," etc.) |
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64 | (2) |
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66 | (4) |
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Freelancing Skill #3: Knowing Your Worth |
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70 | (1) |
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Who'll Know If You Don't? |
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70 | (1) |
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Be Aware of Your Hats and Get Paid for Each One You Wear |
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70 | (1) |
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Don't Wear Hats That Don't Fit |
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71 | (1) |
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Freelancing Skill #4: Protecting Yourself |
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71 | (1) |
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Freelancing Skill #5: Networking |
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71 | (1) |
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All Freelancers Have to Do It |
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71 | (1) |
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Speaking Engagements and Networking |
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72 | (2) |
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Freelancing Skill #6: Assessing Client Needs |
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74 | (1) |
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Freelancing Skill #7: Professionalism |
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74 | (1) |
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75 | (1) |
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75 | (1) |
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Skill Strengths and Weaknesses |
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75 | (1) |
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75 | (2) |
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Chapter 8 The Freelance Life Is a Research Life (Especially When It Comes to the Legal Stuff) |
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77 | (28) |
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Types Of Business Structures |
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78 | (1) |
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78 | (1) |
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79 | (1) |
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The Single-Member LLC (SMLLC) |
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79 | (1) |
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79 | (1) |
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Your Business' Articles of Incorporation |
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80 | (1) |
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80 | (1) |
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Business License And/Or Permit? |
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81 | (1) |
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A Note On Partnerships And Cooperatives |
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81 | (5) |
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Taxes And Laws For Freelancers |
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86 | (1) |
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87 | (1) |
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87 | (1) |
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Value-Added Tax (European Union and United Kingdom) |
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87 | (1) |
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Quarterly Payments or Estimated Tax (United States) |
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87 | (2) |
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Your Payments to Subcontractors |
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89 | (1) |
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Keep A Record Of Your Expenses |
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89 | (1) |
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What Do You Spend on Your Business? |
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89 | (1) |
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Conferences and Conventions |
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89 | (1) |
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90 | (1) |
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Your Taxes and Fees for Permits and Licenses |
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90 | (1) |
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Services and Subscriptions |
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90 | (1) |
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91 | (1) |
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91 | (1) |
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91 | (1) |
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Talk to Your CPA/Tax Preparer! |
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92 | (1) |
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92 | (1) |
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Spreadsheets and Word Processors |
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92 | (1) |
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Keeping Track of Your Receipts, Invoices, and Payments |
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93 | (1) |
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93 | (1) |
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Should You Get Insurance? |
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93 | (1) |
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Types of Insurance for Freelancers |
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94 | (1) |
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94 | (1) |
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95 | (1) |
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Business Interruption Insurance |
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95 | (1) |
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Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance |
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95 | (1) |
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96 | (1) |
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96 | (2) |
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98 | (1) |
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What to Include in Your Contracts |
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98 | (1) |
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98 | (1) |
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98 | (1) |
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99 | (1) |
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99 | (1) |
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99 | (1) |
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How You're Paid (and Who Pays You) |
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100 | (1) |
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100 | (1) |
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100 | (1) |
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Clauses to Protect You from Scope Creep |
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101 | (1) |
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102 | (1) |
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102 | (1) |
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102 | (1) |
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102 | (1) |
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102 | (3) |
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Chapter 9 How to Get Experience If You Don't Have It |
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105 | (24) |
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Why's Experience So Important? |
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106 | (1) |
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Gauging Your Level Of Experience |
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107 | (1) |
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107 | (1) |
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Working in Adjacent Storytelling Industries |
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108 | (1) |
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108 | (1) |
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Seemingly Unrelated Experience |
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109 | (1) |
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109 | (1) |
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110 | (1) |
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111 | (1) |
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112 | (1) |
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112 | (1) |
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112 | (1) |
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112 | (5) |
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Skills To Showcase In Your Games |
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117 | (1) |
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Choice Design (Narrative Design) |
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118 | (1) |
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Worldbuilding (Narrative Design) |
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119 | (1) |
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Dialogue Writing (Game Writing) |
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119 | (1) |
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Character Development and Characterization (Game Writing) |
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119 | (1) |
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120 | (2) |
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122 | (1) |
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122 | (1) |
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122 | (1) |
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122 | (2) |
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Nonpaying Projects That Won't Waste Your Time |
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124 | (1) |
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124 | (1) |
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Get Gigs In Adjacent Industries |
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124 | (3) |
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Gaining Experience Is Easier Than You Think |
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127 | (1) |
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127 | (1) |
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What Experience Do You Have? |
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127 | (1) |
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128 | (1) |
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128 | (1) |
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Chapter 10 The Online (?) Portfolio |
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129 | (24) |
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What To Include In A Writing Portfolio |
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129 | (1) |
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Narrative Design and Game Writing Docs |
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130 | (1) |
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130 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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131 | (1) |
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132 | (1) |
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132 | (1) |
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CutsceneslCinematic Scripts |
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132 | (1) |
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133 | (1) |
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133 | (1) |
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A General Note about Samples |
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133 | (1) |
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Game Genres, Settings, and Tones |
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134 | (4) |
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Technical Writing and Communication |
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138 | (1) |
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138 | (4) |
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142 | (1) |
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143 | (1) |
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Before You Publish Your Website |
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144 | (1) |
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144 | (2) |
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146 | (1) |
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Organizing Your Portfolio |
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146 | (1) |
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146 | (1) |
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147 | (1) |
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147 | (1) |
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148 | (1) |
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Great Pages/Content to Add |
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148 | (1) |
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148 | (1) |
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149 | (1) |
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149 | (1) |
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Remember To Ask Yourself: Is My Content Accessible? |
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150 | (1) |
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151 | (1) |
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151 | (1) |
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151 | (1) |
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151 | (1) |
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152 | (1) |
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Chapter 11 Where to Find Work |
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153 | (26) |
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153 | (1) |
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Join and Create Networking Channels |
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154 | (5) |
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Lessening (And Eliminating) The Competition |
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159 | (1) |
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Making Your Own Opportunities |
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159 | (1) |
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160 | (1) |
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Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help |
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161 | (1) |
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161 | (1) |
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161 | (2) |
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Opportunities in Crowdfunding |
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163 | (1) |
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Responding To Job Postings |
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163 | (1) |
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The Art of Reading Listings |
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164 | (2) |
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Queries (Yours And Theirs) |
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166 | (1) |
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Writing Query and Cover Letters |
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166 | (1) |
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166 | (1) |
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166 | (1) |
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167 | (1) |
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167 | (1) |
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Answering Questions/Responding to All Points |
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168 | (1) |
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Responding to Queries from Prospective Clients |
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168 | (1) |
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Negotiating: Going Beyond Pay Rates |
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169 | (1) |
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169 | (1) |
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170 | (1) |
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171 | (1) |
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Freelancing While Being Employed |
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171 | (5) |
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176 | (1) |
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176 | (1) |
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Crowdfunding Opportunities |
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176 | (1) |
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177 | (2) |
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Chapter 12 Establishing Your Rates: The Eternal Freelancer Question |
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179 | (22) |
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Why Your Rates Should Be Higher Than Salaried Rates |
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180 | (5) |
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Establishing Rates And Finding Work |
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185 | (1) |
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Don't Lowball (Seriously Don't Do It) |
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185 | (1) |
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Lowball, And The Cheapskates Win (Or Don't Screw With My Money) |
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185 | (1) |
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186 | (1) |
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The Minimum Acceptable Rate |
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187 | (1) |
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Types Of Rates You Can Offer |
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188 | (1) |
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188 | (1) |
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188 | (1) |
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189 | (1) |
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189 | (1) |
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190 | (1) |
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190 | (1) |
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When the Per-Word Rate Makes Sense |
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191 | (3) |
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When To Change Your Rates |
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194 | (6) |
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It Does And Doesn't Get Easier |
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200 | (1) |
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200 | (1) |
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What Should Your Rates Be? |
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200 | (1) |
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200 | (1) |
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Chapter 13 Developing and Maintaining Great Client Relationships (and What to Do About the Bad Ones) |
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201 | (26) |
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202 | (1) |
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202 | (1) |
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202 | (1) |
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Treat Others with Respect |
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202 | (1) |
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203 | (1) |
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Beginning The Relationship |
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203 | (1) |
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203 | (1) |
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204 | (1) |
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204 | (1) |
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204 | (2) |
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206 | (1) |
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The Client's Vetting and Hiring Process |
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206 | (2) |
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Vetting Prospective Clients |
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208 | (2) |
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Trust Your Intuition (It's Not Just A Cliche)! |
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210 | (1) |
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Beginning The Working Relationship |
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210 | (1) |
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211 | (1) |
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211 | (2) |
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On Communication Platforms |
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213 | (1) |
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214 | (1) |
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Boundaries Are a Protection |
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214 | (1) |
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214 | (2) |
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216 | (2) |
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Hearing Your Clients' Voices And Understanding Their Personalities |
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218 | (1) |
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How Do You Like To Communicate? |
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219 | (1) |
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Be Honest, But Recognize When The Fight Is Over |
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220 | (1) |
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Who Makes The Final Decision? |
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220 | (1) |
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Ending The Client Relationship (Including Firing Your Client) |
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221 | (1) |
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221 | (1) |
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222 | (1) |
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Be Honest about the Relationship |
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223 | (1) |
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223 | (1) |
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223 | (1) |
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New Rates and Loyal, Older Clients |
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223 | (1) |
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"Professional" Doesn't Mean You Can't Be Personal |
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224 | (1) |
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224 | (1) |
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225 | (1) |
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Where Are Your Business Cards? |
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225 | (1) |
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225 | (2) |
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Chapter 14 Please Learn from My Ignorance |
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227 | (6) |
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228 | (1) |
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229 | (1) |
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230 | (1) |
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The Ghosts Of Unpaid Projects Past |
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231 | (1) |
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232 | (1) |
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Chapter 15 Some Final Thoughts |
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233 | (2) |
| Index |
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235 | |