Guest: NAIWE’s Executive Director April Michelle Davis

From thoughts of starting a business all the way to hanging your sign “open for business!”

As you prepare to become a professional freelancer, there are many things to consider such as the type of business and the protection it will offer to business tax preparations and correctly estimating quarterly payments to accurate record keeping and project status.

Here’s what you can expect to learn in this class:

•         How to make your business name official

•         Factors to determine which company type you want to pursue

•         Possible insurance and equipment needs

•         Good workspace criteria

•         How to write a simple and effective business plan

•         Tips for marketing your business

•         Goals to transfer into a marketing plan

•         Networking preparation

•         A great way to manage your business: EZRA (Easy Relationship Application)

Duration: 3 hours, 22 minutes

April Michelle Davis is the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors and the founder of Editorial Inspirations. She has a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing, book publishing, and professional editing. April Michelle has presented sessions about what an editor does and the steps to becoming an editor, tips for and the benefits of working with an editor, indexing, macros, grammar, marketing, and Microsoft Word at the Be a Better Freelancer conference, Randolph-Macon College, Northern Virginia Community College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, RavenCon, the Hanover Book Festival, the Editorial Freelancers Association, Copyediting newsletter, Editorial Inspirations’ trainings, and NAIWE.

April Michelle Davis has shared insights by contributing to several books: When Talent Isn’t Enough: Business Basics for the Creatively Inclined, Ease into Writing, The Indie Author Revolution: An Insider’s Guide to Self-Publishing, and Juggling on a High Wire: The Art of Work–Life Balance When You’re Self-Employed. April Michelle has taken her role full circle by becoming a published author: A Guide for the Freelance Indexer, Choosing an Editor: What You Need to Know, and A Princess in Disguise.