Tony Luna has written a multi-part business series on Photo.net that discusses in detail the lifecycle stages of a freelance photography job. The link below takes you to the introduction where you will find links to the remainder of the series. Each part is presented as a stand-alone article. The entire series is a great read, whether you are new to photography or a seasoned pro.

http://photo.net/learn/photography-business/freelance-photography-advice/