Craft book review!

I checked out a bunch of craft books from the library last week...thought I'd do a quick review on some of them from time to time. Here's my first one :)

Crafting a Business: Make Money Doing What You Love by Kathie Fitzgerald

For crafty folks, this is a quick and inspirational read. It centers on 28 profiles of successful craft businesses, including artisans, service providers, shop owners, and designers.

The stories (and accompanying photos of the products/shops) were great--but shorter than I would have liked. A bit more detail on the stories would have given better insight into what really made these businesswomen successful besides creativity and determination. There's a good variety in the types of crafts and the products were really beautiful.

The second section focuses more on the financial side of crafting. It's a little vague but presents some good basics to consider when starting your business (including taxes, product development, staffing, business plan).

The book doesn't have much detail on specific strategies, but it did inspire me to make about 10 lists about what else I can do to market my stuff and other crafts to try.  The resource directory in the back has a handy list of websites/contact info of professional organizations, magazines, craft schools and shows, etc.

I did notice that the book was focused solely on female crafters, and often made references to women's challenges/needs in the business--although it wasn't presented up front as specifically for women. Just slightly odd.

All in all, I'd say it's worth a read, especially if you're just starting out selling your stuff, or if you've hit a wall/need some motivation.

I will definitely be checking out the websites of some of these artists to learn more about what they've done and get additional ideas.