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, […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 31: How do you feel about breaking into your dream publications?
Your dream publication might be high profile, high circulation, or high paying. It might reach a specialized, niche audience, or be pushing the boundaries of innovative types of multimedia storytelling. Maybe your dream publication employees your dream editor, who is smart and funny and prompt. Or maybe your dream publication comes back to you time […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 29: The research rabbit hole
The research and reporting rabbit holes have to be 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. But there’s always another twist and turn, and you can easily lose your orientation and not know […]
The Writing Coach Podcast: FB Live on Structure
This bonus episode is a replay of a Facebook Live talk, talking about structure and format. Click to listen to episode 28 of the Writing Coach Podcast: WCP Bonus FB Live on Structure Replay of a Facebook Live talk, talking about structure and format. Mentioned on this week’s show: WCP28 Listener Q&A Click here for […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 27: Name your niche
Clarifying a freelance writing niche gives you direction about what to focus on, which clients to target, and which stories to pitch. It helps with efficiency and productivity. And it makes it easier for clients to find you. Today’s episode explores how to identify a niche, when to drill down to subspecialties, and why you […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 26: Decolonizing science writing with Sibusiso Biyela
Meet Sibusiso Biyela, a South African science communicator and journalist interested in decolonize science communication using indigenous languages. Don’t worry, I don’t speak science, so we’re talking mostly about language, storytelling, politics. Sibs normally writes in English. He recently completed a story about a newly discovered dinosaur species in his mother tongue, Zulu, which doesn’t […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 25: Using juicy quotes in your pitches
Quotes aren’t necessary when submitting a query to an editor, which is one reason why including a good one helps make a pitch really stand out. Original reporting brings new insight and life to most articles, and a well-placed quote shows editors you’ve got access, a good ear, and motivation. In today’s episode, you’ll: • Learn how a quote can improve your chances of getting your story assigned • Find places to get fresh quotes without any interviews • Schedule a 15-minute pre-reporting interview for maximum effect • Understand your resistance to this approach and how to manage it to get the results you want Click to listen to episode 25 of the Writing Coach Podcast: WCP25 […]
WCP Bonus: Why aren’t you making more money as a freelance writer?
Freelancing has so many moving parts that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. When you’re working a lot of hours, putting in a lot of effort, but not seeing a lot of financial return, that can add to the confusion: What’s holding you back from making more money? When we strip things back to basics, there […]
Writing Coach Podcast Bonus: FB Live Integration Q&A
This live pitching Q&A serves as a bridge between the practical “what to do” lessons in the Freelance Writer Breakthrough mini course and the mindset management in the Writing Coach Podcast that enables you to do those things in the first place. Listen to the bonus episode of the Writing Coach Podcast: WCP Bonus: FB Live Integration […]
What if you loved to pitch?
What if you loved pitching, and/or knew you were really good at it? What would you do differently? If you’re avoiding pitching as frequently as ambitiously as you would if you were great at it, then you’re choosing to experience all the things you were hoping to avoid: silence from editors, not earning enough, and […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 20: Setting freelance writer goals
The freelance writer goal setting process I’m sharing with you today works for goals that will take half a day, one year, or anywhere in between. There’s one step in this process that most writers miss (and, consequently, don’t reach their goals). Listen in to make sure you don’t gloss over it. Listen to episode 20 […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 17: Overwhelm
Multiple clients, multiple topics, multiple deadlines … freelance writers deal with a lot of moving parts. Today we’ll cover the three kinds of thoughts causing you to feel overwhelm, and what you can do to remedy it. I won’t say that overwhelm is a popular topic amongst my coaching clients, but it certainly comes up a lot. […]
The Writing Coach Podcast Bonus: Freelancing (or not) when other people are on vacation
Click here to listen to today’s bonus episode: WCP Bonus: Working (or not) when other people are on vacation Freelancing in December is usually a bit different from the other months. Maybe you’re taking some time off, your clients are, or your friends and family are. Let’s talk about deciding what you want (be it […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 15: How Nelson Mandela taught me to write faster
Today’s episode addresses two questions I get asked all the time, but never together: How can I write faster? What brought you to South Africa? These are somewhat surprisingly interconnected for me, and today i’m going to share with you one of the lessons Mandela taught me–how to write faster. Listen to episode 15 of […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 14: Reporting behind bars with Shaheen Pasha
Listen to episode 14 of the Writing Coach Podcast: WCP14 Reporting behind bars with Shaheen Pasha Shaheen Pasha is an educator and journalist. Today we’re talking about her work training both university students and inmates as journalists at the University of Massachusetts. This isn’t jail porn. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. Shaheen Pasha is […]
What to listen to (podcast recs for a short walk or long flight)
I have a literal to-be-read pile of books by my bed. I’ve always enjoyed reading one book for a while, getting into that voice, that story, that writer’s head, and then after 50 or 100 pages, or maybe just after dinner, reading something else. It becomes more of a conversation, the way ideas from one […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 13: Setting freelance boundaries and company policies
Listen to episode 13 of the Writing Coach Podcast: WCP13 Setting freelance boundaries and 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 […]
The Times, they are a changin’
If you’re old enough to know the song I’m referencing there, you need to check that your idea of what the newspaper or website you want to write for actually publishes isn’t from the same era. Reading a publication regularly doesn’t mean you’re ready to pitch it. For starters, you probably read like a reader: for […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 9: Longform articles and short documentaries with Christopher Clark
09: Longform articles and short documentaries with Christopher Clark Christopher Clark is a freelance journalist and filmmaker. He recently co-directed two documentaries about people living on the fringes of South African society for Al Jazeera and the BBC. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Android, or RSS. Christopher Clark is a freelance journalist and filmmaker. He’s reported from […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 8: Backstory of a New York Times travel feature with Sarah Khan
08: Backstory of a New York Times travel feature with Sarah Khan Sarah Khan is a freelance travel writer for the Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure. Today Sarah shares the backstory of her award-winning feature for the New York Times, “A Muslim American’s Homecoming: Cowboys, Country Music, Chapatis.” Subscribe to The […]
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