Daugherty provides an insider's perspective on how magazines work and where freelancers fit in, so you can learn how to generate saleable ideas. Even if you've never written before, he makes it easy, using hands-on exercises and easy-to-achieve assignments to get you started right away.

From short fillers and sidebars to interviews and how-to articles, you'll get an overview of the kinds of pieces magazines are seeking, and you'll learn how to write manuscripts and query letters that will sell your work.

Daugherty also shares effective ways to manage the "writing life," from dealing with rejection to finding time to write undisturbed. There's even a special section on how to speak "magazine" so you can act like a pro when dealing with editors.