Yes the best things in life are free. If only we could still get things for free in this worsening economy. Well I’m making Monday a whole lot better by letting you in on my secret stash of free resources for writers. After spending last week scouring the web, I compiled this Christmas list of freebies:

1. Linda Formichelli & Diana Burrell’s rockstar book The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success was a huge success. Lucky for us, they’re giving away a free packet of their 12 successful query letters. Go here to find out how you can get yours.
2. Mary DeMuth is my new hero! Besides the fact that she’s an awesome writer, she actually has an entire page labelled as Free Stuff on her website. She has a pdf called, “Queries Now” that is so good that I’m amazed she’s offering it for free. Check it out here.
3. Writer’s Digest is also getting in the free spirit of things by offering a free webinar on marketing. It’s called, “Marketing in the Digital Age: Batteries Not Included” and is all about how to develop a brand and become a successful part of the social networking community. All things important to a freelance writer wanting to build up his or her business. It starts this Wednesday so register soon.
4. On a non-writing related note, but a reading one, Oprah is giving away a free chapter of bestselling novel Say You’re One of Them if you RSVP for her book club event happening tonight.

Do you know of any free resources that have been valuable to you and would help other writers out there?

photo by: Tomm (hmm at Rosa tint)

Over the past 3 months I’ve learned more as a freelance writer, than I ever did working in a cubicle. Learning things that I’m passionate about is fun and so I’ve been absorbing everything around me, attempting to learn as much about the freelance writing world as I can.

From months of reading, writing and learning, I’ve compiled a list of resources that has helped me and will hopefully help you, get a head-start on becoming a successful freelance writer.

1. Go back to school. You don’t need to get your MFA to learn important writing skills. Take a day long or semester class at a local community college. I did and it was the best $65 I spent.
2. Read up! Writers are readers too. One of the easiest and least expensive ways to learn more about the business it pick up a book on freelance writing. In my next post, I’ll list the books that have helped me.
3. Network with other writers. Meeting with Jordan was a definite highlight in my freelance writing journey. Chatting in person is a great way to learn about your field. But I’ve also met a ton of people online through social networking sites like the Writer’s Digest community and Twitter.
4. Speaking of which…What I like about Twitter is that I have the opportunity to connect with other writers who find great articles and tips for newbies like me. I learned a lot of stuff just by reading their links and blog posts on things like writing contracts and pay rates.
5. Subscribe away. A cool benefit to working as a freelance writer is that you can write-off related expenses such as classes, books and even magazine subscriptions. I find SO many relevant tips in The Writer, for example, that I feel its well worth the price.
6. Become a member. There are a variety of sites that with a fee allow you to become a member. Sites like MediaBistro, for example, offer everything from articles on pitching popular magazines to personal benefits like offering financial planning services. There are also other helpful organizations such as the Editorial Freelancers Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors, which provide great member benefits for writers.

What about you? Any tips you’d like to offer for new writers?