The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year [Paperback]

David Trottier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2006

The Freelance Writer's Bible unites four practical workbooks under one cover. * Discover your creative vision Find yourself as a writer. * Write with freedom and confidence Break through your fears and achieve higher levels of creativity and writing excellence. * Sell to 17 key writing markets Learn how to make money in every profitable writing area. * Create your strategic marketing plan Design the master plan for your writing career.

Learn what you need know to successfully write and sell novels, nonfiction books, children's books, technical manuals, magazine and newspaper articles and columns, business copy, speeches, humor, scripts for movies, TV, radio, stage, and interactive media, and more.

Learn about setting up your writing business, getting off to a fast and profitable start, turning writing blocks into stepping stones, staying focused with a master plan and weekly action plans, writing great query letters, getting writing assignments, enjoying a competitive edge, getting paid before you write, doubling your writing income, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great book to help you decide your writing vision, get over your fears, develop a plan for your career." -- Christian Writer's Fellowship

"A precision tool for those trying to establish a toehold in any of seventeen writing arenas...." -- The Writer's Journal

"Dave's book is an entertaining practical guide to gaining success as a freelance writer. Dave's book is your complete guide." -- Book Marketing Update

Trottier is a writer and teacher who cares about helping others in this well-organized guide. -- Shiela Bender, Writing It Real Magazine

From the Publisher

Dave writes with obvious respect for writers. He goes deep into the heart and head with advice that leads to success. A first-class book. -- Lucille S. deView, syndicated columnist and writing coach for major newspapers

A wonderfully helpful guide for anyone who wants to start writing--and keep writing. -- Stedman Mays, agent, Scribblers House LLC Literary Agency, and editorial director of the GoodShortNovels.com Review.

If you follow this book's advice and still can't make a living as a writer, it's a darn good sign that writing should be your hobby. --Marty Nemko, Author, Cool Careers for Dummies, Contributing Editor, USNews,com (as a freelancer)

A precision tool for those trying to establish a toehold in any of seventeen writing arenas.... The author identifies and defines the precise steps needed to negotiate the path to landing a lucrative writing career. He mentors the reader in every aspect of the writing and selling process through practical advice, useful worksheets, and insightful writing activities." --The Writer's Journal

Provides not only the nuts and bolts, but also the power tools. I learned to write from Dave's books. -- Donna Davidson, author of award-winning novels Elizabeth's Gift and Lord Kingsford's Quest

Dave's book is an entertaining practical guide to gaining success as a freelance writer. If you want to make money as a writer or increase your income as a freelancer, Dave's book is your complete guide." -- John Kremer, editor, Book Marketing Update, and author, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books

Serious about earning money with your words? Read THE FREELANCE WRITER'S BIBLE, boot up the computer, and GET WRITING. Dave Trottier has the hand-holding/kick in the patootie double-whammy down pat. A great book for beginners and a wonderful refresher for experienced writers. Highly recommended. --Kristine L. Franklin, Children's Author, Novelist and Freelance Writer

Take if from me, a guy who has been a freelancer for 52 years...I highly recommend The Freelance Writer's Bible. [Dave] presents a clear, easy-to-understand blueprint for success in this informative book. -- Ray Hoy, "The Fiction Works"

Inspiring, practical and supremely useful--This "bible" will open your heart and mind to your writing and career potential. --Dan Poynter, Author, The Self-Publishing Manual

The Freelance Writer's Bible provides valuable information as well as workbook excerises, which lead writers from the beginning idea, intent, and conception, all the way to the marketing of a finished product. With specific exercises and guidance, this book is a valuable asset for anyone who wants to earn a living, or increase their earnings, in the writing trade. -- Melanie Grimes, editor The American Homeopath and board member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.

A great book to help you decide your writing vision, get over your fears, develop a plan for your career. -- Christian Writers' Fellowship

The Freelance Writer's Bible is in its spirit generous; it offers its readers creative yet structured advice that should pay off.... Whether you want to know how to write a query letter, how to submit poetry, how to become a ghost writer, or how double your income and double your fun, David has included the information you need in a format and tone that allow you to absorb the information and move on to practicing the necessary steps for success. David's guide offers a "let's get right down to it" discussion of creative vision and the writing process as well as a coach's focus on how to use industry information to make decisions and sell work. That Trottier is a writer and teacher who cares about helping others comes through in this well-organized guide for those who'd like to succeed." -- Sheila Bender, Editor of Writing It Real and author of many writing books.

With an eye and a heart toward the ultimate goal of becoming successful, the book propels the reader toward that goal of success with words of wisdom and helpful exercises. Trottier...applies his skills as a teacher and mentor to assist freelancers in becoming full-time writers. - National Writer's Association

"A must-have book for writers who want to turn their hobby into a real business. Dave provides tips, tools and rules of writer etiquette which will make your queries stand out from the hundreds of others that cross an editor's desk each week. Don't miss this investment in your career." -- Shelly Mellott, Editor-in-Chief, Scr(i)pt Magazine

"Dave, what say about business writing is right on target." -- Jim Fisher, copywriter and author of Personal Ad Magic

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 258 pages
• Publisher: Silman-James Press (January 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879505851
• ISBN-13: 978-1879505858
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Trottier has sold, optioned, or developed numerous screenplays and stories for The Walt Disney Company, Jim Henson Pictures, York Entertainment, On the Bus Productions, Hill Fields (for ABC television) and New Century Pictures.

As a teacher and writing coach, he has helped hundreds of writers sell their work, break into the biz, and win contests (including two Nicholl Fellowship winners and a National Play Award winner). Recently, Dave rated in the top 6% of the "Cream of the Crop" category of Creative Screenwriting's report "The Best Movie and TV Script Analysts and Consultants as Rated by Screenwriters."

He has taught at the major screenwriting expos and conferences, has lectured or led writing and screenwriting seminars at dozens of American universities, and teaches occasional writing classes at the University of Phoenix where he was honored with a Distinguished Teaching Award in 2005. He also conducts his own online courses, workshops, and retreats, including his popular Sundance Retreat. He hosts the popular web site keepwriting.com.

His major work, "The Screenwriter's Bible," is now in its fifth edition. He has also published several other books, including "The Freelance Writer's Bible," based on his popular national seminar 17 Ways to Make a Living as a Writer. He has written a column for Script magazine since 1989, and has published hundreds of articles and stories in national publications.

With his B.A. in business administration (from Cal-State, Fullerton), Dave has a strong business and marketing background. He served for five years as the marketing manager and then executive vice president for a distributor of memorabilia and precious metals (about 100 employees). Prior to that, he was in middle management for a large corporation. As a marketing consultant and business writer, his past clients include The Walt Disney Company, Honda Acura, American Premiere, Lucasfilm, Nutrex, Mitsubishi Materials, Ivy Communications, and Citizen America. He edited the quarterly newsletter "Precious Metals Today" for four years.

Dave has an M.A. from Goddard College and is a graduate of both the Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute and the Hollywood Film Institute. He served on the board of the Arts & Humanities Department of Cal-State, Long Beach, before moving to his present home near Sundance, Utah, where he married Virginia artist and educator Marsha Sawyer. They have two children, which is why he currently spends less time on the road.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written by Someone Who Has Been There, April 4, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year (Paperback)

Sub-Title: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year ==This book is divided into four major parts. The first two deal with writing. That is, the mechanics, the work of sitting down and writing something.

More than two thirds of the book, however, deal with selling what you have written. The good part of this section is that the writer speaks with authority on all different kinds of writing, far more than you could ever imagine. For instance about about writing the little announcement sheet that comes with your electric bill. Some writer somewhere gets paid for writing that. Then there are annual reports, and pages that someone wants to put on the web. There is a lot you will never think of by yourself that might give you a career.

Writing is never going to be an easy business. As Mr. Trottier points out, you need to realize that it is a business and you need to treat it as a business. It will not be easy, but neither is going to work every day.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than expected, February 3, 2006

By 

Sean Alt (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year (Paperback)

The book claims to mentor you, and it does just that. I felt as if I were having a conversation with the author throughout. The book is best suited to writers who want a full-time or part-time writing careers. Beginners will benefit immensely. That's because the book guides you through the steps to becoming a better writer. Most importantly, you become a much more informed writer in terms of how to sell your work in 17 key writing areas. In fact, this books is for writers and wannabes who want to sell what they write. I benefited immensely from the practical advice and positive direction.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for all writers, May 10, 2006

By 

Stan Johnson (New York writer) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Freelance Writer's Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year (Paperback)

The "Bible" is both readable and immediately useful. The marketing information is specific and applicable. I was surprised that Mr. Trottier could get so much helpful information into this book. Not a paragraph is wasted. Besides the marketing information, I found the section on fears and blocks extremely helpful. I have since broken through and can hardly wait to complete my marketing plan for my career, as described at the end of the book. The Freelance Writers Bible is a true inpsiration, and Mr. Trottier is a true mentor.