The Writing Coach Podcast with Rebecca L. Weber

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 a…

So many professional writers have lost touch with the passion or purpose that brought them to this work in the first place. If you’ve achieved a lot but aren’t enjoying it, what’s the point? 

🔗 Menti…

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 …

Pretty much every freelance writer can earn more money. Here are some specific things that writers DON’T do that keep them from earning more, and what they CAN DO to earn more.

Listen in, notice your…

Have you ever been ashamed of the rate you accept for a freelance job? Ever talked to another freelance writer who felt that way? Have you ever heard someone who disapproves or criticizes a writer fo…

A single a-ha or breakthrough moment in your writing life can happen quickly. Creating lasting transformation usually takes reinforcement, especially when addressing long-held beliefs and behavior pa…

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
…

This is a followup talk on applying the concepts introduced earlier this week in Episode 191, Time passing.

Do you believe you have enough time to do the things that matter most in your writing life?

How you think about time—such as if you have enough, not enough, or plenty of it—impacts what you create in your writing life. Many writers credit time as necessary for their skills, clients, or assi…

For me, getting ready for a coaching call or a writing session includes:

• Bringing nature into my workspace environment 
• Planning time to transition and orient myself rather than crash landing into a…

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 …

• Why I went to the library on Monday morning instead of my nature walk
• Time to check out your library’s updated remote resources
• Researching publications via the library 

🔗 Mentioned in this episode…

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. Today we cover:

• What scope…

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…

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 a…

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 the…

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. Wha…

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…

When a freelancer says that they feel like they’re going backwards, often they’re hyperfocusing on a small piece of data instead of larger trends (e.g. a couple of weeks/pitches vs. quarters/years); …

If your pitches are half baked, poorly written, and an o…