Each passing month brings many books on writing that come in all shapes and sizes that serve a variety of purposes. Some are helpful others are useless often regurgitating the same information that can be found on the Internet or elsewhere.
Recently, I came across Linda Jones’ The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World that is very, very good in cutting the fat from the bone and providing excellent advice not only to the aspiring freelance writer but also for those who are beyond the beginner’s stage.
Jones resides in England and is a former news editor on the Wolverhampton Express & Star and the Worcester Evening News. She has also worked as a senior reporter at several regional UK newspapers. Recently, she has devoted her writing career to subjects that include technology, parenting and journalism for various publications.
As the title suggests, this book is about freelance writing. Jones does an impressive job in effectively dividing her eight chapters with a wealth ofno-nonsense advice that provide helpful strategies from how to get started, the business aspect of freelancing, writing for newspapers and magazines, the skills of interviewing and research, Internet writing, commercial writing to doing your own public relations.
If we look at the timely topic of blogging, Jones succinctly examines what blogs are all about and how they can prove to be beneficial not only as a showcase of your writing abilities but also in assisting you develop your style for writing and online markets. Another interesting section deals with the significance of seriously taking into account the business side of free lancing. Jones immediately poses the first most important question-can you really afford to go free lance? From here Jones explores tax matters, contracts, clients who don’t pay their accounts, negotiating and setting rates for your services, viewing kill fees with suspicion, and developing a healthy cynicism towards writing for free. Each chapter ends with a brief synopsis highlighting the central points. And most sections also include six of the best tips that have been amassed from Jones’ observations over sixteen years in journalism, the last eight as freelance and the last two as a blogger.
Reading Chapter Three, Writing for newspapers and magazines, we notice that six of the best vital attributes of a freelance write are a strong work ethic, in-built bill****detector, tenacity, courage, willingness to market yourself, and writing talent. Within this same chapter Jones covers the questions where and how I send my pitch. In another chapter, there is a listing of the six best websites to add to your writing knowledge and experience.
The final sections of the book end with checklists for your newspaper and magazine articles as well as a blog post. In addition, there is a list of recommended reading as well as useful UK addresses and an index.
The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World adequately fulfills its obligation as offering down-to-earth practical advice and not the gibberish that we are often accustomed to reading. One caveat, as Jones points out, it is not her intention of presenting a complete step-by-step guide to bring you freelancing success nor is it a ‘How to write’ guide. Instead, it is an accumulation of Jones’ knowledge and experience presented in the form of tips that she hopes will benefit the budding free lancer and even the more experienced.
The above review was contributed by: ThePublisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com, Norm Goldman, B.A. LL.L, Retired Title Attorney: Norm is also a travel writer and together with his artist wife, Lily, the couple meld Norm's words with Lily's art. To check out their travel site click on Sketchandtravel.comClick here to view Norm’s Reviews & Interviews.
I can wholeheartedly endorse this review. Linda is nothing if not down-to-earth and practical, yet she combines this with a generosity of spirit which means that she is willing to give her advice freely.
This woman gets her work published - and gets her invoices paid!
There is no greater definition of success.
Beth Cooper
11-5-2007
at
12:57pm
A fresh, fabulous book
I have recently finished reading Linda's book and found it immensely helpful, well-written and easy to digest.
As a journalist for 13 years - and freelance for the last three - I thought I "knew it all" (or at least quite a bit of it). Linda's book, however, sums up every need-to-know fact and taught me things I didn't know and would probably only have discovered by painful default!
Glossary
Contact Us
FAST TRACK, PRIORITY AND QUICK REVIEW SERVICE
Books on Writing, Publishing, Book Marketing
Email
Print
Add Comment
10-16-2007 at 3:35pm
This woman gets her work published - and gets her invoices paid!
There is no greater definition of success.
11-5-2007 at 12:57pm
A fresh, fabulous book
As a journalist for 13 years - and freelance for the last three - I thought I "knew it all" (or at least quite a bit of it). Linda's book, however, sums up every need-to-know fact and taught me things I didn't know and would probably only have discovered by painful default!