Product Description

When you develop a writing specialty, you set yourself apart from other freelancers, save time researching and writing articles and command higher fees for your work. Contrary to what you might think, you needn’t be an M.D., or other recognized "expert" to focus your writing in a particular area. Your educational background, life experience, and interest in certain subjects can all be translated into a writing-related specialty. Need proof? The majority of freelancers who make a good living from their writing specialize—and you’ll hear from 56 of them in this book.

You’ll learn:

·Why you should develop a niche of your own and determine which areas are a good fit for your background and experience;

·What the top ten writing specialties are and how to break into and write about each one;

·How to better market your work and research and write more efficiently;

·How to find sources, research, data, and experts for articles;

·Techniques to help you maximize your time and income.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #280045 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 259 pages

Review

About the Author
On January 1, 1997, Kelly James-Enger escaped from the law.

It's not as dangerous as it sounds. After five and a half years as an attorney, she needed a change. She knew she didn't want to be a lawyer forever, and had recently sold two articles to national magazines. After saving enough to live on for six months, she figured it was time to make a go of fulltime freelancing.

The first 18 months or so were tough. It took Kelly a while to nail her first assignments with magazines, but once she created a specialty in several lucrative areas—mainly health, fitness, nutrition, and bridal topics—her career took off. She also started writing for corporations and businesses, often using her background in the areas of health and fitness, to get writing assignments.

She wasn’t the only writer to discover that specializing was the path to a successful freelancing career. Voila! The idea for her first book, Ready, Aim, Specialize! Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money (The Writer Books, 2003) was born.

Along the way, she started teaching magazine writing and speaking at writer’s conferences and other venues about topics ranging from how to write the perfect query letter to advice on overcoming your inner critic to reigniting enthusiasm when you write on the job every day. And she returned to her first writing love, fiction, and sold her first novel, Did you Get the Vibe?, which will be published late in 2003 by Kensington Books.

Today, Kelly’s a contributing editor at magazines including Oxygen, The Writer, Complete Woman, and For the Bride. She’s written for more than 40 national magazines, and focuses on feature-length health, fitness and nutrition stories. She is also a frequent speaker and is a member of the American Society of Authors and Journalists. She lives in Downers Grove, Illinois, with her husband, Erik, and their golden retriever.

Customer Reviews

Get on Track With Read, Aim, Specialize
I've been a part-time freelance writer for a number of years, and I think I've been fairly successful at it. However, I have to admit that Kelly's book really made me stop and think about what I was doing. Not only did it give me the confidence to try to make my writing a full-time job, her practical advice has provided me with a way to do it. Though I thoroughly read through her book a few times, I still find myself picking it up again and again, and it's finally got a permanent spot on the bookshelf over my computer desk. I recommend this book to writers like myself who have wanted to write full-time but weren't sure if it was even possible as well as those who want to start a freelance writing career.

If you�re a freelancer, do you specialize? You should...
and Ready, Aim, Specialize! tells you how. James-Enger shares the details, resources, and secrets you need to know about the top ten freelancing specialties: health, business and finance, parenting, travel, essays, diet, nutrition and food, technology, fitness and sports, profiles and features, and home and garden.

If you're not sure which area is for you, just read the first chapter. A simple exercise tells you where to focus.

In "Tales from the Front," James-Enger interviewed over 50 successful freelancers from each specialty for their tips and success stories. These interviews are like having personal mentors who tell you the most important steps to take as you pursue a new area.

Each specialty chapter also includes the nuts and bolts on how to crack the market and a large list of resources. Where do business writers find their experts? Find out in chapter seven. Should travel writers take complimentary trips from travel agencies? Read what the specialists think in chapter 10.

Every freelancer trying to make a living writing should read this book. Why? James-Enger knows what it takes to thrive (she has a six-figure writing income!), and this book leads you step-by-step from everyday generalist to successful specialist.

Brilliant resource for writer's
OK, so you want to be a writer? Here is the book you are going to start with! You will find crisp, fresh advice from an author who walks her talk. Ready, Aim, Specialize shows you specifically how to build a successful writing career.

You are going to learn how to get interviews, get interviews with EXPERTS, and learn how to get from interviews...to print...and paid.

The text is up to date and will be a resource you will use every week in your career as you break into the hottest markets!Kelly James-Enger shows you how to win in a challenging field!

Kevin Hogan, Psy.D.
The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of Thinking