Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $85,000 a Year

When the first edition of this book came out, I bought a copy and immediately followed its practical suggestions --- and attracted business in my field (education)! Bly is another author who speaks to you in a conversational tone and tells you how to start. But he doesn't stop there. He includes actual examples of what he has done and what has worked for him. For example, Bly includes a sample letter that he sent to prospects. I thought that was great and wished he had included a few more. At the same time, Bly might have cautioned readers that implementing and getting great results from his suggestions takes time. For example, I wrote and mailed about 100 letters in 2-3 months before I began receiving responses. My efforts paid off. For example, I served as a freelance developmental editor for Addison-Wesley, wrote activities for Scholastic's Big Book Math, and completed a 6-month project for a book developer. Had I not read Bly's book and implemented his suggestions, I would not have thought of exploring profitable avenues and expanding my writing career. I recommend Bly's book to anyone who loves to write and would like to earn more money from his or her writing. A big thumbs up!

I?m a pampered ?copy princess? who has worked on national accounts at big Chicago ad agencies. Creatives of my ilk have generally smirked with superiority at freelancers, John Caples, direct mail, auto dealer TV spots, etc. But now, if you?ll pass me a fork, I?m about to eat crow. I bought Bob?s book to help me set up D.J. and Other Letters, a freelance writing business. I didn?t need advice about How to Write a Headline. I wanted to know when to invoice, what to do about the guys who don?t pay on time and?-most of all?-what to charge for a wide variety of media. All the stuff that involves (yech!) math. Bob Bly spells these things out with a straightforward authenticity that respects both client and writer. For the established copywriter, I heartily endorse this book. It has helped me with my own business and is one of the few books on this topic that I recommend.And while it?s hard to find much fault with this book, I will mention two things. One is kind of a little thing: The internet references are becoming dated. If you?re internet savvy, that won?t hold you back.But the other is a HUMONGOUS point of contention: I must vehemently differ with Bob on the premise that anyone who has written a few church newsletters can break into the ad biz. ::groan:: I urge any professional writer, no matter how well-established in other fields, to work for small ad agencies before even contacting agencies with annual billings over $1 million. At one large agency, I used to screen resumes from writers who had no clue we called text ?copy.? Or what CD stood for. Do you know what it stands for? Uh, no, besides compact disc. Do you know how to determine which agencies bill over $1 mill? Unless you live in Podunk Falls, U.S.A., population 500, you?ll need to do MUCH more homework than Bob Bly suggests. And I implore you to do so. YES, read Bob Bly?s book. You'd probably better read ALL of his books and then some. But I haven't read his other books, so I can't say. But please also read Ad Age every week for a year. Learn our buzz words AND the concepts behind them. Understand something about target audiences, branding, voice, etc. Get a feel for why writing for radio is utterly different than writing for print. And why we scoff at inverted pyramid objectivity. And why it's okay to start sentences with "and." And write sentence fragments.Also read The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman, which the author dedicated to Bob Bly, saying, ?You?re my hero.? That dedication is what drove me to look into Bob?s work. Bob is now my hero, too. Bob? I have come to love writing beautiful, glossy four-color DM packages that both client and consumer ooh and ahh over. You and I write in different styles, on different accounts, in different markets. But I hope one day I?ll meet you. I respect you, your career and your willingness to share your expertise. And based on what you?ve written, I can only think of you as a darn nice guy. Above all, tha

RECOMMENDED FOR ALL WRITERS! This book is an essential tool for anyone who wants to make money as a writer.Its benefits to me have been surprising, rewarding, and in some cases, astounding. Because of the advice in this book, I established myself as a nationally known copywriter who specializes in fundraising.I went from being paid $50 to $300 for a magazine article to over $2,400 for a single piece of commercial copy.Bly is probably the first well-known expert to pull back the curtains on the copywriting industry. He explains how the industry works. Then he shows you step-by-step how to break into specific areas and make the money you want.Bly gives detailed advice on marketing, self-promotion, telemarketing, direct response -- everything you need to succeed as a freelance writer.Additionally, he gives lots of resources and actual examples, graphics and case studies to help you along the way.Secrets of a Freelance Writer is a proven, realistic blueprint for real success as a writer.

While seriously considering taking up freelance writing, I happened across this book. The title itself was enough to cause me to buy it. After all, who wouldn't want to make $85,000 doing what they like to do? The book turned out to be a treasure chest of information for those who would desire to freelance. From the basics, to how to sell yourself, the book answers every question a beginning freelancer could ask. The book supplies so much more than the price attached to it. If you are thinking of writing freelance, then this book is a must-have for your reference shelf.

Mr. Bly has put together a fine "how-to" manual for anyone interested in a freelance writing career. The 1997 edition is very thorough, instructing the reader in many aspects of running your own business. The amount of actual writing advice is rather low, however, particularly when compared to the 1988 edition. Still, this is not a bad thing, because Bob Bly has now given us TWO excellent references on freelancing (they merely have the same title!) Anyone considering a freelance career must read this book and heed its advice!