Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer

“An essential read for freelance writers.” —The Writer magazineStarting Your Career as a Freelance Writer, Third Edition, offers a step-by-step guide to launching a successful freelance career. For beginners and experts, full time or part time, Moira Allen explains everything freelancer writers need to know, including how to set up a home office, develop and pitch marketable ideas, approach editors and other clients, and prepare and submit material. In addition, readers will learn the business side of freelancing, such as how to deal with rights and contracts as well as how to manage income, expenses, and taxes.

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer also discusses the ways in which freelancer writers can expand and enhance their writing career. Allen gives essential advice on the use of photos and reprints and discusses how to take advantage of other writing opportunities, such as columns, business and technical writing, and even nonfiction books. Fully updated, this new edition includes:

A fresh look at the top writing tools to get started in today’s Internet environment

The best social media venues for writers and how to use them

Tips on how to expand a copywriting portfolio and clientele with social media writing services

Why a website is still the most important online marketing tool—and how to maximize its effectiveness

How a writer's blog can help your freelancing career

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer offers freelancers the tools and information they need to understand this business from the inside out and to become successful freelance writers.

Moira Allen has been writing professionally for more than thirty years and has written hundreds of columns and articles for writers in a variety of publications. She is the author of The Writer’s Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals (Allworth Press) and Writing to Win: The Colossal Guide to Writing Contests. For the past fifteen years, Allen has hosted Writing-World.com, one of the largest and most popular destinations for writers on the web and winner of numerous awards for “best website for writers.” She has also worked as a magazine editor, technical writer, newspaper columnist, web editor, and independent publisher, and she is currently at work on a young adult novel. She lives in Maryland with her husband and the obligatory writer’s cat.

“An essential read for freelance writers.” —The Writer magazine

“Packed with invaluable information. . . . The ‘extras’ Allen offers often distinguish her book from competitors’. . . . This is a giving writer, with a wealth of experience, sharing her knowledge carefully and generously.” —Alex Gazolla, author of the Mistakes Writers Make series and blog

“There is not a more sound, comprehensive guide for freelancers on the market. I’m not exaggerating. Moira Allen, in her seasoned wisdom, lays out a solid, sensible roadmap for you to begin a freelance career. And if you aren’t doing well at the job now, this book might just tell you where to go back and make it right. Highly recommended. My new go-to how-to book when I make recommendations for my readers.” —Hope Clark, editor of FundsforWriters and author of The Carolina Slade Mysteries and The Edisto Island Mysteries