Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money [Paperback]

Kelly James-Enger (Author), Elfriede Martha Abbe (Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A powerful resource for aspiring and established writers. If you're looking to become a better writer and boost your income . . . this book is chock-full of sound business acumen and advice."  —Samual Greengard, former president, American Society of Journalists and Authors

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 259 pages
• Publisher: Writer, Inc. (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871161990
• ISBN-13: 978-0871161994
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,349,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been a fulltime freelance writer since January 1, 1997..."escaped the law" to become self-employed and have never looked back. Since then, I've written 700+ articles for 60+ national magazines; authored, coauthored, and ghostwritten 12 published books; and written for corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses. I'm also a published novelist; my first two books, Did you Get the Vibe?, and White Bikini Panties, went out of print but are available through Kindle and Smashwords. They're fun "chick lit" reads set in Chicago.

Much of my work these days is ghostwriting and coauthoring books for clients in a variety of subject areas including business, health, nutrition, and fitness. I'm also a motivational speaker on topics ranging from creating healthy habits to stress management to succesful freelancing, and have been an ACE-certified personal trainer for more than 3 years. I'm grateful that I do what I love, and I love what I do. I live outside Chicago with my family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If youre a freelancer, do you specialize? You should..., April 2, 2003

By 

Julie Hood, OrganizedWriter.com (OrganizedWriter.com) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money (Paperback)

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.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her advice works!, March 1, 2005

By 

Michelle Sussman (Chicagoland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money (Paperback)

After reading this book and employing the techniques she recommended, I made my first freelance non-fiction sale...on the first try. Since then I've dogeared and highlighted this book, which has lead to more than ten assignments and a solid beginning to my freelancing career.

Thanks, Kelly, for a great book!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get on Track With Read, Aim, Specialize, December 31, 2004

By 

Tammy Powley "tammypowley.com" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money (Paperback)

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.