Contracts are important as they protect both you and the person or business that has hired you. This protection comes through the nature of the contract which defines the terms of engagement for clarity around nature of work and expectations. It also provides evidence of the intended arrangement that you intend to work as an independent contractor and not as an employee. It allows the parties to think through key aspects of the working relationship, and makes clear additional provisions of the working relationship, such as keeping certain elements of the work confidential, making clear who owns the work product, how the contractor can talk about the project in their marketing, and many more arrangements.