Most people would love a pay rise but, when you're a freelancer, you have to negotiate changes in fees with every single client! To make it far more likely that one of your clients or publications will pay you more, you need to ensure that it is absolutely clear why you deserve a raise. What value do you provide to them? What are you doing that benefits their company? Why are you worth keeping, in favour of a cheaper competitor? In this podcast episode, Lorrie and I look at ways to make sure you justify the fees you want to charge. Enjoy! Show Notes Writing for different audiences - experts vs beginners Freelance writing: to specialise or not to specialise Why and how to charge more for your freelance writing The…
There's nothing worse than staring at a blank Word document and not knowing where to start. Do you find yourself faced with getting 500 words onto the page, incorporating SEO keywords, heading tags and a call to action, yet have no inspiration at all? In her solo episode, Lorrie goes through some non-linear ways to approach copywriting, where you don't necessarily start at the top and finish at the bottom. Show Notes Episode 19: How to proofread your own work 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…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="320"] Graph With Stacks Of Coins (Photo credit: kenteegardin)[/caption] Freelancing can be a bit scary at times, and the lack of guaranteed income puts many people off even trying. Those who have already embarked on full-time self-employment will also find that their income can go up and down, and time off sick or a trip away can cause it all to grind to a dramatic halt. Because of this, it can be a good idea to have an extra income stream or two, but many writers have no idea what they could do to gain any kind of passive or residual income. Tune in to get some great ideas! Show Notes Amazon affiliates Google AdSense Clickbank E-Junkie Commission Junction Affiliate Window This is what petunias look like,…
Some days you will be bursting with ideas, ready to write about anything and everything. But we also all have those moments when the Word document is empty - and so is our internal bank of inspiration! This solo podcast episode is full of ways to get content inspiration, so have a listen, and enjoy! Show Notes Feedly Topsy Quora Google Trends Google Adwords Keyword Planner Ubersuggest Google Alerts StumbleUpon 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, please '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 PW: Hello, and welcome to…
Despite its reputation as the geeky cousin of Facebook and Twitter, Google+ actually has a lot to offer a freelance writer. It has powerful features, smart personalisation options and an ideal B2B marketplace. In this episode of our freelance writing podcast, Lorrie and I go through how to get started, how to set up Google Authorship for writers, Google+ dos and don'ts, best practice and handy hacks. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="220"] Google Plus - Plus Icon (Photo credit: dolphinsdock)[/caption] Show Notes Top 20 stats to get you active on Google+ Better than Gmail for Android: Boomerang for Android Reviewed The 5-step editing process for a perfect resume There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via…
[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…
[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…
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…
As content creators, we freelance writers have a responsibility to not just carefully craft words into content, but also to pay attention to what we write that works, and what falls flat. Whether it is content for a client or for our own websites, if we forget about what we have created, we have no idea how effective our content is, which means we risk wasting our time and our clients' money by writing articles, ebooks or presentations that don't make an impact. If, instead, we measure how effective our content is, we can quickly learn what works and what doesn't, what readers can relate to and what they ignore, and when we pay attention to what we find out, and apply it to future work, we learn to tailor our…
You can boost your freelance business in under an hour? Really? Doing business development work can seem like yet another onerous task that gets in the way of the things you're supposed to be doing. Like, well, writing. However if you want to run a sustainable and successful freelance business, it is essential. In this podcast episode, I have condensed your business development tasks into a simple 60-minute plan, to help you to get a load of bizdev under your belt without the need to sacrifice hours and hours of writing - or fun - time! Show Notes Episode 37: Freelance Writers and Social Proof - What it is, why you need it and how to get it Relationship Marketing Basics for Freelance Professionals There are several ways to make sure that…
