Rating: 
Summary: A lively must-read for all freelance writers and wannabes...
Review: What a fun, entertaining and informative read by two women who have figured out the tricks of the freelance trade. Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell are funny, witty, and oh, so smart in this wonderfully engaging book about the business of writing. The book challenges everything you ever heard about freelance writing and comes up with fresh ways to make it as a writer, using the experiences of the authors as well as those of other writers as proof. Not only are the authors generous with their wisdom and expertise, but they ooze with energy and enthusiasm for their work. It's also inspiring to know that both writers achieved freelance success the hard way -- through sheer determination, perseverance and hard work.
Rating:
Summary: Go ahead -- break the rules!
Review: What are the rules of freelancing? What have you been told you must do to be successful? "Only write about what you know."
"Send SASEs with all your queries."
"Never query a magazine unless you've read the last six months of issues." Take these rules (and lots more), mix in two of the most successful freelancers today with a willingness to break the rules, and the result is a well-written, entertaining and enlightening book for freelancers. The authors reveal their rule-breaking successes and convincingly explain why you can break the rules, too. Flip through any women's, parenting, or writer's magazine, and you will likely see one or both of the authors gracing the pages. The Renegade Writer tells how they do it (and what they don't do!). I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some of my favorite rules to break include: "Ideas are all around you." (Diana explains how she spent a week organizing her office, and the empty desktop inspired her to create.) "Don't trust the Web." (You learn what sites give you the best research.) "Writers don't need to send invoices." (Yes, you do!) This is the perfect book if you've ever asked yourself, "Should I be doing something differently?"
Rating:
Summary: Forget what you think you know about freelancing
Review: What freelance writers love more than our jobs is reading (and writing) about our jobs --- hence the proliferation of books targeting freelancers. But The Renegade Writer is one freelance guide that's really worth it. Funny, motivating, and packed with real-life examples, Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell explains how to profit from ignoring all the old saws about freelancing (keep your queries to one page; take whatever they're willing to pay you) and doing things renegade-style. It's a quick, fun read --- I tore through it in a day --- and before I even finished it I made a sale by dashing off an email query that was a lot longer than what I usually would have written. Then, pumped up with Renegade motivation, when I got a positive response in about twenty minutes I negotiated first North American serial rights instead of the work-for-hire contract the magazine originally offered. Renegade Writer is a great guide for beginners like me, but should also have a lot of good-to-know tips for veteran freelancers. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: On Target and Lots of Fun
Review: Whether you're new to freelancing or somewhat of a pro, the Renegade Writer is for you. Linda Formichelli and Biana Burrell show you how to break the rules and give plenty of helpful advice. They tackle the nuts and bolts of freelancing, including: * Coming up with article ideas
* Writing solid queries
* Breaking in new markets
* The ins and outs of contracts
* Getting good interviews
* Collecting money that's due As a somewhat established writer, I found the book to be very helpful. The humorous, go-get-'em approach is bracing and encouraging. I highly recommend this book to every would-be writer and freelancer.
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