The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success (The Renegade Writer's Freelance Writing series)

No thank-you! The reason I chose to become a freelancer in the first place was to be able to write the articles I was interested in for the magazines I read. But to do so I'd have to break a few `rules'. This is where The Renegade Writer comes in. It teaches you the rules you ARE allowed to break, and better yet HOW to break them.

Filled with tricks and tips for everything from the all important query letter to where to find those ideas editors drool over, this book is a must have for anyone serious about taking their freelance dreams and turning them into a paid reality.

Do yourself (and your career) a favour by buying this book.


Practical, motivating, and fun to read   September 18, 2003
J. Herrin (APO, AE)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful

Like many freelancers and those-who-would-be-freelancers-if-they-would-stop-reading-books-about-it-and-just-do-it (I'm in that category), I have a shelf full of books on writing and freelancing. They all contain useful information, but this book is the one that's finally made me realize that if other people can making a living from their articles, so can I. I tend to get bogged down in perfectionism, so, of course, my favorite of the authors' rules-to-break is "Make sure your query letter is perfect before sending it out." The authors don't advocate being careless, of course, but they do point out that perfectionism can paralyze a writing career; they then offer some advice for conquering it and even give some examples of their own goofs.

This book contains many highly practical tips and fun-to-read examples from the "real world," but the aspect that I most appreciate is that neither writer has been freelancing for years and years (Linda went full-time in mid-1997; Diana doesn't give a date, but I get the impression of a similar length of time). However, they've both cracked major markets and are making a decent living, complete with houses, vacations, and retirement plans. Very motivating!


Go ahead -- break the rules!   March 2, 2004
Julie Hood
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

What are the rules of freelancing? What have you been told you must do to be successful?

"Only write about what you know."
"Send SASEs with all your queries."
"Never query a magazine unless you've read the last six months of issues."

Take these rules (and lots more), mix in two of the most successful freelancers today with a willingness to break the rules, and the result is a well-written, entertaining and enlightening book for freelancers. The authors reveal their rule-breaking successes and convincingly explain why you can break the rules, too.

Flip through any women's, parenting, or writer's magazine, and you will likely see one or both of the authors gracing the pages. The Renegade Writer tells how they do it (and what they don't do!).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some of my favorite rules to break include:

"Ideas are all around you." (Diana explains how she spent a week organizing her office, and the empty desktop inspired her to create.)

"Don't trust the Web." (You learn what sites give you the best research.)

"Writers don't need to send invoices." (Yes, you do!)

This is the perfect book if you've ever asked yourself, "Should I be doing something differently?"


A great reference for magazine writers   July 11, 2003
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Last night for the first time in at least a week, I was requested to sit outside my daughter's room as she fell asleep. I grabbed my new copy of The Renegade Writer for some company.

I was enthralled. (No joke.) I had planned to read only the introduction, but I continued on through the first chapter, long after my little one was snoozing. (This was no small thing, as I was sitting on a six-inch-by-six-inch pillow on a heart-of-pine floor.)

The writing is light and funny. The tips are out of the mainstream but not outrageous. This book is well worth the cover price.

Not only was I entertained and inspired but The Renegade Writer served to boost my spirits and confidence. This week, my first big magazine story was edited to bits. I'm working on a re-write and repeating the mantra: "I *am* a good writer. I *am* a good writer." The Renegade Writer helped me remember that this business is tough but worth it.

I hope others find this great reference, but not too many. I don't want the competition.


The best freelance book I've read   January 14, 2004
Gretchen (California)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

Has Renegade been helpful? Do birds fly? Seriously, I've done a lot of reading and this is the snappiest, sassiest, smartest book I've seen on how to make it in the freelance world. It's double the bang for your buck because it's a quick read and a lot of fun, but not what I call "mind candy." It's not a book I'll read once and stick in the back of the shelf. It's a book I'm highlighting, flagging, folding the corners of pages on, and knowing I'll go back to it again and again, even when I've "made it" myself as a writer. It's a book I'll recommend but never loan out because I want it around. So many tips in there will continue to inspire long after I'm writing features for the major glossies!