Hello Jenn. I’m definitely a specialist. I’ve focused on writing college textbook supplements — instructor’s manuals, test questions, study guide, lecture outlines, Internet exercises — for the last 15 years.

I strongly advise freelance writers to specialize. It’s best to pick a field where clients need a lot of freelancers and also have the budgets to pay them. (The major college textbook publishers are all in the billion-dollar-plus company worth range.)

Writers can also do other projects that correspond to their interests. For example, I’ve done some travel and outdoors writing, and I have two hiking guides in print. I have a friend who is a successful copywriter but also has a very successful fly fishing blog.

And I’m definitely open to being interviewed.

Thanks for stopping by, John. As a perennial college student, your area of expertise is very interesting to me. I would love to learn more about how you got started and hear any tips you have for prospective textbook supplement authors. I imagine you get to work in many fields, which would spice things up a bit. Thank you for volunteering for SpecialtyBuzz!

Jennifer, I completely agree that almost nothing recommends a freelancer like long and varied experience. I wonder if you have anymore advice for aspiring health care writers and if so, would you be interested in an interview with SpecialtyBuzz? For example, I wonder if health care freelancers generally work or have worked in the health care field or if that isn’t necessary.Thanks for your comment!

Jenn, let me know how you would like to proceed. Feel free to e-mail me.

This is something I have been thinking about. I’m not sure what exactly I could specialize in – but just know that I love to write. I guess what would be most important to me would be to find a segment that I really enjoyed that would allow for lots of learning so I wouldn’t become bored, but that would provide me a niche in which to become proficient. Looking forward to your future commentary!