WCP 166 Archives, Vol. XI: Call for pitches
WCP166 Archives, Vol. XI: Call for pitches When an editor posts a call for pitches, freelancers sometimes respond the way they would to the siren’s call. The writers retweet them, share them, subscribe to newsletters with them. After weeks of saying they’ll get around to pitching, they suddenly snap to attention. Subscribe to The Writing […]
WCP 165 Real negotiations
WCP165 Real negotiations Most women say they’ve never negotiated their salary. As freelancers, we have so many more opportunities than staff employees to practice negotiations and to get better and better over time. When the lease on my house came up, I thought all I’d have to do was say I wanted to renew, and […]
Writing Coach Podcast 164: Putting yourself out there
WCP164 Putting yourself out there When we put ourselves out there, we take a risk. We risk not getting validation, assignments, contracts, money, Likes, comments, safety, etc. We risk approval internally and externally. The idea of putting yourself out there probably pushes buttons that you had even before you became a professional, published writer. Subscribe […]
Writing Coach Podcast 163: The late paying client
WCP163 The late paying client Two months ago I invited you to take a 90-day challenge to get paid on time. That episode includes the logistics of what to do to get paid promptly … and also addresses the resistance so many freelancers have about actually doing these things. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google […]
Writing Coach Podcast 162 Archives, Vol. X: The research rabbit hole
WCP162 Writing Coach Podcast 162 Archives, Vol. X: The research rabbit hole The research and reporting rabbit holes are some of the most seductive and appealing parts of the freelance writing comfort zone. You start off doing good work: nailing down facts, seeking rich data, locating interesting sources. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | […]
Writing Coach Podcast 161: Neediness cycle
WCP161 Neediness cycle Neediness has been normalized in much of freelance culture, to our own detriment. Desperation compounds difficult situations by blocking our own resourcefulness. Even when desperation fuels our actions, it’s not energy that’s sustainable long term. Without defining neediness as a so-called negative frame of mind that needs (!) Subscribe to The Writing Coach […]
Writing Coach Podcast 160: Freelance writing goals, Vol. VI: 5W1H goal setting
WCP160 Setting freelance writing goals, Vol. VI: 5W1H goal setting The fundamental 5W1H questions you use when reporting are just as handy for examining your freelance life. When it comes to setting writing goals, WHO will you become in the process of achieving your goal? Is your goal setting process setting you up for success? […]
Writing Coach Podcast 159: Resolutions, experiments, and followups
WCP159 Resolutions, experiments, and followups When it comes to making lasting changes in your freelance life, I’m more a fan of experiments than of resolutions. The latter tend not to work so well, often relying on willpower or self-shame as fuel to get things done. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Audible | Android | RSS When […]
Writing Coach Podcast 158 Archives, Vol. IX: Urgency
WCP158 Archives, Vol. IX: Urgency Freelance writers often conflate two very different kinds of urgency. Confusing them impacts pitching and following up. First is the urgency of the story itself. This includes identifying why the story needs to be told now. It can be any kind of news peg or timely aspect that compels the […]
Writing Coach Podcast 157: Worth the money
WCP157 Worth the money When I started freelancing, I was 100% DIY. One of the tricky things about making a good living as a freelance writer is getting a feel for what to do yourself and where to spend-or invest-time and money. Some choices that seem to be saving short term wind up costing you […]
Writing Coach Podcast 156: Evaluations and entitlement
WCP156 Evaluations and entitlement When you’re interviewing a source for an article, you’d want to do some followup if they said: “I don’t know how a key part of my job works.” You’d ask the question again, or come at it from a different perspective. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Audible | Android | RSS When […]
Writing Coach Podcast 155: Why your pitch is too long
WCP155 Why your pitch is too long “Is my pitch too long?” If you’re asking the question, the answer is probably yes. The question you really need answered is not how long your pitch should be, but why your pitch is too long: You’ve generated a bunch of options without making choices about what’s most […]
Writing Coach Podcast 154: Change your mind
WCP154 Change your mind This week is the start of the year-end holiday season in the United States, which is associated with a lot of personal and professional stress. This episode looks at meditation as a concentration practice that can help you center yourself before writing. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Audible | Android | RSS […]
Writing Coach Podcast 153 Archives: Pay me now
WCP153 Archives Vol. VIII, Pay me now Freelancers often ask: How do I get a client to pay an invoice that’s past due? Instead of a how to on chasing payments, today we’re asking and answering a better question: How do you get clients to pay you on time in the first place? Subscribe to The […]
Writing Coach Podcast 152: Cost of a new client
WCP152 Cost of a new client One of the best ways to start the new year strong is to finish this one strong as well. We want to make sure you’re investing, rather than just spending time, money, and energy to get clients. When you are ready to get yourself a new assignment, do you […]
Writing Coach Podcast 151: But, but, and
WCP 151 But, but, and Today we are talking about goals. I’ve talked again and again about being aware of your potential obstacles when setting a goal. There are going to be challenges and so it’s important to plan on how to deal with those challenges. When we’ve created an internal obstacle, we also have the […]
WCP150 Archives Vol. VII, Company policies
WCP150 Archives Vol. VII, Company policies Establishing company policies might sound like it would create distance from freelance clients, but it does the opposite, especially with your ideal clients. Clear boundaries set a framework for clear expectations and positive work relationships and self care. If you know what you will and won’t do, it leads […]
Writing Coach Podcast 149: Underrepresentation in journalism
WCP149 Underrepresentation in journalism Many groups have traditionally been underrepresented in journalism, both amongst staff and freelancers. Gender, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, age, and country of origin are factors in building a robust press. Today we focus on how writers in the so-called Global South may have less access to writing stories locally or globally. […]
The next round of Freelance Writer Bootcamp is on me (for one of you)
Applications for the Yolisa Qunta Bootcamp scholarship are currently closed. To apply for a paid spot in the next session, visit www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com. The scholarship has been renamed in memory of Yolisa Qunta. Yolisa was a freelance writer, author, and Bootcamp alumni. For years after her initial enrollment, she stayed active in the Bootcamp alumni group, […]
Writing Coach Podcast 148: Who is the bad freelance friend?
WCP 148 Who is the bad freelance friend? Robert Kolker’s piece about two fiction writers brought up many issues that have counterpoints in the journalism and freelance worlds, including: idea ownership and development, sense of not belonging, competition and hierarchy amongst peers, white saviorism, and friendship. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Who is the bad art […]
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