The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells. Revised and Expanded author: Robert W. Bly asin: 0805078045 binding: Paperback list price: $18.00 USD amazon price: $12.24 USD

The Copywriter's Handbook is somewhat out of date. There are no references to Web sites or the Internet, and author Robert W. Bly advises that a freelance copywriter have a good typewriter. No matter. Bly has compiled an incredibly useful resource for budding, and even experienced, copywriters. Bly calls his book "a step-by-step guide to writing copy that sells." And that it is: Bly covers the writing of print ads, direct mail, brochures, catalogues, public-relations material, trade-journal articles, speeches, newsletters, commercials, and more. But equally informative is the substantial amount of space that he devotes to the copywriting business, in which he offers guidance in setting up a freelance copywriting business, getting hired by an ad agency, and hiring and working with copywriters (this section also includes a chapter on graphic design for copywriters). This is a terrific book. If you don't take my word for it, take David Ogilvy's: "I don't know a single copywriter whose work would not be improved by reading this book," he says. "And that includes me." --Jane Steinberg

The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds A Second Helping Of "How-To" For Any Writer Dreaming of Great Bucks and Exceptional Quality of Life author: Peter Bowerman asin: 0967059852 binding: Paperback list price: $19.95 USD amazon price: $13.37 USD

The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds (Fanove, October 2004)

In 2000, Atlanta-based freelance commercial writer Peter Bowerman released "The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency As a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less," a detailed how-to for starting, building and managing a lucrative commercial freelancing business: writing for corporations and creative entities and for $50-125+ an hour. The book became an award-winning, triple-book-club selection (Book-of-the-Month, Quality Paperback Book, Writers Digest).

As Corporate America has downsized, it has outsourced much of their creative needs, making this particular writing direction more viable and profitable than ever before. Here's a writing direction with plenty of work, strong demand for good writers, hourly rates of $50-125+ ($60-80 average) and where ALL time is billed. No flat fees with vast, open-ended commitments of time. Translation? Less time working to pay bills and more time pursuing your writing passions.

Perhaps you're a writer - seasoned or aspiring. Or maybe a home-based business-seeker or at-home Mom - looking to leverage past business experience into a lucrative, flexible income. Regardless, if you're looking to turn your love of writing into your living - a GOOD living - this might be the direction for you.

With 95% new content, "TWFW: Back For Seconds" is a companion volume (the other 5% is a 12-page encapsulation of the TWFW) that builds on TWFW with dramatically expanded sections on sales and marketing - demystifying subjects that often terrify creative types. Marketing by phone, fax, e-mail, direct mail, Web sites and networking are all covered.

Drawing from the author's own experiences and dozens of firsthand accounts from commercial writers around the world, the book discusses building the business in small towns or rural areas, on a part-time basis, in unusual niches, along with effective networking strategies and much more.

What's "commercial writing"? Marketing brochures, ad copy, newsletters, direct mail campaigns, speeches, sales sheets, proposals, web content, video/CD-ROM scripting, annual reports, case studies, and so much more.

Why do corporations hire freelancers? For good solid economic and creative reasons. With a freelancer, corporations don't have to pay salary, benefits, and vacation time. But they will pay a freelancer $60-80 (average) for their time. In addition, they pay only what they need when they need it. And with a network of freelancers, they get a broad spectrum of fresh talent (hard to get with in-house staff writers used to writing about the same topics day after day) which they can "form-fit" to their specific writing needs.

Veteran commercial freelancer Bob Bly, known as the freelance writing "guru" for his 50+ writing titles (including the classic, "Secrets of a Freelance Writer" and "The Copywriter's Handbook") says of commercial freelancing: "I know of no other arena of writing so lucrative yet so easy to get started in."

His take on the "The Well-Fed Writer": "This book is the best information on how to make more money with corporate clients I have ever read. It answers everything you want to know. Highly recommended."

His feedback on "Back For Seconds": "When I wrote 'Secrets of a Freelance Writer,' it was the first and only book on making six figures as a commercial freelancer. Of the dozen-plus books written on the subject since then, this book is by far the most comprehensive, useful and valuable."

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency As a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less author: Peter Bowerman asin: 0967059844 binding: Paperback list price: $19.95 USD amazon price: $13.37 USD

Booklist

In this era of entrepreneurialism, Atlanta freelancer Peter Bowerman shows those timid (but talented) souls how almost anyone can forge ahead as an independent writer. His advice is good, couched in brassy prose that is easy to read. He anticipates every conceivable question and issue, including typical charges, marketing oneself, types of available work, and dealing with deadbeats. There are great common-sense tips, too, in the psychology of handling clients who think they're writers, those with limited budgets, and others demanding creativity. Personal anecdotes make the life of the freelancer real; the author includes samples of cold-calling scripts, thank-you notes, and a story or three about starting a writers' group and partnering with other professionals.

Book Description

Dream of being a well-paid freelance writer? Long to carve out an enviable lifestyle with plenty of freedom, flexibility AND healthy income? But wait a minute…aren't the words "starving" and "writer" forever joined at the hip? Not anymore.

How about a writing direction with plenty of work, strong and growing demand for good writers, hourly rates of $50-100+ ($60-75 average) and where all time is billed? No flat fees with vast, open-ended commitments of time. Translation? Less time working to pay bills and more time pursuing your writing passions.

We're talking about freelance commercial writing - writing for business entities, large and small - the subject of The Well-Fed Writer, and quite possibly the answer for all aspiring writers who want to turn their love of writing into their living. The book was a triple-book-club-selection (Book-of-the-Month, Quality Paperback Book and Writer's Digest) and earned several prestigious awards in 2001:

1) Second place in the ForeWord magazine Book of the Year Awards (Career Category)

2) Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest magazine National Self-Published Book Awards

3) Finalist in the Publisher's Marketing Association Ben Franklin Awards (Best First Book).

Why commercial writing? In the past decade, two huge trends have sculpted the corporate American landscape: downsizing and outsourcing. Corporations are doing more with less: fewer people, less resources and smaller budgets. The workload is growing - especially with the exploding Internet - and many organizations rely heavily on freelancers to help them handle it.

Why do corporations hire freelancers? For good solid economic and creative reasons. With a freelancer, corporations don't have to pay salary, benefits, and vacation time. But they will pay a freelancer $60-80 (average) for their time. In addition, they pay only what they need when they need it. And with a network of freelancers, they get a broad spectrum of fresh talent (hard to get with in-house staff writers used to writing about the same topics day after day) which they can form-fit to their specific writing needs.

What's "commercial writing"? Marketing brochures, ad copy, newsletters, direct mail campaigns, video/CD-ROM scripting, speeches, sales sheets, proposals, web content, and so much more.

Veteran commercial freelancer Bob Bly, known as the freelance writing "guru" for his 35+ writing titles, says of commercial freelancing: "I know of no other arena of writing so lucrative yet so easy to get started in."

The Well-Fed Writer will take you step-by-detailed-step through, indeed, everything you need to know to quickly get your share of this exciting and highly lucrative arena of freelancing.

The White Paper Marketing Handbook author: Robert W. Bly asin: 0324300824 binding: Hardcover list price: $39.95 USD amazon price: $26.37 USD

Discover how white papers can create interest, generate leads, build relationships and drive sales. THE WHITE PAPER MARKETING HANDBOOK is the first of its kind, and offers the inside information from top companies on how to create effective white papers using a variety of media. Practical and loaded with illustrations from industry giants like IBM and Home Depot, THE WHITE PAPER MARKETING HANDBOOK also shows you how white papers fit into successful Integrated Marketing Communications efforts. Get on the cutting-edge of marketing using white papers with THE WHITE PAPER MARKETING HANDBOOK.