Why 9th Anniversary? Why didn’t we wait until 10? Because we’re renegades.

Through communicating with hundreds of writers through our e-courses and mentoring, and thousands of writers through this blog, Diana and I have learned a ton more about what writers need and want to know. Since The Renegade Writer came out in 2003 we’ve also learned even more about the industry and fine-tuned our own tactics for marketing, writing, dealing with editors, running a successful writing business, and more.

In the new version of The Renegade Writer, we’ll be answering the questions we’ve heard from writers in the last nine years. We’ll also include strategies for using social media to gather ideas and make friends with editors and show you how to navigate a new and ever-changing publishing landscape that includes blogs, podcasts, apps, e-books, and more.

Since this is a special Anniversary edition, we’d like to include stories from our readers on how being a Renegade helped them start their freelancing careers, land assignments (either online or off), get paid more, get paid faster, and generally kick but as freelance writers.

If you’re interested in sharing your story for possible inclusion in the book, please e-mail Linda at lindaformichelli@gmail.com.

Thanks for being loyal readers of the book and the blog — we can’t wait to have this new edition of The Renegade Writer ready for you! [lf]

Check out the page for The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock. The best quip about the mixup in the comments below will win a signed copy. Signed by me and Linda that is. Winner announced on Friday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m ET. Or maybe not.  – DB (follow me on Twitter!)

As a testament to Monica’s awesomeness as a writer and cook, the book’s foreword is written by none other than Mark Bittman of the New York Times‘ Minimalist/Bitten fame. Or as I like to think of him, that guy who wrote the cookbook I turn to most in my kitchen, How to Cook Everything.

On top of all this, yesterday The Golden Pencil posted an interview with Monica yesterday in its Successful Freelancer Spotlight. Check it out!

Yay Monica! We here at the RW blog are so proud of you. [db]

Last time I posted an update about my fun fun RW Makeover, I was just about to head to the Philadelphia Phillies home opener. Well, it’s past the all-star break, Chase Utley broke his wrist, and I’m about to throw in the towel on that season.

But the calendar almost turned to August means one thing for me: my book’s just about due. A quick reminder: I’m writing a travel guide to the South Jersey shore, a book that now has a name! The South Jersey Shore, Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations. It’s being published by Countryman Press in spring 2008.

I’ve learned a lot in the process, mostly (duh) about travel writing. But I’ve also learned a lot about priorities and time management.

To start, I’ve used Linda’s advice about not checking email that often. I can’t cut down to only twice a day like she has, but not looking for that little “new email” sign on my inbox has kept me more focused on the task at hand.

I’ve gone back to making daily tasks lists e.g. here’s what I need to do today. Then I go through the list, slashing something off the list when it’s done. I try not to stray from that list because, again, it’s a time suck.

Now on to priorities. I signed up for the RW makeover because I wanted to write more about books. It’s something I’ve had to cut back on while writing my own book because, well, I have a deadline for this one. So I’ve been much more selective in what review projects I’ve taken on. It’s given me the chance to figure out what kinds of books I really like to read instead of pitching everything and anything to any book editor I can find, because those are the only books I’m going to read right now. What have I learned? I’m not that big fiction fan. Instead, I like interesting non-fiction titles, like one I reviewed for the St. Pete Times. I also just turned in a piece about a vampire book to a regional magazine — another one I enjoyed reading because it was just so damn interesting. I think that figuring this out will help me when I’m back at book reviewing and writing-about-books.

I also started a blog. I know that might seem like a time suck, and at times it is. But it’s a blog that will be used as a promotional tool for my book, and I’m starting amass a readership now (so read it!). It’s also a spot for me to vent a smidge about the process of travel writing, which can be fun, lonely, stressful and exciting at the same time.

So enjoy the summer while it lasts. I’m about to slash “post on Renegade Writer” off my task list. Up next? Call mom. Gulp.