The Writing Coach Podcast 88: Assignment guilt
WCP88 Assignment Guilt Guilt is a useful emotion when it’s alerting to an ethical mistake we’ve made. But quite often guilt stems from beliefs that aren’t true or helpful. Simply telling yourself “Don’t feel guilty!” is more likely to make you avoid the feeling rather than deal with it. Guilt is a useful emotion when […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 87: Plan from the future
WCP87 Plan from the future Do you plan your week from Monday morning forward, or from Friday afternoon backwards? When you send out a pitch, are you focused on who you want to write for this week, or who you want to write for in 3 months from now? Do you plan your week from […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 86: Good news
WCP86 Good news Do you want to read something that will make you feel good? So does pretty much everyone else. One outcome of coronafatigue has been an increase of interest in solutions journalism as well as non-pandemic articles, as evidenced in the most popular lists and newsletters of many websites. Do you want to […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 85: Replacing clients
WCP85 Replacing clients Your ideal clients a few months ago may no longer be a good fit for you … and some clients who weren’t on your radar then may be perfect for you now. In simple terms, your ideal clients are assigning stories now, are able to meet or exceed your desired rates, and […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 84: Excitement!!
http://traffic.libsyn.com/writingcoachpodcast/Writing_Coach_84_excite.mp3 Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. Some writers rely on the energy of excitement to write pitches and articles. Sometimes excitement can be very useful for getting things done, but it’s not the most reliable or effective of emotions when it comes to marketing. Our editors and readers often don’t feel the way […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 83: Dateline Milan with Janna Brancolini
WCP83 Dateline Milan with Janna Brancolini Janna Brancolini is an American journalist based in Milan, Italy. She covers environmental and tax policy in Southern Europe for Bloomberg Law, and her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Columbia Journalism Review and Business Insider. When coronavirus hit Northern Italy in February, Janna’s freelance work dried […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 82: Live coaching
WCP82 Live coaching Hearing another writer being coached gives you the chance to recognize your own thought patterns and behaviors-and make changes accordingly. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. Hearing another writer being coached gives you the chance to recognize your own thought patterns and behaviors—and make changes accordingly. Listen to how a shift […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 81: Remote reporting
WCP81 Remote reporting Reporting by video calls, like Skype and Zoom, often gets a bad rap. Freelancers don’t want to brush their hair and get on camera, sources don’t have the software installed on their device, and the whole experience can seem impersonal compared to meeting in real life. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, […]
Resources for freelance writers during the coronavirus pandemic
Sign up for announcements about the next open coaching call and other resources by joining my email list. Click here and I’ll also send you a copy of my guide on how to pitch. The Writing Coach Podcast 79: Covering coronavirus Adapt your pitches and articles to address how the coronavirus impacts the niches/communities […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 80: Freelancing in the time of coronavirus
WCP80 Freelancing in the time of coronavirus As freelance writers, coronavirus hits us both professionally and personally. We’re looking at these issues and how mindset management will help you handle: + Freelance workflow with rapidly changing editorial needs + Feeling criticized or blamed for how “the media” is handling coverage + Self-isolation, medical concerns, and […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 79: Covering coronavirus
WCP79 Covering coronavirus Some freelancers are having stories postponed, killed, or ignored due to the spread of coronavirus. Let’s look at how to protect yourself from shifting editorial plans, as well as look at stories that can be assigned now. Feature opportunities abound in how COVID-19 is impacting different segments of the population in your […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 78: Professional jealousy
WCP78 Professional jealousy Here’s looking at you, you green-eyed monster, you. Feeling jealous of another writer’s assignment, grant, income, relationship, skill, talent, age, credits, social media presence, book contract, education, or any other attribute can act like a double whammy. First, the compare and despair mode derails us from our own work and can be […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 77: Selling stories without being salesy
WCP77 Making sales without being salesy Freelance writers shy away from talking about sales. “Got an assignment,” yes, but “sold a story,” much less so. “Salesperson” is associated with being “salesy,” which itself brings up a sleezy person trying to convince us we want something we don’t, or somebody who won’t give us a moment […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 76: Late bloomer
WCP76 Late bloomer Are you and your writing blooming? Sometimes valuing productivity and efficiency can be counterproductive. If you and your writing are blooming-or will be in the near future-focusing on the notion of being behind robs you of your enjoyment and even slows you down. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. Are you […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 75: Niche drama
WCP75 Niche drama It’s possible be a successful freelance writer with a single niche, several related subniches, multiple unrelated niches, or no niche at all. For most writers, the benefits of identifying and working within a niche outweigh the cons. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. It’s possible be a successful freelance writer with […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 74: Why you’re the one
WCP74 Why you’re the one question, “Why are you the one to tell this story?” Some people will avoid answering or avoid pitching to avoid an existential freakout: “I’m not the one! They can just let somebody on staff do it instead. I’m not experienced enough and will mess it all up.” Subscribe to The Writing […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 73: Freelance journal
WCP73 Freelance journal The freelance journal is a key tool to understanding your process, habits, attitudes, limiting beliefs, and true ambitions. Keeping a narrative record of what you’re doing as a writer and as a freelancer means that you will become more familiar with what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, why you’re making the […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 72: Internal and external accountability
WCP72 Internal and external accountability Many writers say that they always honor their deadlines for clients, yet aren’t accountable to themselves when it comes to marketing or creative work. Maybe you want to pitch more stories, finish your book proposal, or write in your journal every single day. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 71: 2020 vision
WCP71 2020 vision Are your 2020 goals based on a limited vision of your past accomplishments … or on what’s truly possible for you in the future? Today’s exercise will help you expand your goals and how to achieve them. NEW LIVE CLASS ON WEDNESDAY Join me in a new free class on building confidence […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 70: Application opportunities
WCP70 Application opportunities Applying for scholarships, workshops, grants, and other opportunities can sometimes be daunting: What do the people reviewing this really want to know about you? What can you do to make your application stand out from the rest? A full scholarship is available right now for Freelance Writer Bootcamp. Subscribe to The Writing Coach […]
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