11Mar 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Episode 69: How to hire a decent writer or editor, the dos and don’ts you need to know

Podcast
Lorrie outsources some of her work to other freelance writers, and writers all over the world hire proofreaders and editors to help them to perfect their masterpieces. But how on earth do you go about finding the right person for the job? It can be a big decision, and a big responsibility, so in this episode of the podcast, Lorrie gives you the dos and don'ts you need to know. Show Notes Copywriting contract template Episode 20: Goal Planning - Your Freelance Aims for 2013 Episode 23: How to Decide What to Charge for your Freelance Writing Services Episode 24: The Art of Getting Paid Episode 25: Why and How to Charge More For Your Freelance Writing 7 Sins of Newbie Entrepreneurs. There are several ways to make sure that…
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18Feb 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 68: Working for free and the myth of ‘exposure’

Podcast
[tweetherder]Writers, stop working for free, and certainly never pay for the privilege![/tweetherder] We see it all the time, and it seems to be getting worse: business owners and media outlets put pressure on writers to work for free. Is there any benefit to this, or is the fabled 'exposure' they promise not worth a thing? In this episode, Lorrie and I look at the facts and share some rather strong opinions on the topic! Show Notes Episode 4: Is writing for free ever ok? The Center for Architecture and Urban Design Los Angeles (CALA) logo design competition 99 designs Absolute Write: $5 for 500 word articles Carol Tice on Freelance Writing Scams Philip Hensher stirs debate among authors after refusing to write for free Paying bills with a drawing of…
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04Feb 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 67: An interview with Lucy Hay from @Bang2Write about screenwriting, script editing, social media and other Ss besides

Podcast
  [tweetherder]Podcast interview with @Bang2Write #scriptchat #amwriting [/tweetherder]   Lucy Hay is an expert in all things screenwriting. A published writer, script reader and organiser of the London Screenwriting Festival, she also runs the massively successful Bang2Write website. In this podcast episode, I interview Lucy and we cover everything from her work with J.K. Amalou to helping to give women opportunities through London Screenwriting Festival, funding and investment for films, why some films work and some don't, how much to disclose on social media, Twitter hashtags, cyber bullying and teenage pregnancy. During the discussion, I also inadvertently came out as gay. It was so thoroughly underwhelming that it was only on editing it that I even noticed I'd done it. A must-listen for anyone interested in making it in the film and…
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31Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

January in Review

news
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="320"] January Cottage (Photo credit: jenniferworthen)[/caption] Wow, January has been a busy month! And, as a freelancer, this is always a good thing. May the rest of 2014 follow the same pattern! I wrote some really popular articles for Feminist Times and Disability Intersections, and it was great to see such positive responses via social media. For Feminist Times I wrote, "Intrusive entitlement: disabled women as public property", about the way that many people feel that they can touch, grab and inappropriately question disabled people about their lives. I also wrote a long-form article for the exciting new online magazine Disability Intersections about food snobbery and how many people judge what others eat, without taking into account the many different personal circumstances and societal oppressions that can…
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21Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 66: Five (and a half) ways lists can transform your marketing

Content Marketing, Freelance Self-Promotion, Podcast
Everybody loves crossing things off a list, right? A to-do list is not the only list freelance writers can use to help their marketing and self-promotion, so tune in to this podcast episode where we talk you through five and a half types of lists that can help you to transform your business. Show Notes 10 most popular episodes of 2013: 10: Episode 2: Setting up as a freelance writer: website, social media and brand management best practice 9: Episode 3: Setting up as a freelance writer part 2 8: Episode 18: How to network like a ninja 7: Episode 7: Freelance Writing: To specialise or not to specialise? 6: Episode 55: Coping with rejection 5: Episode 30: It's not about you: the art and science of commercial copywriting 4: Episode 38: How to break into new freelance…
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19Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Big Yourself Up! How giving stuff away will have new clients flocking in your direction, make you look awesome, and give you a nice happy feeling inside. Or, self-promotion for freelancers.

Freelance Self-Promotion
There is a lot to be said for providing valuable content, skills or expertise online for free. Offering useful information demonstrates that you know what you are talking about, it helps to show people you can be trusted, and it gives you an opportunity to get your name 'out there'. It's one of the reasons I make a freelance writing podcast - it helps to establish in potential clients' minds that I'm knowledgeable and skilled in my field. Similarly, the writing I have volunteered for non-profit websites shows editors and clients my writing style and the topics I specialise in writing about. It has also increased my profile, all of which contributes to me getting work on a daily and weekly basis. [tweetherder]Giving stuff away for free is usually good; working…
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05Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Episode 65: How to blog about boring topics without sending your audience to sleep

Podcast
While it would be wonderful if every piece of work we undertake, as freelance writers, was thrilling and enthralling, in reality we do, at times, get assignments which are terribly boring. In this podcast episode, Lorrie provides six ideas to help you [tweetherder]create fascinating content when the topic you are writing about is deathly dull[/tweetherder]. Show Notes What should I tweet? 8 places to find fantastic content There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! Transcript Hello and welcome to a Little Bird Told Me,…
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