Writing Coach Podcast 145: Don’t pay your dues
WCP145 Don’t pay your dues Some freelancers say they’re writing for low paying, low circulating, low quality, or otherwise low satisfaction publications because they need to pay their dues. If working this way was a sure route to high paying, high circulating, high quality, highly meaningful work, I’d be all for it. But it’s not. […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 144 Archives Vol. V: What’s your (writing) problem?
WCP144 Archives Vol. V, What’s your (writing) problem? Today’s episode is a replay of the most popular one published here on the Writing Coach Podcast in the past three years. So chances are, if you’ve ever listened to the podcast, you’ve heard this one before. I encourage you to listen to it again. Try to […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 143: Love notes
WCP143 Love notes Part of loving your writing life is loving all the people involved in it. Yep, I’m talking about loving your editors, your colleagues, your readers, and yourself. If you’re thinking, “Easy for you to say. Subscribe to The Writing Coach Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Android | RSS Part of loving your writing life is loving all the […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 142: Judgment day
WCP142 Judgment day Many writers see their writing as the way to measure their significance in the world. This viewpoint empowers editors to become gatekeepers who can determine if a pitch–and by extension, the person who sent it–has value or not. If the idea of an editor rejecting your pitch makes you cringe, you may […]
Writing Coach Podcast 141: Decision making for financial growth
WCP141 Decision making for financial growth Are you making and implementing choices that are leading to financial growth? If you see yourself avoiding financial goals, or setting the same monetary goals time and again without any real progress or change, your default thinking is likely working against you. Are you making and implementing choices that […]
Writing Coach Podcast: Archives Vol. IV, Portfolio shame
WCP140 Archives Vol. IV Portfolio shame Portfolio shame can compound over time when a core belief (such as “I’m not a good enough writer” or “I haven’t made it yet” or “I should have better clips”) pops up every time we complete an assignment. Portfolio shame can compound over time when a core belief (such […]
Writing Coach Podcast 139: Topsy turvy
WCP139 Topsy turvy When a person tells you Yes, do you think it means No? Or vice versa? Some freelance writers receive emails from editors that literally say “Please pitch me again” and choose to interpret it as “Never pitch me again.” When a person tells you Yes, do you think it means No? Or […]
Writing Coach Podcast 138: Listener Q&A, Vol. VIII
WCP138 Listener Q&A, Vol. VIII Hello podcast listeners! Here are the questions I’ll be answering today: + How do you stop thinking about where your sources would like to see a story published? + Do I need to list prices on my website? I keep getting asked for a rates card. Hello podcast listeners! Here […]
Writing Coach Podcast 137: Asking better questions with Maggie Reyes
WCP137 Asking better questions with Maggie Reyes Maggie Reyes is a life coach and marriage mentor who specializes in helping Type A women have better marriages, without waiting for their partners to change or adding more work to their lives. She is the author of the Amazon top 10 bestselling marriage book The Questions for […]
Writing Coach Podcast 136 Archives Vol. III: Pitch the chicken
WCP136 Archives Vol. III: Pitch the chicken The freelancer’s version of the eggestential question: should I first reach out to the source to ask about interviewing them for an article, or should I pitch the story and secure the assignment first? The freelancer’s version of the eggestential question: should I first reach out to the […]
Writing Coach Podcast 135: Constrain for focus
WCP135 Constrain for focus Every editor says to read their publication before pitching. When I coach writers, we put this research step first-get to know their stories, angles, and readers, before developing a story idea. Some writers prefer to avoid this essential step because they associate it with overwhelm. Every editor says to read their […]
Writing Coach Podcast 134: What to charge
WCP134 What to charge The question of what to charge comes up not just amongst newish freelancers, but frequently amongst mid-career and veterans as well. In reality, nobody else can tell you what your rates should be. Today we’re looking at three components so that you can feel more clear and confident in deciding what […]
Writing Coach Podcast 133: Transitional skills
WCP133 Transitional skills You use certain meta skills and habits in your writing life that you developed before you even considered freelancing-and you probably use some of your best freelancing skills in non-writing areas of your life. Becoming aware of these allows you to tap into them more deeply and recognize that you have a […]
Writing Coach Podcast 132 Archives Vol. II Celebrating
WCP132 Archives Vol. II Celebrating Glossing over achieving goals, and the milestones along the way to those goals, doesn’t allow us to really recognize or appreciate all that we’re doing right as freelancers. Sure, there is intrinsic value in a job well done, but it’s also useful to pause and intentionally celebrate those wins as […]
Writing Coach Podcast 131: Pitch anything
WCP131 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 anything. Once you […]
Writing Coach Podcast 130: Pitching for demand
WCP130 Pitching for demand Are your pitches in demand with editors? Making sure the quality and clarity of how your pitch addresses the needs and perspectives of your publication’s readers is essential for connecting with assigning editors. Following through on what you’ve promised is just as important for long-term relationships. Are your pitches in demand […]
Writing Coach Podcast 129: Writing space
WCP129 Writing space What makes for an ideal writing space? What supports your focus, the quality of your thinking, and getting words out of your brain and onto the screen or page? What’s conducive to you getting writing done? Let’s talk about how your environmental influences your writing, and how to optimize. What makes for […]
Writing Coach Podcast 128: Archives Vol. I Managing overwhelm
WCP128 Archives Vol. I Managing overwhelm Over the next few months, I’m going to be periodically re-releasing some of the best and most popular episodes from the Writing Coach Podcast archives. If you’ve been a subscriber from day one, you’re ready to deepen your understanding of these concepts. I’ll give you a few additional thoughts […]
Writing Coach Podcast 127: Favorite freelance writer resources
WCP127 Favorite freelance writer resources To support ourselves, it’s nice to have a reliable go-to selection of 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. To support ourselves, it’s nice to have a reliable go-to selection of […]
The Writing Coach Podcast 126: Listener Q&A, Vol. VII
WCP126 Listener Q&A, Vol. VII Time for another edition of Listener Q&A! Here are today’s questions: + I’m getting charged a lot of fees because I’m working with an international client. How can I avoid these? + Can I write about toileting toddlers one day, and mental health issues in returned military men and women […]