I have contributed as a case study in an upcoming book by Chris Guillebeau, the author of "The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World." I was shortlisted from a list of 1,500 submissions to be used as case study in the book and online resources. In this book, I share my story of freelancing with oDesk, and reveal some of the techniques that set me apart from other freelancers, that make my individual business a success.

Chris is also the author of "The Unconventional Guide to Freelancing" and "The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself." The upcoming book's title is "The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future" (Crown / Random House, May 8, 2012).

In the strange new world of micro-entrepreneurship, roaming, independent publishers operate from Buenos Aires and Bangkok. Indian bloggers make $200,000 a year. Product launches from one-man or one-woman businesses bring in $100,000 in a single day, causing nervous bank managers to shut down the accounts when they don't understand what's happening. Oddly enough, many of these unusual businesses thrive by giving things away, recruiting a legion of fans and followers who support their paid work whenever it is finally offered. How is this possible? And how is this model different from all other Internet businesses?