The Writing Coach Podcast 69: Right action
WCP69 Right action A big or consistent gap between the work you most want to be doing and what you’re actually doing indicates a lack of right action. Keeping busy or chasing after low-satisfaction, low-paying work isn’t going to resolve the situation. Let’s look at what it means to instead identify the weakest link in […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 68: Listener Q&A, Vol. V
WCP68 Listener Q&A, Vol. V Straight from my inbox: My answers to your questions. Today I’ll be responding to these questions: + I was interviewed on the radio about a story I wrote, but I got nervous and it didn’t go well. What can I do differently? + How can I plan far enough ahead […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 67: 3 strategies to earn more money as a freelance writer
WCP67 3 ways to earn more money This week we’re looking at three proven strategies to improve your freelance bottom line. Focus on putting these into place now for a strong end to this year and a strong start to the next one. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. This week we’re looking at […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 66: Reading Margaret Atwood
WCP66 Reading and advice from Margaret Atwood Anything you read can inform your writing, regardless of genre. Yes, that includes dystopian novels impacting good journalism. I heard Margaret Atwood speak during her book tour for “The Testaments,” the Booker Prize winning sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. Today I’m sharing some of her advice for when […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 65: Portfolio shame
WCP65 Portfolio shame Our online portfolio lets us showcase our best and most relevant work to new editors. Ironically, we’re often most aware of its shortcomings at the very time that we’re trying to move our careers forward. There can be a real disconnect between what we’ve done in the past and what we want […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 64: Process
WCP64 Process amp;nbsp;How familiar are you with your own process of writing? Do you see writing as a means to an end, or an activity that’s fascinating in and of itself? Do you use it as a time to explore and investigate? With a product mentality, you’re in an almost constant state of not-there-ness. Subscribe […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 63: Your relationship with your freelance writing business
WCP63 Your relationship with your freelance writing business How would you describe your relationship with your freelance writing business? Is it a fling, where you’re 100% focused for brief passionate stints and then sort of forget about it? Are you in a honeymoon period, where you want to learn more about every aspect of it? […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 62: PITA clients
WCP62 PITA clients PITA clients have nothing to do with breaking pita bread and eating hummus with your editors. Today I’ve got in mind those difficult clients who can be a real pain in the A. We all have a different PITA threshold. I think of those emojis in hospitals, where you’re asked to a […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 61: Coming attractions
WCP61 Coming attractions Movie trailers are a brief preview of what’s to come. We’re all willing to watch for two minutes-IF it’s any good. In a minute or two, we usually know if we’re in (“Ooh, I want to see that one!”) or if it’s a hard pass. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 60: OOO la la
WCP60 OOO la la Are you terrified of what might happen to your freelance writing career if you put up an Out Of Office message on your email? In this episode, I talk about why I OOO while at a writing retreat and during a long plane ride, and the freelance chaos that did not […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 59: Freelance writer goals IV: Money goals
WCP59 Setting freelance writer goals, Vol. IV: Money goals As you probably know, the fourth quarter is terrible for all freelance writers. It will almost certainly be your worst 90 days financially of the year. Ok, that’s not true at all. It’s in no way a factual statement. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 58: Listener Q&A, Vol. IV
WCP58 Listener Q&A, Vol. IV Time for another edition of Listener Q&A. I’ve picked from the questions you’ve emailed me to cover a range of issues we face as writers. You’ll probably notice that you can learn a lot from a question that’s similar but not quite the same as your own situation. Subscribe to The […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 57: Climate strikes and objectivity
WCP57 Climate strikes and objectivity Can-or should-journalists strive to be truly objective and unbiased when covering heated issues like climate change? Is it sometimes a moral imperative to speak out and advocate for justice? As a freelancer, does the act of choosing to pitch a particular story because we think it’s relevant and should be […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 56: Playing it safe
WCP56 Playing it safe The questions isn’t do you want to play it safe, but where are you playing it safe in your writing life? And why? We all want some security and safety, but these feelings are always relative perceptions rather than objective realities. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. The question isn’t […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 55: Finding story ideas you can’t Google at live events
WCP55 Finding story ideas you can’t Google: Conferences, conventions, and trade shows, oh my Live events like conferences, conventions, trade shows, can be a rich source of multiple story ideas-or an overwhelming waste of time and energy. Learn how to leave with a small notebook bursting with everything you need to write up pitches for […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 54: Indistractable with Nir Eyal
WCP54 Indistractable with Nir Eyal Author Nir Eyal joins us to talk about his new book, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. What’s distracting you from your writing time? As Nir breaks it down, distraction always starts from within. We’ve been avoiding uncomfortable emotions way before the modern siren call of […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 53: Rejection
WCP53 Rejection Growing a thick skin is kind of gross if you think about it. When it comes to rejection, creating a barrier between the outside world and our feelings doesn’t help either. Ironically, rejecting rejection compounds and complicates the pain. MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE: WCP 1: What’s your problem? Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 52: Covering social justice for passion and pay
WCP52 Covering social justice: passion and pay What we write matters. Today we’re looking at how using a social justice lens can provide both meaning and a decent living. Many freelancers see their work as divided: this piece for passion, that piece for pay. I’d argue that for true freelance writing success, you’ll be more […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 51: Democratizing food writing with Ishay Govender-Ypma
WCP51 Democratizing food writing with Ishay Govender-Ypma Ishay Govender-Ypma is a food and travel journalist and author of “Curry.” This week we discuss the intersection of curry and colonialism: what happens when a food journalist uses the lens of social justice to examine who eats what, how, and why? Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 50: Self Evaluations
WCP50 Self Evaluations The Writing Coach Podcast celebrates the big five-oh! Check out the links below for recommendations of the best episodes. One thing I didn’t appreciate before I became a full-time freelancer is that it’s nobody’s job except my own to help me improve. Enter the power of the self evaluation. Subscribe to The Writing […]
Download a free copy of “5 Proven Steps to Writing Queries that Sell.” I hate spam and will never share your info.