Yes, it’s true. There are books about writing that actually can help you not just write but make money from writing. LB’s Television Writing from the Inside Out is one. And here are five, count ’em, 5 more:
5 Amazing Books on Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer
by Pinar Tarhan
This post comes with the help of my own library, meaning I own every one of these books. Enjoy!
*Please note that this post contains affiliate links. You won’t pay extra, but everything you buy through my links help keep me update this blog more often and with better, more comprehensive content. I don’t recommend anything I haven’t bought and/or used and loved myself.
Start Your Career as a Freelance Writer by Moira Allen
Moira Allen is one of my favorite writers. She is the creator of The Writing World. As far as I know she is no longer updating, but that website will take years to get through. It is just chock full of great content on all aspects of writing. But if you are looking to start a freelance writing career and like me, prefer a book you can come back to as often as you like, then I recommend her Start Your Career as a Freelance Writer.
Truth: I bought it after I’d been freelancing a couple of years. You can skip or skim through more familiar chapters such as equipment, but chapters like setting goals, coping with rejection, starting your article, finding the right markets, queries and submissions, expanding your freelancing business, rights and contracts, and more, are evergreen and chapters you will want to refer to again and again.
The Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing by Amber Adrian
The Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing is a part of the Unconventional Guides series by popular blogger and bestselling author Chris Guillebeau. It comes in two different packages: Pen-for-hire ($39) and editor-in-chief ($58). I own editor-in-chief.
Pen-for-hire includes The Ultimate Freelancers Guide, which is a 55-page guide written by experienced freelance writer Amber Adrian. It covers starting, getting clients, getting paid and what to charge, creating a routine and dealing with freelancing-related fears, building a business and more. These 55 pages are complemented with The Big List or Links and Resources, “Rejection Be Damned” Tools for Success. You can check here for more details.
If you go for the editor-in-chief package, in addition to pen-for-hire’s contents, you get Sample Pitches and Letters of Introduction, Eight Big Bonus Author Interviews, and an additional 44-minute audio interview with veteran travel writer Kristin Luna.
The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing: Write, Work, and Thrive on Your Own Terms by Zachary Petit
I get into a bit of detail The Essential Guide to Freelancewriting by Zachary Petit in my post Do You Need to Buy Another Writing Resource? The Impulsive Information Product Shopper’s Checklist. Zachary Petit is a former editor of Writer’s Digest and a veteran freelance writer. He is funny, honest, practical and experienced. The book covers basics, ideas, author platforms, getting published, pitching, interviewing (so detailed and valuable: I learned a ton in this chapter!), actually writing, people behind the scenes, and business basics.
The book is paved with awesome quotes about writing, the below being my favorite.
“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.” Philip Roth….