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.
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.
