Writing Coach Podcast 199: Archives IX Favorite freelance writer resources
WCP199 Archives XIX: Favorite freelance writer resources We all need a few reliable go-to tools, apps, programs, books, and other stuff. In today’s episode, I talk through a few of my own favorites, and why and how I use them. Be sure to check out one of my oldest blog posts that I keep updating, […]
Writing Coach Podcast 198: Listener Q&A, Vol. IX
WCP198 Listener Q&A, Vol. IX Listener Q&A returns! Here are the questions I’ll be answering today: +Do I need to let key sources know when a story runs? +I’m comparing myself to hard-hitting journalists I know, and it makes me think my story isn’t that important. +The pub I want to write for has already […]
Writing Coach Podcast 197: Borrow this
WCP197 Borrow this Borrow from yourself. Borrow from what works. Borrow from the non-writing parts of your life to inform your writing and freelancing. We have a tendency to notice where we’ve failed or not figured things out, and then we continue down that pathway looking for examples to keep the pattern going. Subscribe to The […]
Writing Coach Podcast 196: Repetition. Again
WCP196 Repetition. Again If you’ve been listening to the Writing Coach Podcast for a while, you already know I: Send emails to myself. Annotate ideas on paper/screen in one-minute bursts, or else forget them forever Direct my brain to solve something by asking one good question In the quest for the new, we tend to […]
Writing Coach Podcast 195: XVIII Pitching travel stories before or after the trip
WCP195 Archives XVIII: Pitching travel stories before or after the trip Should you pitch travel story ideas before or after you have a notebook full of notes? In theory, you can do it successfully either way. You could do a little research and pre-reporting, pitch, get an assignment, schedule your interviews and be confident out […]
Writing Coach Podcast 194: Beautiful Writers with Linda Sivertsen
WCP194 Beautiful Writers with Linda Sivertsen Linda Sivertsen is a New York Times bestselling co-author and midwife of 6- & 7-figure book deals. Her new book, Beautiful Writers, gives aspiring writers and seasoned literary veterans a look into the lives of iconic authors and answers the burning question, “How did they do it?!” Linda joined me on Publication Day of […]
Writing Coach Podcast 192: No nonprofit saviors
WCP192 No nonprofit saviors Let’s talk about working with and for nonprofits (and NGOs and associations): Why working for a reduced fee can be more problematic than premium rates or pro bono Choosing change not charity models Reshaping the narrative to bring more depth to your piece Recognizing guilt, resentment, and obligation Applying nonprofit lessons […]
Writing Coach Podcast 190, Archives XVII: Sorting and archiving freelance articles
WCP190 Archives XVII: Sorting and archiving freelance articles Whether your articles are published online or in print, you need to make them readily available for potential clients to read online. Simply having a list of links isn’t sufficient. Sites reorganize and your links go bad; your piece gets pulled or the publication closes; and paywalls […]
Writing Coach Podcast 189 Scope creep
WCP189 Scope creep Some freelance projects spiral out beyond the original agreement. Let’s curtail your taking on more and more uncompensated work, or from seeing all your clients as creeps. Some freelance projects spiral out beyond the original agreement. Let’s curtail your taking on more and more uncompensated work, or from seeing all your clients […]
Writing Coach Podcast 188: Not a fluke
WCP188 Not a fluke When a client reaches out to you for the first time with a freelance assignment, we often call it a fluke. Often we really like it happening, and if it’s a good gig we may wish all work happened this easily. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Audible | Android | RSS When […]
Writing Coach Podcast 187: You’re invited
WCP187 You’re invited When you pitch a story idea, are you inviting the editor to consider working with you? Do you recognize the value of what you’re offering and tempt them? Or are you asking the editor to give you an assignment? Do you approach the pitch from a place of neediness? Subscribe to The Writing […]
Writing Coach Podcast 186: Pitch anything
WCP186 Archives, Vol. XVI: Pitch anything Once you tap into the power of presenting a story idea (or just about any other writing related project) in a way that connects the dots for the recipient about how it will be relevant/helpful to them, you can bring that frame of mind with you to pitch almost […]
WCP185 Freelance writing goals, Vol. VII
WCP185 Freelance writing goals, Vol. VII Six months into the year, let’s reflect on, and possibly revise, your annual goals. What you’re telling yourself about hitting-or not hitting-milestones impacts your ability to reach your goals. What are you working on believing about yourself? 🔗 Mentioned in this episode: WCP 160 Freelance writing goals: 5W1H goal […]
Writing Coach Podcast 184: Human rights reporting with Sara Cincurova
WCP184 Human rights reporting with Sara Cincurova Sara Cincurova is a freelance human rights journalist from Slovakia, focusing on migration, conflict, human rights, humanitarian issues, and women’s rights. She has written for The Guardian, BBC News, The New York Magazine, Al Jazeera English, Der Spiegel, Foreign Policy, The HuffPost, The New Humanitarian, Women’s Media Center […]
Writing Coach Podcast 182 Archives, Vol. IV: Annoying pitches
https://writingcoachpodcast.libsyn.com/wcp182-archives-vol-iv-annoying-pitches Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Audible | Android | RSS MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE Are your emails annoying your editor? Are you sending too many followups? Too many story ideas? Are all your messages getting on their nerves? If your pitches are half baked, poorly written, and an overall bad fit for the publication, it […]
Writing Coach Podcast 181: Curiouser & Curiouser
WCP181 Curiouser and curiouser Curiosity is a useful state of mind for freelance writers. Curiosity helps us identify great story ideas with unrecognized angles. Curiosity fuels our interest in improving our craft. Curiosity makes understanding the pitching process and other business of freelancing type processes fascinating. It opens up our imaginations to possibilities that we […]
Writing Coach Podcast 180 Learning mindset
WCP180 Learning mindset My first career in traditional education informed my work as a freelance journalist, and my work as a writer informs the coaching and teaching I do now online. This week I share a few of the mindset perspectives that have served me well through career shifts, and how building on prior career […]
Writing Coach Podcast 179 Pregnancy and parental leave
WCP179 Pregnancy and parental leave Today I’m sharing what it was like getting pregnant and having a baby during the pandemic. One of the things I got clear about early on was deciding what I thought I wanted my time off to look like (including how long, how “off” I wanted to be, and what […]
Writing Coach Podcast 178 Archives, Vol. XIV: Sources who want to review your draft
WCP178 Archives, Vol. XIV: Sources who want to review your draft Have you interviewed somebody who wanted to review your copy before publication? This is a surprisingly high-tension issue for many journalists, even thought it seems like it could be nipped in the bud with a simple, “Sorry, that’s against the publication’s policy.” Subscribe to The […]
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 […]
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