Starting Your Career As a Freelance Writer

If you've always dreamed of making a living as a writer, this book will take you where you want to go. Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer, Second Edition, demystifies the process of becoming a writer and gives aspiring writers all the tools they need to become successful freelance writers, get their names in print, and start earning a healthy income from writing. Completely revised and updated, the second edition includes an entirely new section on the "online writer," discussing how to set up your own website, whether you need a blog, how to effectively participate in social networking sites, and information on electronic publishing, POD and more. New chapters provide guidance on writing for international markets and other writing opportunities such as ghostwriting, speech-writing, technical writing, copyediting, teaching, etc. This indispensable resource walks writers through the process of developing marketable ideas and then finding appropriate markets for those ideas. It includes effective tips on how to set writing goals; make time for writing; hone research and interview techniques; create outlines and first drafts, approach editors (online and offline), and prepare and submit material. Writers will also discover the vital business issues of freelancing such as rights and contracts, plus how to manage income, expenses, and taxes. Author Moira Allen has more than 30 years experience both as a freelance writer and as an editor; her tips come from a keen understanding of what works from both sides of the desk. Whether readers are looking to support themselves as full-time freelancers or supplement an existing career, no one wanting to make money as a writer can afford to be without this book.

Moira Anderson Allen has been writing professionally for more than 30 years, contributing to such publications as Writer's Digest, The Writer, Byline, and Entrepreneur, among others. She is the author of eight books (including The Writer's Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals, Second Edition, Allworth Press, 2010) and more than 300 published articles. Her versatile background includes technical writing, corporate editing, corporate newsletter directing, and operating her own publishing firm. A long-time instructor of freelance and creative writing at community colleges, Allen often is a speaker at writing conferences and workshops. She lives in Columbia, Maryland.