Kat Boogaard

Determining rates can be really tricky for freelancers. We need our clients to agree to a price for a project, but we can’t sell ourselves short and leave money on the table. Naturally, freelancers might wonder: How much can I charge before I price myself out of work?  In this episode, Wudan talks to freelancer Kat Boogaard.  Kat is a Wisconsin-based writer focused on blog content for software clients in the productivity, project management, and business ownership spaces. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Kat’s a high earner: In 2021, she grossed over $300k in income (netting over $175k after expenses) – which puts her effective hourly rates well above $100/h. Then, she welcomed a newborn last year and scaled back her work days even more, all while still earning six figures.  Kat and Wudan talk about growing earnings, asking for raises, and how to know whether we’re really testing the limit of what we are making.  Resources:   I Run a Six-Figure Business, But Now I Want to Take a Pay Cut by Kat Boogaard   Interview with Amanda Castleman  Webinar: How to Price Freelance Writing Projects  Join us on Patreon for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers  Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website   If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/ 

Determining rates can be really tricky for freelancers. We need our clients to agree to a price for a project, but we can’t sell ourselves short and leave money on the table. Naturally, freelancers might wonder: How much can I charge before I price myself out of work?  In this episode, Wudan talks to freelancer Kat Boogaard.  <a href="https://katboogaard.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kat</a> is a Wisconsin-based writer focused on blog content for software clients in the productivity, project management, and business ownership spaces. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Kat’s a high earner: In 2021, she grossed over $300k in income (netting over $175k after expenses) – which puts her effective hourly rates well above $100/h. Then, she welcomed a newborn last year and scaled back her work days even more, all while still earning six figures.  Kat and Wudan talk about growing earnings, asking for raises, and how to know whether we’re really testing the limit of what we are making.  Resources:  <ul> <li><a href="https://buffer.com/resources/small-business-scaling-back/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I Run a Six-Figure Business, But Now I Want to Take a Pay Cut</a> by Kat Boogaard  </li> <li><a href="https://travelwriting2.com/revisiting-amanda-castleman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Interview with Amanda Castleman</a> </li> <li>Webinar: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/webinar-how-to-price-freelance-writing-projects" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to Price Freelance Writing Projects</a> </li> <li>Join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a> for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers </li> <li>Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> </li> </ul> If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a>

Rate Increases and Price Ceilings with Kat Boogaard

Simone Stolzoff

Navigating crossroads in our careers isn’t easy — not when we’re traditionally employed, and certainly not as freelancers, where we pick the rules. The possibilities can seem endless. One assignment, one client, or maybe even one email can completely change what we decide to do next. While considering making a big career shift, we can sometimes feel stuck, and the next steps might not feel immediately obvious.  In this episode, guest host Simone Stolzoff joins Wudan to talk about how to navigate big career transitions.  Simone is a journalist and designer based in San Francisco who’s published in The Atlantic, New York Times, and many other national outlets. He’s also an expert on work and teaches a whole class on designing your next career step. His first book, The Good Enough Job is out on May 23. He has had a fascinating career, weaving from journalism to working at the international design consulting firm, IDEO, and back to media. You can follow Simone on Twitter here.  Simone outlines steps to take while considering making a big transition and drops some tips so you can go from idea to action! Resources:   Simone’s course, ​​Designing Your Next Career Step Values card sort How to write a good email by Anne Helen Petersen Our episode on smaller career pivots Join us on Patreon to get access to this episode's resource: a worksheet to help you sketch out your next career step. Sign up at any time! Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/ 

Navigating crossroads in our careers isn’t easy — not when we’re traditionally employed, and certainly not as freelancers, where we pick the rules. The possibilities can seem endless. One assignment, one client, or maybe even one email can completely change what we decide to do next. While considering making a big career shift, we can sometimes feel stuck, and the next steps might not feel immediately obvious.  In this episode, guest host Simone Stolzoff joins Wudan to talk about how to navigate big career transitions.  <a href="https://www.simonestolzoff.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simone</a> is a journalist and designer based in San Francisco who’s published in The Atlantic, New York Times, and many other national outlets. He’s also an expert on work and teaches a whole class on designing your next career step. His first book, The Good Enough Job is out on May 23. He has had a fascinating career, weaving from journalism to working at the international design consulting firm, IDEO, and back to media. You can <a href="https://twitter.com/SimoneStolzoff" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow Simone on Twitter here</a>.  Simone outlines steps to take while considering making a big transition and drops some tips so you can go from idea to action! Resources:  <ul> <li>Simone’s course, ​​<a href="https://maven.com/simone-stolzoff/designing-your-next-career-step" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Designing Your Next Career Step</a></li> <li><a href="https://annehelen.substack.com/p/how-to-write-an-email?nthPub=321" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow" target="_blank">Values card sort</a></li> <li><a href="https://annehelen.substack.com/p/how-to-write-an-email?nthPub=321" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow" target="_blank">How to write a good email</a> by Anne Helen Petersen</li> <li>Our episode on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/inflectionpoints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">smaller career pivots</a></li> <li>Join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a> to get access to this episode's resource: a worksheet to help you sketch out your next career step. Sign up at any time!</li> <li>Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a></li> <li>If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a> </li></ul>

Navigating Freelance Career Transitions with Simone Stolzoff

If you consume media, are a media worker, or just happen to pay attention to what’s happening to the media landscape, you might have heard that the industry is having… a bad time, to say the least. Hundreds of reporters and media employees have been laid off this year as newsrooms are shutting down or downsizing.  Some who are affected by these cuts try to move on to another full-time job, but other times, a layoff can lead to the freelance life. In this episode, Wudan is joined by guest co-host Karen Given  Karen is a freelance audio journalist, host, producer, editor, and voice coach based near Boston, MA. You can follow her on Twitter here. After more than 20 years working for WBUR and NPR’s “Only a Game,” she was laid off during the pandemic.  Karen chose freelancing after having a full-time job for decades and gives advice for others to do the same. She helps create a game plan for full-timers to consider. Karen and Wudan talk about maintaining relationships, understanding the freelance market, building your own brand and so much more.  Resources:   Because of the state of media right now, the worksheet for this episode will be available for free Our ⁠Layoff to Freelance Survival Guide⁠, which combines multiple resources on business planning, coming up with potential clients, and more, for those who are considering freelancing after getting laid off A free worksheet on processing your layoff⁠ Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our ⁠website⁠ If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/

If you consume media, are a media worker, or just happen to pay attention to what’s happening to the media landscape, you might have heard that the industry is having… a bad time, to say the least. Hundreds of reporters and media employees have been laid off this year as newsrooms are shutting down or downsizing.  Some who are affected by these cuts try to move on to another full-time job, but other times, a layoff can lead to the freelance life. In this episode, Wudan is joined by guest co-host Karen Given  <a href="http://karengiven.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Karen</a> is a freelance audio journalist, host, producer, editor, and voice coach based near Boston, MA. You can <a href="https://twitter.com/klgiven" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow her on Twitter here</a>. After more than 20 years working for WBUR and NPR’s “Only a Game,” she was laid off during the pandemic.  Karen chose freelancing after having a full-time job for decades and gives advice for others to do the same. She helps create a game plan for full-timers to consider. Karen and Wudan talk about maintaining relationships, understanding the freelance market, building your own brand and so much more.  Resources:  <ul> <li>Because of the state of media right now, the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p0fdLzwPEMfDX7FptxuEh3dgOR4vObV4/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow" target="_blank">worksheet for this episode will be available for free</a></li> <li>Our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/layoff-survival-guide" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">⁠Layoff to Freelance Survival Guide⁠</a>, which combines multiple resources on business planning, coming up with potential clients, and more, for those who are considering freelancing after getting laid off</li> <li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u38znsmmPM_YD3uYP4hS3CCONdaY78R5tghAN9-TSvU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A free worksheet on processing your layoff⁠</a></li> <li>Join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">⁠Patreon⁠</a> for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers</li> <li>Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">⁠website⁠</a></li> <li>If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a></li></ul>

Set Yourself Up Well for Freelancing When You’re Full-Time with Karen Given

Anna Burgess

A big reason why many of us feel drawn to freelancing is because we love the freedom and flexibility that it offers:  we can work when, where, and how we want. Still, even as freelancers, we might feel pressure to adhere to working a “full-time job” – a 40-hour, or even longer, week, despite not needing or wanting to. But we have the power to opt out. We can work when it suits us best, setting boundaries with ourselves and our clients to make this possible.  In this episode, Wudan talks with guest host Anna Burgess Yang.  Anna is a freelance writer and workflow consultant based outside of Chicago. She is super passionate about time management and a big proponent of time-blocking, or setting aside chunks of time dedicated to certain tasks or clients. You can follow her on Twitter, Substack and Medium. Anna talks about how she condensed her workweek down to about 3.5 days while still earning enough to support herself and her family. She also shares tips and tricks so that you, too, could shave hours (or even days!) off your week.  Resources:   Anna’s free eBook: Manage Your Time + Content Across Multiple Platforms  Join us on Patreon to get access to this episode's resource: A worksheet that will help you figure out how to integrate time-blocking into your weekly routine. All-Access members are already continuing the conversation of reducing their workweek in our Slack, which you can join at any time.  Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website  If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/  

A big reason why many of us feel drawn to freelancing is because we love the freedom and flexibility that it offers:  we can work when, where, and how we want. Still, even as freelancers, we might feel pressure to adhere to working a “full-time job” – a 40-hour, or even longer, week, despite not needing or wanting to. But we have the power to opt out. We can work when it suits us best, setting boundaries with ourselves and our clients to make this possible.  In this episode, Wudan talks with guest host Anna Burgess Yang.  Anna is a freelance writer and workflow consultant based outside of Chicago. She is super passionate about time management and a big proponent of time-blocking, or setting aside chunks of time dedicated to certain tasks or clients. You can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnaBYang" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://annabyang.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Substack </a>and <a href="https://annabyang.medium.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Medium</a>. Anna talks about how she condensed her workweek down to about 3.5 days while still earning enough to support herself and her family. She also shares tips and tricks so that you, too, could shave hours (or even days!) off your week.  Resources:  <ul> <li>Anna’s free eBook: <a href="https://annabyang.gumroad.com/l/ebook-manage-time-content?layout=profile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manage Your Time + Content Across Multiple Platforms</a> </li> <li>Join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a> to get access to this episode's resource: A worksheet that will help you figure out how to integrate time-blocking into your weekly routine. All-Access members are already continuing the conversation of reducing their workweek in our Slack, which you can join at any time. </li> <li>Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> </li> <li>If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a> </li></ul>

Reclaim Hours – Even Days! – From Your Workweek with Anna Burgess Yang

Joanne Machin

Welcome to Season 7 of the Writers’ Co-op! To kick off the season, we wanted to dedicate our first episode to a word that often shapes how we view both work and ourselves: success. We usually believe success is measured by hitting societally-defined milestones or accumulating fame or wealth. But what happens when our personal goals differ from what others expect from us? And what constitutes success when our values and milestones are constantly changing? How can we ultimately come up with a new framework of success for ourselves? Wudan digs into these questions with guest host Joanne Machin. Joanne is a freelance editor, romance writer, virtual assistant and coach based out of the Pacific Northwest. You can follow her on Twitter here. Joanne talks more about different ways to redefine success in your life and gives advice on how to ensure you’re working toward your goals. Resources:  All-Access Patreon members will get a worksheet with journaling prompts so you’re able to redefine success for YOURSELF. Signing up via patreon.com/twcpod at the All-Access level gets you more of these great resources, early access to episodes, and an in to our inclusive and psychologically safe Slack Community Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/

Welcome to Season 7 of the Writers’ Co-op! To kick off the season, we wanted to dedicate our first episode to a word that often shapes how we view both work and ourselves: success. We usually believe success is measured by hitting societally-defined milestones or accumulating fame or wealth. But what happens when our personal goals differ from what others expect from us? And what constitutes success when our values and milestones are constantly changing? How can we ultimately come up with a new framework of success for ourselves? Wudan digs into these questions with guest host Joanne Machin. Joanne is a freelance editor, romance writer, virtual assistant and coach based out of the Pacific Northwest. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/heyjomachin" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Joanne talks more about different ways to redefine success in your life and gives advice on how to ensure you’re working toward your goals. Resources: <ul> <li>All-Access Patreon members will get a worksheet with journaling prompts so you’re able to redefine success for YOURSELF. Signing up via <a href="http://patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/twcpod</a> at the All-Access level gets you more of these great resources, early access to episodes, and an in to our inclusive and psychologically safe Slack Community</li> <li>Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a></li> <li>If you’re just getting started with your freelance business, you’ll want to check out our freelance business courses at The Writers’ Co-op Academy on building your business plan and navigating and negotiating contracts: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a></li></ul>

Redefine Freelance Success with Joanne Machin

Season 7 (!!) will launch shortly, after a month-long break. Wudan will be hosting and executive producing the show moving forward, after Jenni resigned at the end of last year to focus on her family.  The next season will feature conversations between Wudan and co-hosts, who will help us all to navigate ways to reduce our workweek, building our own audience, redefining success, and so much more.  If you've got ideas for future episodes, or would like to be a guest, get in touch at thewriterscoop2@gmail.com. If you're just discovering the show, we'd love for you to join our inclusive Patreon community at the All-Access level via patreon.com/twcpod. All-Access Patreons get in to the TWC Slack, a psychologically safe space for freelance creatives, in addition to discounts for events and to our resource store. We also have self-guided online courses in building a business plan and navigating contracts.  See you in a few weeks! 

Season 7 (!!) will launch shortly, after a month-long break. Wudan will be hosting and executive producing the show moving forward, after Jenni resigned at the end of last year to focus on her family.  The next season will feature conversations between Wudan and co-hosts, who will help us all to navigate ways to reduce our workweek, building our own audience, redefining success, and so much more.  If you've got ideas for future episodes, or would like to be a guest, get in touch at <a href="//thewriterscoop2@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thewriterscoop2@gmail.com</a>. If you're just discovering the show, we'd love for you to join our inclusive Patreon community at the All-Access level via <a href="//patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/twcpod</a>. All-Access Patreons get in to the TWC Slack, a psychologically safe space for freelance creatives, in addition to discounts for events and to our resource store. We also have <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">self-guided online courses in building a business plan and navigating contracts.</a> See you in a few weeks!

Season 7 of The Writers' Co-op: Coming Soon!

Today we’re playing an episode from July 2021 with freelancer Emma Diehl. This was from our third season, where we coached other freelancers.  In this episode, Jenni and Emma talk about some of the trickiest parts of freelancing, including marketing. If you’ve asked “How do I sell my services in a way that feels authentic?” or “ how can I make myself stand out in a sea of people who are offering the same things?” – then this episode is for you. After Jenni and Emma met for their coaching session, Emma revamped her bio: Emma Diehl is a writer and editor specializing in finance, tech, and real estate content. Her specialty is mastering tricky topics (stuff like tax returns, AI, and home inspections) in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand. When she's not combing through technical documents and research, she's fermenting stuff in her kitchen, learning to skateboard, and curating a pop culture recommendation newsletter. You can find her on Twitter and can read more about her work at https://www.emmadiehl.com/. If you want to dig into marketing alongside Emma, you can download the market yourself booster pack. One worksheet walks you through revamping your website, and another is focused on journaling about why you’re a unique person and worker. The third worksheet is an exercise that comes from the book The Artist’s Way, which will help you  to make time for play through an artist’s date. And don’t forget: If you want to polish up your business, you can always enroll in our TWC online course on business planning.

Today we’re playing an episode from July 2021 with freelancer Emma Diehl. This was from our third season, where we coached other freelancers.  In this episode, Jenni and Emma talk about some of the trickiest parts of freelancing, including marketing. If you’ve asked “How do I sell my services in a way that feels authentic?” or “ how can I make myself stand out in a sea of people who are offering the same things?” – then this episode is for you. After Jenni and Emma met for their coaching session, Emma revamped her bio: Emma Diehl is a writer and editor specializing in finance, tech, and real estate content. Her specialty is mastering tricky topics (stuff like tax returns, AI, and home inspections) in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand. When she's not combing through technical documents and research, she's fermenting stuff in her kitchen, learning to skateboard, and curating a pop culture recommendation newsletter. You can find her on<a href="https://twitter.com/bigdiehl90" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Twitter</a> and can read more about her work at<a href="https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/41be9b221d5cd08a7f8aa054f7ada2e7f3d9aa5b?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.emmadiehl.com%2F&amp;userId=5949341&amp;signature=8759ad515066dfdb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.emmadiehl.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.emmadiehl.com/</a>. If you want to dig into marketing alongside Emma, you can download the<a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/the-authentic-marketing-booster-pack" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> market yourself booster pack</a>. One worksheet walks you through revamping your website, and another is focused on journaling about why you’re a unique person and worker. The third worksheet is an exercise that comes from the book The Artist’s Way, which will help you  to make time for play through an artist’s date. And don’t forget: If you want to polish up your business, you can always enroll in our TWC<a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> online course on business planning</a>.

Embrace Authentic Marketing (July 2021)

Today we’re running our last live episode of the season! Jenni will be stepping away from TWC to focus on her family and health, and Wudan will carry on with managing the community and future iterations of the show. If you haven’t joined our Patreon program yet, please do – the Slack channel is always growing and a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers.  Today’s episode is a Q&amp;A. We talk about how to break into this industry if you don’t have a ton of experience or want to change your niche, where your energy is best focused during slow work seasons, the things we’ve learned from taking long leaves of absence from work, and how many hours a freelancer can reasonably spend on creative projects in one day. Our Patreon members will get access to a worksheet about caregiving leave (which you can use to plan any kind of leave) as well as our tip sheet for handling slow seasons. You can always find those (and other resources!) in our store: https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources Other resources:  How to handle slow seasons Our business-planning course Caregiving leave episode

Today we’re running our last live episode of the season! Jenni will be stepping away from TWC to focus on her family and health, and Wudan will carry on with managing the community and future iterations of the show. If you haven’t joined our <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon program</a> yet, please do – the Slack channel is always growing and a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers.  Today’s episode is a Q&amp;A. We talk about how to break into this industry if you don’t have a ton of experience or want to change your niche, where your energy is best focused during slow work seasons, the things we’ve learned from taking long leaves of absence from work, and how many hours a freelancer can reasonably spend on creative projects in one day. Our Patreon members will get access to a worksheet about caregiving leave (which you can use to plan any kind of leave) as well as our tip sheet for handling slow seasons. You can always find those (and other resources!) in our store: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources</a> Other resources: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/slowseasons" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to handle slow seasons</a></li> <li><a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our business-planning course</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/caregivingleave" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Caregiving leave episode</a></li></ul>

Another Ask Us Anything

It’s rare to have a perfect relationship with a client. They might do small things that bug us, like scrub all of our oxford commas and em-dashes. But there might be other things they do that bother us more: Maybe they don’t listen to your feedback. Or they micromanage or do something that seriously hinders your ability to work. Or their expectations and scope change constantly. It’s all frustrating, but when do you make the choice to bail on a project, and when do you stay? How do you know when you’ve had enough? In this episode, Jenni and Wudan walk through different projects where they’ve strongly considered bailing – or when they really did walk away. They'll also address several letters and voice memos from listeners. We hope these conversations can help guide you the next time you’re faced with a tricky client situation. Resources:  Jenni's recent newsletter about how to make a decision Join us on Patreon to get access to this episode's resource: A worksheet that will help you think through whether or not you should stay in these less-than-ideal situations. Plus, our all-access members are already discussing this episode in our Slack group. Check out our business planning resources, worksheets and webinars.

It’s rare to have a perfect relationship with a client. They might do small things that bug us, like scrub all of our oxford commas and em-dashes. But there might be other things they do that bother us more: Maybe they don’t listen to your feedback. Or they micromanage or do something that seriously hinders your ability to work. Or their expectations and scope change constantly. It’s all frustrating, but when do you make the choice to bail on a project, and when do you stay? How do you know when you’ve had enough? In this episode, Jenni and Wudan walk through different projects where they’ve strongly considered bailing – or when they really did walk away. They'll also address several letters and voice memos from listeners. We hope these conversations can help guide you the next time you’re faced with a tricky client situation. Resources: <ul> <li>Jenni's recent newsletter about <a href="https://jennigritters.substack.com/p/how-to-make-a-decision" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">how to make a decision</a></li> <li>Join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a> to get access to this episode's resource: A worksheet that will help you think through whether or not you should stay in these less-than-ideal situations. Plus, our all-access members are already discussing this episode in our Slack group.</li> <li>Check out our <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">business planning resources, worksheets and webinars</a>.</li></ul>

To Bail or Not to Bail

Saying no is just as critical to running a freelance business as saying yes. You can't say yes to the right opportunities if you're filling up your time with assignments that don't pay well, or where clients mistreat you.  In this re-run from May 2020, Wudan and Jenni address reasons why you might say no to a freelance assignments (including if the pay rate is lower than you'd usually charge, if the project presents ethical dilemmas, or if your schedule is too full to allow you the time you need to do good work). We talk about how to say no without breaking off the relationship completely, so you can leave the door open for working together in the future.  Because saying no is tough, we've also called on veteran freelance writers, editors and journalists Brent Crane, Lesley Evans Ogden, Josh Sokol, Emily Krieger, and Alice Driver. In this episode, they offer tips for turning a yes into a no, and they talk about why saying no is so important to their business models. If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ The Writers’ Co-op Academy! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper.   You're also invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on Patreon. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel.  You can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on our website. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

Saying no is just as critical to running a freelance business as saying yes. You can't say yes to the right opportunities if you're filling up your time with assignments that don't pay well, or where clients mistreat you.  In this re-run from May 2020, Wudan and Jenni address reasons why you might say no to a freelance assignments (including if the pay rate is lower than you'd usually charge, if the project presents ethical dilemmas, or if your schedule is too full to allow you the time you need to do good work). We talk about how to say no without breaking off the relationship completely, so you can leave the door open for working together in the future.  Because saying no is tough, we've also called on veteran freelance writers, editors and journalists <a href="https://twitter.com/bcamcrane" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brent Crane</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ljevanso" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lesley Evans Ogden</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/josh_sokol" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Josh Sokol</a>, <a href="https://www.emilykrieger.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Krieger</a>, and <a href="https://www.alicedriver.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alice Driver</a>. In this episode, they offer tips for turning a yes into a no, and they talk about why saying no is so important to their business models. If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Writers’ Co-op Academy</a>! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper.   You're also invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel.  You can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our website</a>. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

The Subtle Art of Saying No (May 2020)

The Writers’ Co-op is an audio business handbook for freelance creatives. Host and executive producer Wudan Yan leverages her and co-hosts' freelance experiences to provide a transparent look at what it takes to run a resilient freelance business as a creative. From negotiating higher rates, to protecting your business and intellectual property, to taking time off and organizing your workflow, to doing the mindset work needed to achieve your goals, you'll walk away from this podcast with actionable tips to implement right away.

Today we have a new episode for you, which is about pacing your workdays. This episode was inspired by a tweet Jenni sent out about a month ago, asking about how people shape their days. In this episode, we dig into why pacing can change throughout seasons of your career, and we talk about ways to investigate if your pacing is working for you right now. We also talk about “fast” and “slow” work and whether either really says anything at all about quality. If you haven’t done so yet, please leave us a review! Reviews help us reach more freelancers. You can join us on Patreon, listen to our previous episode on overbooking, or follow us on social media. You can also refine your business by buying TWC resources or taking our online courses.

Today we have a new episode for you, which is about pacing your workdays. This episode was inspired by a <a href="https://twitter.com/jenni_gritters/status/1568007816555958272" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">tweet</a> Jenni sent out about a month ago, asking about how people shape their days. In this episode, we dig into why pacing can change throughout seasons of your career, and we talk about ways to investigate if your pacing is working for you right now. We also talk about “fast” and “slow” work and whether either really says anything at all about quality. If you haven’t done so yet, please leave us a review! Reviews help us reach more freelancers. You can join us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>, listen to our previous episode on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/overbooking" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">overbooking</a>, or follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/TWC_pod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">social media</a>. You can also refine your business by buying TWC <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">resources</a> or taking our <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">online courses</a>.

Pace Yourself

This episode is a re-run from May 2020.  Making connections with other writers, editors and creatives is essential to building a freelance business that lasts throughout the years. When a gig ends or a client runs out of budget, having a strong network can give you a starting point for finding new work. But we know that networking can be challenging, too. It often feels forced or inauthentic, and it can be tough to know where to start with building a network if you don't think you have one already. (Chances are, you do. But we'll get to that.)  In this episode, Jenni and Wudan talk about relationship building, how to make connections without feeling gross, and the best ways (and worst ways) to reach out to someone you respect. They share stories of networking gone right and wrong, give insider tips for chasing down editors, and offer thoughts on what to say if you're sending someone a cold email asking for help. Now that season one is over, we've compiled every episode's resources into a workbook, which you can buy here. And we have a brand-new new offering: If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ The Writers’ Co-op Academy! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper. You're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on Patreon. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources.  If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on our website. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

This episode is a re-run from May 2020. Making connections with other writers, editors and creatives is essential to building a freelance business that lasts throughout the years. When a gig ends or a client runs out of budget, having a strong network can give you a starting point for finding new work. But we know that networking can be challenging, too. It often feels forced or inauthentic, and it can be tough to know where to start with building a network if you don't think you have one already. (Chances are, you do. But we'll get to that.) In this episode, Jenni and Wudan talk about relationship building, how to make connections without feeling gross, and the best ways (and worst ways) to reach out to someone you respect. They share stories of networking gone right and wrong, give insider tips for chasing down editors, and offer thoughts on what to say if you're sending someone a cold email asking for help. Now that season one is over, we've compiled every episode's resources into a workbook, which <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/workbook-season-one-learning-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can buy here</a>. And we have a brand-new new offering: If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Writers’ Co-op Academy</a>! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper. You're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources. If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">our website</a>. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

Building Relationships (May 2020)

This episode is a re-run from October 2020. If you want to talk about running a 6-figure freelance writing business, Matt Villano is the person to call. He has been a full-time freelancer for 25 years and during that time he’s written for publications such as The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. He also specializes in copywriting, editing, and branding for a host of companies and nonprofits. Despite the pandemic, 2020 has been his most lucrative year yet. In this episode, Matt and Jenni talk about parenting and freelancing during a pandemic (Matt has three daughters, and Jenni has a 9-month-old). Matt explains how he reaches out to brands and why he thinks of his business as a factory with product lines. He walks us through his strategies for finding work (which mostly involve talking to people), and he explains the importance of having a designated work space. You can find Matt on Twitter @mattvillano. His website is whalehead.com.

This episode is a re-run from October 2020. If you want to talk about running a 6-figure freelance writing business, Matt Villano is the person to call. He has been a full-time freelancer for 25 years and during that time he’s written for publications such as The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. He also specializes in copywriting, editing, and branding for a host of companies and nonprofits. Despite the pandemic, 2020 has been his most lucrative year yet. In this episode, Matt and Jenni talk about parenting and freelancing during a pandemic (Matt has three daughters, and Jenni has a 9-month-old). Matt explains how he reaches out to brands and why he thinks of his business as a factory with product lines. He walks us through his strategies for finding work (which mostly involve talking to people), and he explains the importance of having a designated work space. You can find Matt on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/mattvillano" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mattvillano</a>. His website is <a href="https://www.whalehead.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whalehead.com</a>.

Chasing Corporate Clients with Matt Villano (October 2020)

Let’s be honest: No one is perfect at running a business. We’ve all screwed up. We’ve all been too pushy or not pushy enough. We’ve all reacted too quickly when a situation doesn’t go the way we want it to. In both Wudan and Jenni’s coaching practices (and in our own businesses), we’ve helped our clients navigate and reflect on their relationships with their clients, and that’s what we’re doing in this episode, too. Complaining about a client outcome that didn’t go your way can feel soothing at first. For many of us, venting is a normal part of coping. And, of course, in many ways, the system sucks and we want to place blame on the overburdened editors, the crappy pitch pipeline, the poor pay, late payments… the list goes on and on. But in almost every situation, you’re part of the interaction, too. During coaching conversations, we’re often pushing people to figure out what they can own, because that’s where you DO have some control. So: What is your responsibility when things don’t go your way in your business? And how can you address those blind spots? We share examples of where we’ve screwed up, and what we’ve learned. All-access Patreon members get a worksheet with journaling prompts to help reflect on how they can learn from their past mistakes. And, they’re already sharing their vulnerabilities over in the members-only Slack, so hop on over and join that conversation! Join today at: www.patreon.com/twcpod. BTW: We have a TWC voicemail now! This season, we’d love to hear your voice. Tell us what you’d like more guidance on in your freelance business by calling 458-206-6127. You might even hear your voice on a future episode! Links to dive into:  On Choosing Abundance by Alex Sujong Laughlin Mastering the Discovery Call

Let’s be honest: No one is perfect at running a business. We’ve all screwed up. We’ve all been too pushy or not pushy enough. We’ve all reacted too quickly when a situation doesn’t go the way we want it to. In both Wudan and Jenni’s coaching practices (and in our own businesses), we’ve helped our clients navigate and reflect on their relationships with their clients, and that’s what we’re doing in this episode, too. Complaining about a client outcome that didn’t go your way can feel soothing at first. For many of us, venting is a normal part of coping. And, of course, in many ways, the system sucks and we want to place blame on the overburdened editors, the crappy pitch pipeline, the poor pay, late payments… the list goes on and on. But in almost every situation, you’re part of the interaction, too. During coaching conversations, we’re often pushing people to figure out what they can own, because that’s where you DO have some control. So: What is your responsibility when things don’t go your way in your business? And how can you address those blind spots? We share examples of where we’ve screwed up, and what we’ve learned. All-access Patreon members get a worksheet with journaling prompts to help reflect on how they can learn from their past mistakes. And, they’re already sharing their vulnerabilities over in the members-only Slack, so hop on over and join that conversation! Join today at: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.patreon.com/twcpod</a>. BTW: We have a TWC voicemail now! This season, we’d love to hear your voice. Tell us what you’d like more guidance on in your freelance business by calling 458-206-6127. You might even hear your voice on a future episode! Links to dive into: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/freelance-scarcity-mindset-abundance-burnout/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">On Choosing Abundance</a> by Alex Sujong Laughlin</li> <li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FjDiF1ERE7UvCM5WTB2Jd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mastering the Discovery Call</a></li></ul>

Mistakes Were Made

Happy July! We hope you’re hanging in there. We are both officially OOO right now – Jenni with her new baby, and Wudan hiking the PCT. This episode was recorded about a month ago, and it’s our last new season five episode. We’ll be back in the fall with some new content! Today we’re diving into service transitions. Basically, most of us start running our businesses with a focus on writing. But over time we can get bored, or the industry changes and a revenue stream dries up. Suddenly, it makes sense to invest in something new. But how do you take your editorial skills and direct them toward a new service offering? That’s what we’re talking about in this episode. Wudan recently pivoted toward podcast production, and Jenni is doing a lot of work in the e-course space. Both pivots forced us to get in touch with what we wanted; we used our previously-established expertise to convince new clients to hire us in these new service areas. It’s not been easy, but it has been rewarding – and we’re pulling back the curtain on that process. We’re on pause right now when it comes to events, but keep an eye out for our fall line-up soon. In the meantime, check out our self-paced courses on our Teachable page. Summer can be a great time to refresh your business plan and offerings. And if you're not a member, you can always join our Patreon crew: https://www.patreon.com/twcpod Other resources:  Webinar: Breaking into Content Strategy Webinar: Breaking into Content Marketing New Episode: Discovery Calls  PS. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Bump Inbound and Ercule recently released a course called Content Strategy Quickstart. In just a few hours, this course will teach you how to create a B2B content strategy – from scratch. It's designed to help your clients get more out of their content marketing, and to help you confidently sell a high-dollar service. Content Strategy Quickstart features 50 pages of detailed, step-by-step guides, 9 instructional videos, and 5 templates, covering topics from audience research, to SEO, to content distribution. Use the code "writers-coop" to get $100 off.

Happy July! We hope you’re hanging in there. We are both officially OOO right now – Jenni with her new baby, and Wudan hiking the PCT. This episode was recorded about a month ago, and it’s our last new season five episode. We’ll be back in the fall with some new content! Today we’re diving into service transitions. Basically, most of us start running our businesses with a focus on writing. But over time we can get bored, or the industry changes and a revenue stream dries up. Suddenly, it makes sense to invest in something new. But how do you take your editorial skills and direct them toward a new service offering? That’s what we’re talking about in this episode. Wudan recently pivoted toward podcast production, and Jenni is doing a lot of work in the e-course space. Both pivots forced us to get in touch with what we wanted; we used our previously-established expertise to convince new clients to hire us in these new service areas. It’s not been easy, but it has been rewarding – and we’re pulling back the curtain on that process. We’re on pause right now when it comes to events, but keep an eye out for our fall line-up soon. In the meantime, check out our self-paced courses on our <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teachable page</a>. Summer can be a great time to <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">refresh your business plan</a> and offerings. And if you're not a member, you can always join our Patreon crew:<a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.patreon.com/twcpod</a> Other resources: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/webinar-breaking-into-content-strategy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Webinar: Breaking into Content Strategy</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/webinar-breaking-into-content-marketing-as-a-freelance-journalist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Webinar: Breaking into Content Marketing</a></li> <li>New Episode: Discovery Calls</li> </ul> PS. This episode is sponsored by our friends at Bump Inbound and Ercule recently released a course called <a href="https://contentstrategyquickstart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Content Strategy Quickstart</a>. In just a few hours, this course will teach you how to create a B2B content strategy – from scratch. It's designed to help your clients get more out of their content marketing, and to help you confidently sell a high-dollar service. <a href="https://contentstrategyquickstart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Content Strategy Quickstart</a> features 50 pages of detailed, step-by-step guides, 9 instructional videos, and 5 templates, covering topics from audience research, to SEO, to content distribution. Use the code "writers-coop" to get $100 off.

Managing Service Transitions

We're re-running old TWC episodes over the course of the spring and summer, as we both slow down. This re-run is all about career planning and growth! An oldie and a goodie. How do you plan a career trajectory when there are infinite options and no set paths? Freelancers can struggle with career building because there are no managers to give you raises, and no obvious career ladder. But there are some common ways to build skills and move up in the industry. In this episode, Jenni and Wudan talk about growing your writing career. They discuss applying for grants, the pros and cons of enrolling in a masters program, how to get experience on the job, pitching ambitious projects and setting goals for yourself, and how to stay intentional about where you want to go. Freelancer and resume wizard Adina Salomon also joins the hosts to talk about tips and tricks for polishing up your freelancer resume. Resources:  The Season 1 workbook lives here. If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ The Writers’ Co-op Academy! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics)-- and that includes a section about planning for retirement + working skill building into your plan -- and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper. As you plan your career, check out our webinars and worksheets on that topic. (Our favorite is this one.)    As always, you're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on Patreon. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources.  If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on our website. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

We're re-running old TWC episodes over the course of the spring and summer, as we both slow down. This re-run is all about career planning and growth! An oldie and a goodie. How do you plan a career trajectory when there are infinite options and no set paths? Freelancers can struggle with career building because there are no managers to give you raises, and no obvious career ladder. But there are some common ways to build skills and move up in the industry. In this episode, Jenni and Wudan talk about growing your writing career. They discuss applying for grants, the pros and cons of enrolling in a masters program, how to get experience on the job, pitching ambitious projects and setting goals for yourself, and how to stay intentional about where you want to go. Freelancer and resume wizard <a href="https://twitter.com/adinars?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adina Salomon</a> also joins the hosts to talk about tips and tricks for polishing up your freelancer resume. Resources: <ul> <li>The Season 1 workbook lives <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/workbook-season-one-learning-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</li> <li>If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Writers’ Co-op Academy</a>! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics)-- and that includes a section about planning for retirement + working skill building into your plan -- and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper.</li> <li>As you plan your career, <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/career-planning" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check out our webinars and worksheets on that topic</a>. (Our favorite is <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/worksheet-career-planning-101" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this one</a>.) </li> </ul> As always, you're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources.  If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our website</a>. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

Grow Your Career (June 2020)

Wudan's love for discovery calls probably surprises very few of you: She loves connecting with others and enjoy learning about how she can bring her skills to help a new client. She gets really excited about these calls because they smell like possibilities. Lately, we've been getting a ton of questions about LOIs, discovery calls, and landing new clients. So today we're talking about how to nail the discovery call. We run through how to weed clients out so you’re not wasting your precious, unpaid time to take these calls, plus how to best prepare for them – yes, they really are like mini freelance job interviews – and beyond. Have you had a wildly successful discovery call? All-access members are already continuing the conversation in our Slack, which you can join at any time via patreon.com/twcpod.  Other notes:  Learn about how to determine your business values: https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing Missed a past event of ours? Or digging for a resource mentioned on a previous episode? You’ll find what you need at https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/ Finally, if you’re just discovering us and want some guidance on navigating contracts, or building out a business plan for your freelance business, check out our self-paced courses on our Teachable page.

Wudan's love for discovery calls probably surprises very few of you: She loves connecting with others and enjoy learning about how she can bring her skills to help a new client. She gets really excited about these calls because they smell like possibilities. Lately, we've been getting a ton of questions about LOIs, discovery calls, and landing new clients. So today we're talking about how to nail the discovery call. We run through how to weed clients out so you’re not wasting your precious, unpaid time to take these calls, plus how to best prepare for them – yes, they really are like mini freelance job interviews – and beyond. Have you had a wildly successful discovery call? All-access members are already continuing the conversation in our Slack, which you can join at any time via <a href="http://patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/twcpod</a>.  Other notes: <ul> <li>Learn about how to determine your business values: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing</a></li> <li>Missed a past event of ours? Or digging for a resource mentioned on a previous episode? You’ll find what you need at <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/</a></li> <li>Finally, if you’re just discovering us and want some guidance on navigating contracts, or building out a business plan for your freelance business, check out our self-paced courses on our <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teachable page</a>.</li></ul>

The Discovery Call

We're running some older episodes while we take this spring and summer season more slowly! This week's re-run is our very first money-related episode ever published! Your money mindset determines every aspect of your freelance writing and editing business. It's also a key to long-lasting success: Making good money allows you to live a life based on what you value, and it provides the stability needed to make good art. In this episode, Wudan and Jenni talk about how to determine your rates, how to math out your goal income for each month, and why it's important to be shameless about wanting to make money. They also discuss how much they make each year as freelancers (and how they got there), why financial conversations about freelancing should also address privilege, and why paying the rent really does improve your writing craft. May we recommend some resources?  Buy the season 1 workbook here. Snag our business planning workbook here. If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ The Writers’ Co-op Academy! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper. We've also hosted webinars on taxes, planning for retirement, and beyond, which you can download on our website.     As always, you're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on Patreon. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources.  If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on our website. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

We're running some older episodes while we take this spring and summer season more slowly! This week's re-run is our very first money-related episode ever published! Your money mindset determines every aspect of your freelance writing and editing business. It's also a key to long-lasting success: Making good money allows you to live a life based on what you value, and it provides the stability needed to make good art. In this episode, Wudan and Jenni talk about how to determine your rates, how to math out your goal income for each month, and why it's important to be shameless about wanting to make money. They also discuss how much they make each year as freelancers (and how they got there), why financial conversations about freelancing should also address privilege, and why paying the rent really does improve your writing craft. May we recommend some resources? <ul> <li>B<a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/workbook-season-one-learning-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">u</a>y the<a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/workbook-season-one-learning-materials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> season 1 workbook here</a>.</li> <li>Snag our business planning workbook<a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/p/your-freelance-business-plan-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> here</a>.</li> <li>If you're just getting started with your freelance business, you'll want to enroll in freelance biz school @ <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Writers’ Co-op Academy</a>! We're offering two courses: One that helps you build a business plan (Biz Basics) and one to help you understand media contracts. It's like 1-1 coaching, but cheaper.</li> <li>We've also hosted webinars on taxes, planning for retirement, and beyond, which you can <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources/webinars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">download on our website</a>.  </li> </ul> As always, you're invited to support the podcast by becoming an official Writers' Co-op member on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. All members $3 and up get access to event discounts, a Q&amp;A form, and more. All-Access members receive special worksheets and other downloads along with each episode, plus an exclusive episode at the end of each season, and access to our Slack channel. And if you're a VIP or Pod Squad member, you also get monthly coaching sessions along with the aforementioned resources.  If you're not a member, you can buy each episode's accompanying resources a la carte on <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our website</a>. Episode transcriptions are also available there.

Money Mindset (March 2020)

Today we’re bringing you a new episode about approaching slow seasons. You know what we’re talking about: Those lulls in freelance work after all your projects are filed. You’re busy and then… very little happens. It can be stressful! Jenni and I get a ton of questions about this, so we decided to dedicate an entire episode to it. As you listen, you’ll note that we each had a slow season at around the same time, and we approached it quite differently. As with anything else, there’s no *right way* to approach a slower pace of working – should you choose to work at all during these work lulls – but we hope this episode sheds light on a few ways to think about this sometimes-uncomfortable period. It’s an inevitable part of freelancing that I think we all ought to find a sane way to lean in to. How do you approach slower periods of work? Over in our Slack community, All-Access (and up) members are already sharing their experiences; you can join us at any time to partake in the lively discussion and community: patreon.com/twcpod. All-access members and up also got access to a slow season tip sheet, which you'll get access to as well when you join the community. Other resources:  Our very first episode of TWC, focused on values: https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing Our discussion about overbooking: https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/overbooking Jenni's newsletter: https://jennigritters.substack.com/ Wudan's newsletter: https://wudan.substack.com/  Missed a past event of ours? Or digging for a resource mentioned on a previous episode? You’ll find what you need at https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/  If you’re just discovering us and want some guidance on navigating conflicts, or building out a business plan for your freelance business, check out our self-paced courses on our Teachable page.

Today we’re bringing you a new episode about approaching slow seasons. You know what we’re talking about: Those lulls in freelance work after all your projects are filed. You’re busy and then… very little happens. It can be stressful! Jenni and I get a ton of questions about this, so we decided to dedicate an entire episode to it. As you listen, you’ll note that we each had a slow season at around the same time, and we approached it quite differently. As with anything else, there’s no *right way* to approach a slower pace of working – should you choose to work at all during these work lulls – but we hope this episode sheds light on a few ways to think about this sometimes-uncomfortable period. It’s an inevitable part of freelancing that I think we all ought to find a sane way to lean in to. How do you approach slower periods of work? Over in our Slack community, All-Access (and up) members are already sharing their experiences; you can join us at any time to partake in the lively discussion and community: <a href="http://patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/twcpod</a>. All-access members and up also got access to a slow season tip sheet, which you'll get access to as well when you join the community. Other resources: <ul> <li>Our very first episode of TWC, focused on values: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/wtf-am-i-doing</a></li> <li>Our discussion about overbooking: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/overbooking" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/episodes/overbooking</a></li> <li>Jenni's newsletter: <a href="https://jennigritters.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://jennigritters.substack.com/</a></li> <li>Wudan's newsletter: <a href="https://wudan.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://wudan.substack.com/</a></li> </ul> Missed a past event of ours? Or digging for a resource mentioned on a previous episode? You’ll find what you need at <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/</a> If you’re just discovering us and want some guidance on navigating conflicts, or building out a business plan for your freelance business, check out our self-paced courses on our <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teachable page</a>.

Embracing Slow Seasons

As we take this spring and summer more slowly, we're currently replaying some old hits! This one is from July 2021. Building a freelance career can feel directionless; there are no set rules about where to go. But Jenni and Wudan have both built their own careers (and helped other people craft theirs) by pivoting when they hit moments of confusion or frustration. We’re calling these moments inflection points. An inflection is a slight change in tone, and every person will encounter many inflection points in their freelance business (and in their life!) over time. Jenni's biggest inflection points have occurred because of the pandemic and having a child, but she also faced subtle changes when her interests and values changed. Wudan hit a wall when she realized that she couldn't run two businesses during a pandemic and avoid burn out. In all of these cases, an adjustment was necessary. And the adjustments were subtle -- but over time, they add up. In this episode, Jenni and Wudan outline the kinds of inflection points you might face, and they also talk about how to work through them. Of course, coaching is one option for dealing with these moments -- but there are lots of other ways to work through a pivot. Hitting these blocks is normal but the important thing is that you adjust course when they occur -- as they say, what got us here won’t get us there! Sticking with something that isn’t working for you can lead to burnout, too. To access career-planning resources, visit our website: https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/twcpod And enroll in our e-courses: https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/ As always, we’d love to hear about your successful and failed experiments on Twitter or in our email inbox. And if you haven’t yet, please subscribe to TWC or leave a review. Promotional support for this Writers’ Co-op episode comes from The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. Now in its ninth year and hosted by Brendan O'Meara, CNF Pod brings together the best of narrative journalism, memoir, essay, poetry and documentary film to talk about the art and craft of telling true stories. We love listening to CNF Pod and have both been guests. Brendan is fantastic. Other past CNF Pod guests have included Patrick Radden Keefe, Susan Orlean, Chuck Klosterman and US. You can subscribe wherever you get

As we take this spring and summer more slowly, we're currently replaying some old hits! This one is from July 2021. Building a freelance career can feel directionless; there are no set rules about where to go. But Jenni and Wudan have both built their own careers (and helped other people craft theirs) by pivoting when they hit moments of confusion or frustration. We’re calling these moments inflection points. An inflection is a slight change in tone, and every person will encounter many inflection points in their freelance business (and in their life!) over time. Jenni's biggest inflection points have occurred because of the pandemic and having a child, but she also faced subtle changes when her interests and values changed. Wudan hit a wall when she realized that she couldn't run two businesses during a pandemic and avoid burn out. In all of these cases, an adjustment was necessary. And the adjustments were subtle -- but over time, they add up. In this episode, Jenni and Wudan outline the kinds of inflection points you might face, and they also talk about how to work through them. Of course, coaching is one option for dealing with these moments -- but there are lots of other ways to work through a pivot. Hitting these blocks is normal but the important thing is that you adjust course when they occur -- as they say, what got us here won’t get us there! Sticking with something that isn’t working for you can lead to burnout, too. To access career-planning resources, visit our website: <a href="https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thewriterscooppod.com/resources</a> Join us on Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/twcpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/twcpod</a> And enroll in our e-courses: <a href="https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://the-writers-co-op-academy.teachable.com/</a> As always, we’d love to hear about your successful and failed experiments on Twitter or in our email inbox. And if you haven’t yet, please subscribe to TWC or leave a review. Promotional support for this Writers’ Co-op episode comes from The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. Now in its ninth year and hosted by Brendan O'Meara, CNF Pod brings together the best of narrative journalism, memoir, essay, poetry and documentary film to talk about the art and craft of telling true stories. We love listening to CNF Pod and have both been guests. Brendan is fantastic. Other past CNF Pod guests have included Patrick Radden Keefe, Susan Orlean, Chuck Klosterman and US. You can subscribe wherever you get

Inflection Points (July 2021)

If you’re interested in hearing two people talk about themselves for the duration of each episode, this is for you. The issue is that both hosts are utterly amazing at their crafts, but never provide concrete advice or actionable service for aspiring writers to follow. I am leaving this podcast with no idea how to land my first byline, how to get started, or what tools to use. I only know that I should charge what I’m worth. Useless.

Small potatoes, but one of the hosts also claims that ethics are “individual” in the Q&amp;A episode, which should automatically raise red flags to any journalist with a semblance of integrity. Ethics are ethics, no matter who you are or what your rates are.

No actual tips, nothing actionable

Great advice and nice to listen to on the bus to work.

Like a weighted blanket for freelance anxiety

The Writers’ Co-op

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