Have you ever considered using your special expertise in a new direction — as a consultant? If you’d like to explore the consulting path, books on the subject abound.

Here is a sampling of what’s available:

• “Getting Started in Consulting, 2nd edition” by Alan Weiss, John Wiley & Sons, 2004 ($19.95). It reviews legal, marketing and consultant fee-related issues.
• “The Consultant’s Calling” by Geoffrey Bellman, Jossey-Bass, 2002 ($19.95). It details how to read the marketplace and develop clients.
• “The Consultant’s Quick Start Guide: An Action Plan for Your First Year in Business” by Elaine Biech, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 ($19.95). The book provides a straightforward approach to establishing consultant work with information on marketing, legal issues and setting goals.
• “Consultant and Independent Contractor Agreements” by Stephen Fishman, Nolo Press, 2000 ($29.95). It covers the legal ins and outs of consultant work with several types of contracts.