In this blog, I write about the theoretical underpinnings and futuristic possibilities of the Gig Economy. What if you’re looking for something more grounded in the status quo? Where can you find a concise, all-encompassing manual, a “helping hand while you navigate or start your career in the freelance world?”

This much-needed void has been filled by The Freelancer’s Essential Guide to Business and Taxes by Justin Gomer and Jackson Hille.

This incisive and surprisingly intelligible guide analyzes the Gig Economy and identifies the three major industries in which freelancing has taken a stronghold: academia, multimedia, and tech startups. For each of these areas, it surveys the business landscape and offers strategies for finding profitable and stable work.

The final section is a lucid snapshot of taxes for freelancers. It answers whether or not you are self-employed, how to file quarterly and annual returns, and how to minimize your tax burden as a freelancer.

I strongly encourage you to read the “Guide.” It is elegantly short and informative, and easily the most readable source on the topic.