Out now

A survival guide for freelancers in the performing arts. finally.

Artists like us know how to perform. But few of us start out knowing how the business of freelancing works. Making It Work is the indispensable freelancer's almanac for all of it — budgeting a gig, negotiating fees, US taxes, international taxation, staying solvent on the road and much more. Written by a working opera singer who's been making it work for over a decade.

Buy on Amazon → Read a sample

Paperback · 231 pages · ISBN 9798254608806

Why this book exists

You are the CEO of your freelance career.

There is an enormous gap between performing arts training and what it's actually like to be a working freelancer. This is particularly true when it comes to the business side of things. Money is as fundamental to how our world functions as language. Which is why financial literacy is as vital as knowing how to read. And for freelancers, money is just part of the picture. It's a lot to handle if you're not prepared. And now you can be.

How to be the CEO of your career.

Negotiate fees. Build a real budget for every gig. Manage accommodations. Track expenses and reimbursements. File quarterly taxes. How to run your freelance career like the business it is.

Master the advanced moves.

Foreign tax withholding and filing requirements in Germany, France, Austria, the UK and beyond. Incorporating. Managing agent relationships. Unions. Insurance. The advanced operations every working artist eventually needs.

Get your money right so you can do your thing.

How to get organized and sidestep avoidable financial and professional pitfalls so you can focus on doing your thing. All while building a foundation for long-term stability and security — whether or not you ever "make it" to the big time. Have something to show for your career besides the memories and playbills.

Life on the road.

Travel hacks. Building relationships that survive a touring schedule. Habits and hobbies that travel with you. The personal side of road life — and how to keep it from unraveling.

About the author

“I wanted to bridge the gap…”

Ben Bliss has performed leading roles on the great opera stages of the world since 2015 — from the Metropolitan Opera and the Paris Opera to London's Royal Opera, Staatsoper Berlin and the Gran Teatre del Liceu. He's a two-time recipient of the Met's Beverly Sills Award (2021 & 2026) and a 2025 Grammy nominee.

Before his performing career, Ben worked on the Dr. Phil Show at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. His directing work screened at 30+ international film festivals and won several national awards.

Beverly Sills Award · 2021 & 2026 Grammy Nominee · 2025 BFA · Chapman University

Read the full bio →

For educators

Add the missing chapter to your curriculum.

If you teach in a performing arts program, this book belongs on your syllabus. It's the practical, real-world knowledge your students will need the day after graduation — the part the conservatory model has historically left to chance.

Plain-language coverage of taxes, contracts, and life on the road
Built for unit integration into business-of-music, career skills, or capstone courses
Desk copies available for chairs, faculty, and curriculum committees

Request a desk copy →

Bulk & classroom orders Discounts available for course adoption and program-wide reads.

Get in touch