"I can write about anything!"™

 

 

 

For aspiring freelance writers and colleagues

This booklet brings together insights from my more than 25 years of experience as a freelance writer, with the goal of helping colleagues be better freelancers so we all can benefit from increased professionalism and solidarity.

"Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer"

Ever wondered how to get your great ideas published as articles? An expanded and updated edition of “Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer” is available from the author, award-winning freelance writer/editor Ruth E. Thaler-Carter.

The booklet expands on my popular presentations for professional organizations such as the National Writers Union/DC Local, Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), National Press Club/Eric Friedheim Library, Washington (DC) Independent Writers, Association for Women in Communications (AWC), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Communication Central and Rochester’s Writers and Books.

People asked me why I would publish something that essentially creates my own competition, but I don’t see competition as an issue. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone. I also feel that, the more professional any freelancer is, the better off we all will be.

The booklet features tips on setting up, combating isolation, finding projects, getting paid, networking and much more. The 2012 edition includes an expanded list of resources and new information about promoting a freelance writing business through blogs and websites, among other topics. For the table of contents, click here.

Comments from colleagues include: “I thought this booklet was great! It was really nice to see all this good advice put down in writing in one place”; “If you’re interested in or new to freelancing, Ruth is a great source of information and experience”; “Ruth does such a lovely job of presenting the material — it was truly a pleasure to read this booklet”; “... all newbies: get, read and believe ... ‘Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer,’ which is an invaluable and amazing distillation of the essentials of making writing and editing a ‘doable’ occupation.”

I've been freelancing fulltime since 1984. I sold my first freelance articles to a community newspaper while in high school and honed my writing, editing and desktop-publishing skills in St. Louis, MO; Washington, DC; and Baltimore, MD, before returning to my hometown of Rochester, NY. I do writing, proofreading, editing, desktop-publishing, and website work for a wide range of international, national, regional and local clients in publications, associations, nonprofit organizations and businesses.

I also own Communication Central, a training and development business that hosts an annual “Build Your Communications Business” conference, featuring national experts (www.communication-central.com).

In addition to being the author/publisher of my freelance-writing booklet, I am the author of “Freelancing 101: Launching Your Editorial Business” for the EFA and co-author of The Who, What and Where of Elder Care: A handy, step-by-step guide to help navigate the maze of caregiving (with colleague Jill R. Yesko).

Well-known as a networker, I'm the coordinator of the EFA-Rochester chapter; newsletter editor of the Rochester-AWC chapter; media contact/webmaster for the Brighton Schools Alumni Association; and webmaster for several of my clients.

“Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer” is $20/copy, including postage and handling. To purchase, send check, money order or cash for $20 to Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, 2500 East Avenue, #7K, Rochester, NY 14610 or to PayPal using Ruth@writerruth.com.

(Please disregard address and phone info in sidebar; it's an artifact of the original site that I haven't been able to update yet.)