The Creative Business Handbook: Follow Your Passions and Be Your Own Boss Paperback – 25 May 2023

As an artist, I was quite excited about this book and even pre-ordered it as soon as it became available. I am now more than half through and flipped through the rest.This is the most irritating book I have ever read. It goes on and on about absolutely pointless stuff, it's not to the point and ends each part with "actionable points" to which they hardly refer to or talk about. No practical advice. My degree is in Business administration followed by an MSc in Applied Economics and Finance. I want my books to be to the point with information that is not obvious.For instance.... They talk about imposter syndrome, then fear.... this is not a psychology book and those points were useless.They start off with find your idea.... If you bought this book, you already have an idea and all you want is something practical on how to implement it.They then explain what social media is and describe a few like Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube.... We all know what it is! Even my 103 grandma knows how to use those.Then they go on about networking, etc etc etc without actually saying anything!!! How is that even possible?!?If you are opening any sort of business, creative or not, there is no difference whatsoever! I am surrounded by freelance graphic designers, retouchers, etc who are excellent at marketing themselves, have extremely successful businesses because they started off in the industry in full time positions, made lots of contacts within the industry and the left.Now, if you are an artist, your product isn't billable by the hour, it is extremely personal and can be a huge investment. It is therefore, a very different story. For that, I would recommend Magnus Resch's book How to Become a Successful Artist. The best part, it doesn't waffle around!!! It tells you who to network with! How to do it, how to approach the right people, does and don'ts.In conclusion, there are better books out there, this is not one of them. Had I picked it off a shelf in a bookstore, I would not have bought it. I am considering returning it as I will never use it as a reference book.