3 References Every New Writer Needs
I have a litany of freelance writing reference materials in my home office, and will certainly recommend many of them to aspiring writers as time goes on. Looking forward into the New Year, however, I realized that there were three books on my desk that I would recommend every writer have on his or her desk at all times. Here they are:
Writing for Quick Cash: Turn Your Way with Words into Real Money, by Loriann Hoff Oberlin
This is an incredible book. My fiance gave me this one for Christmas and I was astounded when I started flipping through the pages and saw how valuable this resource would be for new writers. Loriann Hoff Oberlin covers everything from finding and organizing your writing space to developing your own voice and finding the right type of market for your writing. It’s a must-have reference, especially if you’re just getting started in the field.
The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters that Rock, by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell
If you are anything like I was you’re probably thinking, “Query letters? What?” Yup. When I was starting out I not only had no idea how to write a query letter, but couldn’t figure out why I would need one. Ouch! This book is easy to read and is jam packed with realistic information. The first section is written in a Q&A style and answers any question you might think of regarding the query letter writing process. The second section, which I absolutely love, contains sample query letters received by real editors. No only do they show the letters, but the authors were able to solicit the cooperation of the editors themselves and each one explained why they were attracted (or not) to each letter!
The 2009 Writer’s Market
There are quite a few versions of the Writer’s Market Guide on the market and they’re published each year. I have the Writer’s Market Deluxe Edition on my desk right now, and purchasing that version gave me access to a few more markets as well as a free 1-year pass to the online edition. The book contains information regarding literary agents, book publishers, magazine publishers, and much more. They describe the source, submission guidelines, and sometimes the average payment. Every writer looking to break onto the scene should have a copy of this book. If you can’t afford a new copy I highly suggest you try to find a used version of last year’s book - you can always use it to search for references and then simply double check the guidelines on each publisher’s website to make sure they’re still accurate!
With these three books on hand you’ll certainly have no trouble jump starting your career or finding a few new writing markets in the new year. Good luck!
Other great freelance writing resources on the web: