The Freelance Writer’s Bible – Book Review

The Freelance Writer’s Bible: Your Guide to a Profitable Writing Career Within One Year by David Trottier.

The Freelance Writer’s Bible by David Trottier

According to Wikipedia, the term “Bible” may be used as a generic term to describe a book or text that any devotee to an idea should read, or a book that lays out a way to do things in a particularly well-accepted way. David Trottier, author of “The Screenwriter’s Bible”, apparently intends his new book, “The Freelance Writer’s Bible (Your Guide to a Profitible Writing Career Within One Year)” to be just that, an authoritative source for Freelance Writers. Can it live up to his and our expectations? Read on to see if we agree.

Are You The Touchy-Feely Type?
Alright, I’ll come right out and admit it, I’m the type of guy who enjoys a well-done chick flick as much as I enjoy a good action movie. But after the first two pages (essentially the introduction), things get a little, uhm, odd. Perhaps I should explain better. When I first started this review, I thought it would be another interesting title on freelance writing, covering the same topics I’ve read before, but perhaps giving a new twist here and there. What I didn’t expect was a lot of idioms and philosophical discussions about my inner Warrior or my Safe Harbour.

I understand that this will appeal to some. But to others, sentences like “Invariably, the first three pages will be crap…”, and “in the voice of Morpheus from The Matrix…” wear on the reader (at least this one) very quickly.

Fill In The Blanks

Hiding between the covers of The Freelance Writer’s Bible is another surprise. And by page six, you will get your first taste of many, many fill-in-the-blank sections. So many, in fact, that you almost feel like you are back in school again. Each lined area has a small introduction and then some follow-up text. Problem is, on some of the work areas, such as the Time Log, seem to be more like filler than a good use of the space. On top of that, there are so many of these areas that it quickly distracts you from the subject at hand.

Interactivity is a good thing. Interactivity that feels like busy work has a tendency to shut down my receptors very quickly. I’m also not the type of person that likes to write in books, so take this as you will.

The Good Bits

Where David excels is from his background: marketing. This information finally makes an appearance in Book IV (the whole book is split into four sub-books). And it is where the book makes its brief, but interesting, turn for the better. You finally feel like you are getting into the meat of the book, even if the eating is a little lean.

The coverage of such details as the Pareto Principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, stating that 80% of the results will come from 20% of your efforts) and clarifying your audience, the concepts presented here make you wonder what sort of book David could write if the focus was just on marketing for writers.

He also provides a lot of ideas on where you can possibly make money with your writing career. From screenplays, novels, and brochures to greeting cards, teaching, and writing for the web.

Even the bright gems of information that are scattered throughout the book aren’t covered quite enough to really make you feel comfortable with the subject. For example, in regard to contracts and rights you can offer, the largest section is a sidebar of sorts about halfway through the book. It is one of the most important things you need to consider in a writing career, and it almost is nothing more than a speedbump.

“Boris The Bug” And Other Oddities

What I had the hardest time with in David’s book was the oddities. Perhaps this is how he speaks in real life. Maybe he really thinks that telling folks that you are a Boris (as in, being born under the sign of Boris the Bug, a constellation of his own creation) will make you an “instant hit” at parties.

It was also strange to me that when a statistic was presented, that there wasn’t a lot of reference material to back that statement up. I don’t want to be inundated with a plethora of footnotes, but I am also not going to explicitly trust a story or factoid just because someone said it was true.

David is very forthcoming on the background for this workbook in his sample book proposal. To quote, “The style of the book is inviting: “I am your mentor, your Uncle Dave, your very own Jiminy Cricket. I’m going to be honest with you. I am going to be realistic. But I am also going to be nurturing and empowering. Buy me.” I’m not sure to like the book more or less because of that.

The sheer amount of odd commentary such as “your brain is a two-piston writing machine”, instructions on how to enter my Alpha Writer State (“Lay down on the carpet in a supine position.”), and how one can find their “Warrior Energy”, began to drain me. This wasn’t a book that I couldn’t put down. It was 248 pages of text that I didn’t want to pick back up.

The Lowdown
I could see this book working in a classroom style setting, but not for the average writer who is looking for a way to make themselves profitable in the long term. It is heavy on the philosophical, but feels a little lightweight on the actual nitty-gritty of writing. David does come right out and say it: this is the combination of two of his conference-style classes. And therefore, the material within reads as such: lots of little stories, analogies, fill-in worksheets, and a whole mess of cheering.

That isn’t to say that all the details within aren’t useful. In the latter third of the book, David finally seems to step into an area he feels comfortable: marketing. He does a great job of telling you how to sell yourself and your writing, and if you intend to be profitable, this is exactly what you will need. Too bad the whole book wasn’t as focused as this sliver of information.

Price
The cover price is $19.95 USD and should be available anywhere through online and brick and mortar resellers.