Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing ... (ISBN 0871161990)

Helpful Resource for New Writers:
If you're a new writer and would like to focus on a few specific areas, then "Ready, Aim, Specialize!" will benefit you. In addition to advice specific to ten or so genres, each chapter features a helpful list of print and internet resources; if you are an experienced writer you'll probably be familiar with them already, as well as most of the information James-Enger imparts throughout the book. If you are a brand-new writer and are seeking information on freelancing as a whole, look at "The Renegade Writer." But for those wanting to focus on health, travel, parenting, etc..."Ready, Aim, Specialize!" will give you your money's worth.

Essential Resource for Freelance Writing:
It has taken me years to realize that you can't be an expert on everything, so it is better to decide on a few interests and develop your knowledge base. While many writers have varied interests, this book shows you how specializing increases your income. Kelly James-Enger quit her job as an attorney to become a freelance journalist. Her work has appeared in Woman's Day, Shape, Parents, Fitness, Good Housekeeping and Marie Clair. As a teacher, she explains how to break into today's hottest markets. She explains how to write about Health, Diet, Nutrition, Food, Finance, Business, Technology, Parenting, Fitness, Home, Garden and Travel. She also dedicates a chapter to the discussion of writing Essays and Personal Pieces. The section on writing Query Letters is especially useful. There are sample letters and explanations of what is wrong or right with the letters. One of the things I've noticed in magazines is the travel writing sections. The author explains the importance of sending in your pictures and how to plan your trip based around your audience or pitch a story from a new angle, like explain why Paris is more than a romantic location. How can the story be adapted for family travel? It can be tricky at first when you are trying to learn the lingo of a sport or understand the terminology used when writing about health topics. This is something you may have to work your way into and by following your heart, you will find it is much easier to learn about what interests you personally. I noticed this happening when I write reviews for Yoga DVDs. After reading about yoga for years, I have new perspectives and insights. The author makes a great point when she says "get off the couch," for when you involve yourself actively in the writing process, you will have more energy and enthusiasm and many magazine articles seem to be promoting a book or new idea. You can truly tell if a writer loves what they are writing about and is "up on the trends." The section on projecting an image, setting yourself up as an expert consultant and marketing your services completes the package. This book may also be useful for anyone who loves writing reviews as a hobby or wants to branch out into new territory. ~The Rebecca Review

Tap into New Writing $$$:
This is a must read not just for aspiring writers, but especially for those who are already published. I've been published in national magazines, but Ready, Aim, Specialize gave me so many new ideas and I've been pitching like crazy! I have a fresh vision for my writing career and know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm going to make more money from my writing in the upcoming year than ever before because of reading this book.

Ready, Aim, Specialize!::
Many writers wonder if they should specialize in one specific area of writing expertise or if they should spread their work between several different genres. They wonder if writing in only one genre will allow them to create a niche of authority or simply limit the amount of writing opportunities. Conversely, writers also worry that if they work in several genres their writing will be seen as unfocused and difficult to market. Ready, Aim, Specialize: Creating Your Own Writing Speciality and Make More Money looks at this quandary and looks at the benefits and limitations of specialization. This book also includes resources to determine what your area or areas of speciality would include and tips to begin specializing as well as detailed reference lists and potential markets for the most popular writing specialities. Ready, Aim, Specialize: Creating Your Own Writing Speciality and Make More Money is a good beginner resource for writers questioning whether they should specialize their writing. Though the title suggests that the writer supports specialization, the author gives a nice balance of information on both the pros and cons of specialization. This allows the reader to determine if specialization would be beneficial for his or her particular situation. Moreover, the author includes detailed reference lists so that the reader has somewhere to begin his or her specialization efforts.

Excellent Advice to Find Your Own Writing Niche:
Many writers flounder around trying many different areas of the market before they specialize and find their particular niche. Kelly James-Enger can help you cut down on the learning curve, evaluate your own background and discover your own place in today's market. Her seasoned counsel is priceless. Step-by-step she helps writers tackle the market and understand how to meet the editor's needs (and as a result their reader's needs) to succeed in publishing. In the process, Kelly covers the top 10 hottest specialties. With each specialty, she gives you insider wisdom to succeed in these markets. More than writing for magazines, she provides the reader with a strategy and gameplan to enter the full-time writing life. For example over on page 209, she writes about how specializing helps you build your "platform" (a much discussed word in the writing community). She writes, "Specializing in a subject helps you create a platform as you become an expert in your subject area. The other way to develop a platform is to become a celebrity of sorts, or to get as close to a celebrity as you can. Consider Dr. Phil McGraw. He was a moderately successful "life strategist" who became a household name after he started appearing on Oprah's daytime talk show. His own series soon followed, and now even his wife and son are best-selling authors." When I read a writing how-to book, I want to turn to an expert--someone who had repeatedly succeeded in finding a specialization. Kelly is one of those writers. She knows about these different fields like health, diet, nutrition and fitness because she writes about them day in and day out. This book is loaded with tips and insight about breaking in then thriving in each specialty. You will want to read and re-read this book.