Get a freelance life : mediabistro.com's insider guide to freelance writing / [print]
Margit Feury Ragland ; foreword by Laurel Touby.
- first edition.
- New York : Three Rivers Press, (c)2006.
- 302 pages ; 21 cm
Part I: Are you ready to be free? -- Is freelancing right for you?: things to consider before taking the plunge -- Invest in yourself: the bare necessities for a successful freelancer -- Invest in others: good relationships -- with editors, sources, even publicists -- make for a good freelance career -- Part II: Prepare -- Finding the great idea: it's all about the story idea, so know how to find good ones -- Oh, the places you'll pitch: pitch the right article to the right publication -- What kind of article should you write?: from feature to review to Q and A -- what's the difference and which you should be pitching -- Part III: Pitch -- Getting your first assignment: getting work before you've made a name for yourself -- What worked: successful pitch letters -- You pitched. Now what?: what you're likely to hear back, and how to react to different replies -- All about contracts: know your rights -- which you're selling and which you're keeping -- Part IV: Write -- Rules of reporting: tips and tricks for learning information -- Writing: the basics of writing for publication -- The path of a story: what happens to your piece once it leaves your hands -- How to get your second, third, and three hundredth assignments: leverage your connections to build a career -- Part V: Mind your own business -- Manage your finances: running your freelance business -- Affordable health insurance: it's hard to find affordable health coverage as a freelance, but it's not impossible -- Taming your taxes: tax time is very different for freelancers than for employees -- Invest more in yourself: bring your business to the next level -- Boost your bucks: strategies for increasing your income -- Conclusion -- Resources -- Lingo.
Considering a career in freelance writing? Already a freelancer but seeking practical, solid advice on the basics of the business? Get a Freelance Life is the complete guide to all aspects of a freelance writing career, straight from the creators of mediabistro.com--the nation's most connected, authoritative source for media professionals. Learn how to: write compelling pitch letters; network with the best in the magazine and newspaper industry; understand the freelance market and detect its changes; self-edit and rewrite your work; manage tight deadlines; negotiate contracts; and sruvive the financial ups and downs of the freelance life.