The Writing Coach Podcast with Rebecca L. Weber

Robert Kolker's piece about two fiction writers brought up many issues that have counterpoints in the journalism and freelance worlds, including: idea ownership and development, sense of not belonging, competition and hierarchy amongst peers, white saviorism, and friendship. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Who is the bad art friend? Rebecca on Instagram: @freelancewriterbootcamp WCP 147 Enterprise stori...

What's the importance and impact of seeking out original stories that nobody else is doing? In this conversation with freelance journalist Raymond Joseph, we examine how much a unique story and/or angle matters for you, your career, your editors, and society at large. Ray's investigations into lottery corruption over the past four years have won him both journalism awards as well as threats. When...

We're all willing to watch a short trailer for a new movie or series—IF it's any good. In a minute or so, we usually know if we're in ("Ooh, I want to see that one!") or if it's a hard no. A sample of one scene and we have a handle on the genre, the plot, the actors, the look and feel. It's all show, no tell. What we don't see is the screenwriter, director, or a critic talking to the camera and te...

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. Those publications aren't suddenly going to become lucrative and prestigious. And editors at th...

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 come to it today, with beginner's mind. You're not a beginner as a professional writer. But when it comes to better understanding what's happening...

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. Most of my clients are a major PITA," or "I'm not looking for a love connection, just a pay check," or "I can't love myself when I'm procrastinating," I hear you. I don't necessarily mean you're...

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 be allowing the editor's judgment of the pitch become a judgment of you as a person. You're not y...

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. We receive messaging from clients, peers, and society that we won't be able to earn more/enough as a freelance writer, and when be inter...

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. When we repeat these thought patterns over time, and feel ashamed both of the work we have and haven't done, it becomes harder to enjoy or appreciate our writing lives. Even when you've done deep...

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." Today we're going to unpack where this topsy turvy thinking originates from (hint: It's not that the editor is trying to be polite), why it's harmful to you and your career, and how...

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. + I bid on a project but they chose another freelancer. Should I let them know I can go lower? + My client wants me to use Slack but it takes so much time. I...

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 Couples Journal and the host of The Marriage Life Coach Podcast. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including: How qu...

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? Our thoughts about the individual we want to talk to and the publication we want to write for can distract from the core issue: It's time to make a choice, implement it, and evaluate what happens so...

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. Many writers find researching publications online in particular to be a rabbit hole that's dark and unending. One...

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 to charge: 1. Research 2. Do the math 3. Money mindset   MENTIONED IN THIS SHOW WCP 1: What's your p...

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 deeper foundation for success than you normally give yourself credit for. YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY …...

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 well. Ignoring achievements, or of "rewarding" ourselves with either the next task or an admonishment t...

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. I've seen Bootcampers transition seamlessly into landing staff jobs, being accepted into grad school, and securing interviews with...

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. When the editor receives your story, they think, "Oh yes, this is just what we agreed on and t...

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. MENTIONED IN THIS SHOW Tools for South African journos and reporters interested in a global perspective Open...

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 about each episode. And if you're new, think of this as a curated list as to where to start. We don't abs...

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. Be sure to check out one of my oldest blog posts that I keep updating, with all the links mentioned plus several more for you to explore. These are all affiliate free, ie no kickbacks. The upda...

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 the next (and be taken seriously)? + I pitched a story to my ideal publication. It was rejected. How do I move on...

When an editor wants you to do a piece but leaves the deadline up to you, your initial reaction may be: Great. I've got work lined up and I don't have to work on it yet. It can be quite liberating if you're used to working under tight deadlines and a lot of pressure. But somewhere along the way, things turn. You still don't have a deadline, but now you can't believe you haven't gotten it done. The...

Do you hate marketing because it always takes too long and never winds up in front of the right people? Today we're challenging that with a quick makeover of that humble marketing workhorse, your email signature. It's such a fast and easy way to demonstrate to your clients (current and potential) that your communications are always concise and thoughtful. Plus, unlike most makeovers, you're not go...