The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year

by Trottier, David

• ISBN13: 9781879505858
• ISBN10: 1879505851
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-30
• Publisher: Silman-James Pr

Summary

The Freelance Writer's Bible unites four practical workbooks under one cover. ? Discover your creative vision Find yourself as a writer. ? Write with freedom and confidence Break through your fears and achieve higher levels of creativity and writing excellence. ? Sell to 17 key writing markets Learn how to make money in every profitable writing area. ? Create your strategic marketing plan Design the master plan for your writing career. Learn what you need know to successfully write and sell novels, nonfiction books, children's books, technical manuals, magazine and newspaper articles and columns, business copy, speeches, humor, scripts for movies, TV, radio, stage, and interactive media, and more. Learn about setting up your writing business, getting off to a fast and profitable start, turning writing blocks into stepping stones, staying focused with a master plan and weekly action plans, writing great query letters, getting writing assignments and more.

Author Biography

David Trottier has made his living as a freelance writer and teacher since 1988, publishing hundreds of magazine articles in such national publications as WRITER'S DIGEST and ROAD AND TRACK. He is also the author of several books, including THE SCREENWRITER'S BIBLE (250,000 copies sold to date).

Table of Contents

Book I Discover your creative vision What to expect from your writer's journey	3	(24)
I write; therefore, I am	5	(9)
Writing commitment for the next 30 days
Your safe harbor
Your legacy
A letter to your child
What the world needs now is...
Ten values
Inventory of past creative experiences
Values priorities
The possible dream	14	(6)
What you want from writing, Part 1
What you want from writing, Part 2
Three categories of writing opportunities
If I were a rich man
Your writing attitudes and values
What do you read?
Five adjectives
Your creative vision and your writing mission	20	(7)
Preparing for your quest
Your writing mission statement
Book II Write with freedom and confidence
What stops you from writing?	27	(8)
My first writing assignment
Fears, blocks, and barriers
Hurdling barriers and breaking through blocks: Your own mini-movie, starring you
Your inner kingdom
Alchemy: Converting blocks into steppingstones	35	(17)
1. Procrastination or scribaphobia (fear of writing)
2. Perfectionism
3. Comparing yourself to Hemingway
4. Museheimer's Disease
5. Fear of not being as good as you had hoped
6. Fear of wasting time
7. Exaggerating fears and problems
8. Fear of failure and self-doubt
9. Fear of success
10. Negative self-talk
11. Anger
12. Anxiety
13. Lack of creativity, skills, ability, etc.
Character/Craft Worksheet: Talents and Skills You Possess
14. Self-defeating attitudes
15. Chronic Ambivalence Syndrome
16. Stuckitis
17. Not enough time
Time log
Time tally
Time evaluation
My schedule for my writing business
Creativity	52	(11)
Relaxing into the Alpha Writer State
Your brain is a two-piston writing machine
What is creativity?
A hippaglobium activity
The great paradox
The Writing Process	63	(24)
1. Generate ideas
2. Set project parameters
Create a writing project
3. Write the first draft
4. Revise for content
5. Polish for publication
Write a brief narrative
Book III Sell to 11 key writing markets
Setting up your writing business for little or no money	87	(5)
Fee Guidelines for Freelance Copywriters	92	(1)
1. Copywriting	93	(35)
How to attract clients
How to get paid
The types of assignments you'll get
2. Public relations writing	106	(4)
3. Writing for causes, education, and government	110	(2)
4. Scripts for business and education	112	(5)
How to find work
Writing the business video/DVD script
Getting paid
5. Technical writing	117	(1)
6. Your ghostwriting and editorial service	118	(4)
How to multiply your profits	122	(1)
7. Articles for magazines	123	(5)
The article writing process
Manuscript submission guidelines for articles, stories, and other short works
Rights you can offer
Double your income, double your fun
How to write a query letter	128	(14)
Query tips
e-queries
Sample queries
8. Newspaper articles and columns	136	(4)
9. Short fiction and poetry	140	(2)
10. Greeting cards and humor	142	(3)
11. Movies, TV, and stage	145	(5)
12. Nonfiction books	150	(12)
Getting published
If you write with another writer
Sample book proposal	154	(8)
13. Novels	162	(6)
Getting published
The two golden keys to success
How to find an agent	166	(2)
14. Writing for children and teenagers	168	(4)
15. Self-publishing books, reports, newsletters, and other media	172	(13)
Marketing to a specific market segment
Writing franchises and subscription newsletters
Marketing to the general public
16. E-publishing and the Internet	185	(3)
e-zines
Web writing
e-books
17. Teaching, consulting, and self-promotion	188	(7)
Who you are
Build your website and publish your e-zine
Teach, speak, and promote
Book IV Create your strategic marketing plan
Making dreams come true	195	(4)
Your power cycle
Making time your ally
Your strategic marketing plan	199	(20)
Set goals for the next 12 months
Marking your progress with milestones
Assets, resources, and contacts
Meeting challenges
Putting proven marketing principles into action
Clarifying your purpose, audience, and strategy
The features and benefits of your written work
Project plan
Your action plan	219	(6)
Weekly Action Plan
Keep records
Queries & Submissions Log
Meetings, E-mail & Telephone Log
A writing career within one year	225	(9)
Sample Strategic Marketing Plan #1
How to make $100,000 a year	234	(8)
Sample Strategic Marketing Plan #2
Support and resources	242	(6)
Websites, publications, and books
Grants, awards, and contests
Colonies and conferences
Writers' groups and organizations
A personal challenge	248	(1)
Index of writing opportunities	249	(3)
General index	252