High-income Business Writing: Freelance Writing | Copywriting | Content Writing | How To Freelance

Informações:

Synopsis

Ed Gandia, co-author of the bestselling book, The Wealthy Freelancer, reveals how to propel your writing business to the six-figure level (or the part-time equivalent). In this nuts-and-bolts, no-nonsense podcast, you'll discover how to get better clients, earn more in less time, and bring more freedom and joy into your writing business. Ed will walk you through the practical, “doable” systems and strategies he has developed in his own writing business — the same systems he has taught his private coaching clients. He'll also show you what’s working for other business writers by bringing you real case studies from the field. And he'll share all this information in an honest and transparent way, with no hype or fluff. Topics covered include: getting better and higher-paying clients; banishing the feast-or-famine cycle; doing more of the work that excites you; how to raise your fees and rates; boosting your productivity; making your business recession-proof; discovering and leveraging your strengths; finding your niche; pricing content writing projects; pricing copywriting projects; writing white papers; writing case studies; writing web copy; writing articles; and much more.

Episodes

  • #342: Futurist Kevin Surace on Why Writers Must Jump on the AI Bandwagon (and Why the Future Is Bright)

    27/03/2024 Duration: 52min

    As I record this episode in March of 2024, we’ve yet to feel the effects of generative AI in our solo businesses.   So why are so many writers, copywriters, and solo marketers losing business?   Everything that I’m hearing and seeing points to other factors for the challenges many creative professionals are experiencing. And the main factor seems to be the softening economy.   You wouldn’t know it by the state of stock market, unemployment rates, and economic growth. All those factors seem to be pointing to a strong economy. But the marketing profession is seeing something very different.   It’s no secret that marketing is one of the first things to get cut during challenging times. It makes no sense, but it is what it is. And that seems to be the biggest reason behind cancelled content marketing initiatives, marketing team layoffs, and clients that can’t seem to make a decision on pending projects.   AI is certainly starting to have an impact on our work. But where that’s been happening is not where we want

  • #341: Crossing Paths: Lindy Alexander’s Secrets to Succeeding with Journalism and Content Marketing

    13/03/2024 Duration: 42min

    For many years there has been a myth among journalists that journalism and content marketing can’t coexist.   You either have to focus on journalism work or on content marketing, but not on both.   But this belief is based on false assumptions and outdated beliefs. And in this week’s episode, you’ll hear why you can do both very successfully as a freelance writer.   And, in fact, why you may actually WANT to focus on both.   My guest is Lindy Alexander, an award-winning freelance food, travel, and lifestyle writer and content creator living in the vibrant goldfields town of Castlemaine in central Victoria, Australia.   Her work has been published in numerous digital and print publications including Sunday Life, The Age/The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, Travel + Indulgence, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, delicious, Good Food, The Saturday Paper, SBS Life, Dumbo Feather, Peppermint, Essential Kids, Essential Baby, Modern Farmer, Jetstar magazine and Homes+.   I had Lindy on the show a few years ago, wh

  • #340: Ed Gandia and Sarah Greesonbach Get Raw and Real About Their Inner Battles, Fears, Aspirations—and What It’s Like to Be a Coach

    28/02/2024 Duration: 01h30min

    This episode is very different from what I typically do on this show.   It’s a candid conversation between Sarah Greesonbach and me on a number of random topics.   Sarah is not only a very talented B2B writer, she’s also the founder of the , an excellent coach to other B2B writers, a coaching client of mine, and a friend.   We get into a number of topics, including where and how we face resistance ... where we fall short ... life experiences that shaped who we are today ... how we make big decisions ... fear ... being kind to yourself ... our pet peeves about the freelance industry ...   And even the songs we have on our playlists that we’re embarrassed to admit to. What we love. And what we feel is overrated.   After our interview, I then share a raw and open account of my business struggles last year—what happened, why, and what I’ve done to navigate these challenges.   If you’re only looking for straight up advice for your business, this is not really that kind of episode. So feel free to skip it.   But if

  • #339: How to Identify the Best Services to Offer Your Market in 2024

    14/02/2024 Duration: 47min

    2023 has not been a great year for many writers and solo marketing professionals.   And when business is not great, one of the first things we ask ourselves is, Should I change or modify my offerings? Will that make a difference?   It’s a great question to ask yourself. But it’s important that you go about your decision in a more methodical way. So rather than just go with your gut, you’ll make better decisions if you take a more analytical approach to this challenge.   In this episode, we’re addressing this question head on. My guest is Nikki Rausch. Nikki is a selling coach and the CEO of . She has over 25 years of selling experience. And her specialty is helping entrepreneurs, small business owners and solo professionals sell successfully and authentically.   This is Nikki’s third appearance in the podcast. She and I are very well aligned in our marketing and sales philosophies, and I love having these important conversations with her. I always walk away with a bit more wisdom and lots of new ideas to thin

  • #338: Four Ways to Earn More in Less Time

    31/01/2024 Duration: 05min

    Freelancing is both a blessing and a curse.   It’s a blessing because you’re in charge. You call the shots — not some overpaid and incompetent boss who has no business managing people.   But freelancing is also a curse ... because you’re on your own. Which means that you have to wear all the hats. And when you’re pulled in so many directions, your income can suffer.   Fortunately, there are things you can do to help offset this. And one of the most important is to lower your cost of project acquisition.   When you lower the cost and effort required to land that next project, you can spend more time on billable activities and less time wearing all those other hats I mentioned earlier.   Or less time doing client work and more with your family or working on interesting personal projects—without negatively impacting your income.   How can you do that? That’s the topic of this week’s short podcast episode, where I walk you through 4 specific and practical ideas for earning more in less time.   Enjoy!

  • #337: Austin L. Church on Money Mindset, Living Well and Using Pricing as a Key Lever for Financial Prosperity as a Freelance Professional

    17/01/2024 Duration: 01h08min

    We truly don’t talk enough about money and prosperity in the freelancing community. And that’s too bad, because the more we talk about this issue in positive and productive ways, the greater the chances our businesses will succeed.   I mean... imagine companies like Microsoft, Apple, Walmart or Ford Motor Company ignoring money discussions and decisions. It would spell disaster!   Many solo professionals avoid the topic because they were raised to believe that money is a taboo topic. Or because of other long-held beliefs about money that no longer serve them (and perhaps never have).   Or because they’re overwhelmed and not sure where or how to even start to address the issue of earning more (and more consistently), keeping more of what they earn, and giving more to causes they care about.   In this week’s episode, I’m joined by my good friend Austin L. Church, founder of FreelanceCake.com, a freelance marketing strategist and copywriter, and author of the brand new book,   We dive deep into the topic of fi

  • #336: A Four-Phase Framework for Onboarding a Writer or Virtual Assistant

    03/01/2024 Duration: 06min

    How do you feel about outsourcing some of your work?   Most writers I talk with are either completely against this idea. Or they tell me that they’ve tried it and it didn’t work out. Or that they like the concept, but it just wouldn’t work for them.   I get it. I used to feel the same way.   But there’s a big problem with that kind of thinking: it’s one-dimensional. It’s a “yes or no” thing. Purely binary.   I’ve seen enough successful outsourcing examples in the world of freelancing to know that there are many different ways of solving the problem.   And in this week’s short podcast episode, I walk through a four-phase framework for making it work.   Enjoy!

  • #335: Marjorie Turner Hollman’s Journey from Memoir Writer to Book Coach to Author of a Nonfiction Book Series

    31/12/2023 Duration: 48min

    One of the most important capabilities you can develop as a self-employed professional is the ability to pivot and adapt as your business grows and your life situation evolves.   Not only is life full of surprises, but what worked for you 5 years ago may not be as palatable today. Whether it's the types of clients you work with, the type of work you pursue, or the side projects you take on.   Marjorie Turner Hollman is an excellent example of this. A long-time writer, Marjorie has faced a number of challenges in her life—including some physical disabilities—that have forced her to reinvent herself and what she offers.   Her work has evolved from freelance writer to personal historian to book coach for struggling authors to the author of a nonfiction book series.   There are many things I love about Marjorie’s story, but I find her resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability inspiring. And I think you will too.   The topic of accessibility and how we all use adaptive aids in everyday life is a concept Marjor

  • #334: Is the Grass Actually Greener on the Other Side?

    06/12/2023 Duration: 04min

    When your business gets really challenging, it’s very common to feel like you need to make a drastic move.   Like pivoting to a different target market. Or offering a totally different set of services. Or moving out of freelancing and into a traditional job.   These are very common feelings. And let me tell you ... I feel this way at least two or three times a year.   Yes, I really do.   In today’s short episode, I share my thoughts and reflections on this dilemma. Whether you’re happy where you are or you feel like a big change is in order, I think you’ll find it useful.

  • #333: The 5 Biggest Mistakes Writers Make When They Edit

    22/11/2023 Duration: 40min

    Earning more in less time is not just about getting higher fees for your work. It’s also about being more productive and approaching client projects more efficiently.   And a key part of writing productivity is effective editing.   Editing is one of the key phases of any writing assignment. Yet I find that most of us don’t have a step-by-step process for the editing phase. We tend to approach editing in a somewhat haphazard manner. And don’t always know when we’re truly done making the piece as good as it can be.   My guest today is writing coach , author of Your Happy First Draft: A Practical and Painless Guide to Obliterating Writer’s Block. Daphne is no stranger to this podcast. She was on the show over 10 years ago, and she came on again in 2019 to discuss .   In this episode, Daphne shares the 5 biggest editing mistakes she sees writers make—and why avoiding them is so important. She shares some really practical strategies and tips for avoiding those mistakes and making your editing much stronger and e

  • #332: Yes, You Should Still Raise Your Fees (Even in This Economy)

    07/11/2023 Duration: 07min

    When we’re in a challenging economy, most of us operate from a place of fear. And fear causes us to either keep our fees the same or to lower them. But I have a different recommendation for you today. I’m going to challenge you to RAISE your fees—starting today! Now, before you start thinking I’m crazy and out of touch, hear me out. Because there are many ways to do this wrong ... and only a few ways to do it right. The way most writers attempt to raise their fees is by going to existing clients and telling them that their fees are about to go up across the board. And yes, if you do it that way, you probably won’t get very far. I’m not suggesting you completely avoid this approach. But I’m suggesting that this method has the most risk and the most limited upside. You may get a few clients to agree to the increase. But it’s a very stressful process to go through. And frankly, there are much better ways. What do I recommend instead? I’ll share my specific recommendations in today’s short episode below.

  • #331: Marketing Strategies of a Digital Nomad Ghostwriter Earning $750 per Hour

    25/10/2023 Duration: 48min

    The real test of the strength of your own positioning, messaging and marketing is when the economy is challenging. Not when clients are flush with cash and enjoying overinflated marketing budgets — as they were over the past three years. That’s why it’s so important to continually improve your own marketing skills and habits. And that’s why the topic of marketing your business will be a recurring theme in this podcast and in my newsletter for the next few months. Because, frankly, the past few years have made us soft. It was too easy to land work. My guest in this week’s episode is Amy Suto, a freelance memoir ghostwriter and Amazon KDP publishing expert. What I find impressive about Amy’s business is that over the course of a few short years she’s been able to go from earning $30 an hour as a freelance writer to earning a whopping $750 an hour. Not only that, but she’s continually booked solid at that rate. And she does this while spending a big part of the year traveling and working from beautiful locations

  • #330: Big Takeaways from The Content Byte Summit, with Jennifer Goforth Gregory

    11/10/2023 Duration: 53min

    Last month I had the pleasure and honor to keynote The Content Byte Summit in Sydney, Australia, along with my friend and colleague Jennifer Goforth Gregory. The conference was top-notch. And by the end of the first day of the two day event, Jennifer and I knew we had to record a joint episode of this podcast to share our biggest takeaways from all the information-packed sessions.

  • #329: Pricing Is Mostly Arbitrary

    27/09/2023 Duration: 06min

    How do you know if (or when) you’re pricing yourself beyond what the overall market can bear? That’s the question I address in today’s short podcast episode. I talk about this idea of “what the market can bear,” ... and why that shouldn’t be your main factor in pricing decisions. Instead, I offer 3 other factors to help you arrive at your best fee.

  • #328: Can You Be Your Own Business Coach?

    12/09/2023 Duration: 32min

    In this episode, I explore this idea further and offer advice for how to be a more effective coach to yourself. And I include examples of what I do in between engagements with my own coach.

  • #327: Raising Your Fees In a Recession

    29/08/2023 Duration: 06min

    In this week’s short podcast episode, I detail 3 ways to raise your fees effectively ... even in a difficult economy. It’s all about thinking of the challenge differently and in a more creative way.

  • #326: The Real Nature of Breakthroughs in Your Business and Your Work

    15/08/2023 Duration: 04min

    In this week’s short podcast episode I share some powerful insights from a world-renowned music producer on how to have more breakthroughs in your business and personal life.

  • #324: When Your Work Pipeline Is Dry

    18/07/2023 Duration: 04min

    In this week’s episode, I discuss this all-too-common scenario. And I share some ideas for how to turn things around... starting with your mindset.

  • #323: Gordon Graham on Writing a White Paper with ChatGPT, Predictions for AI’s Impact on Writers, and How to Pivot as the Technology Improves

    04/07/2023 Duration: 01h17min

    This week’s episode is the next installment in this series on AI. We focus on the impact of this technology is having (and will have) on the business of content marketing and copywriting.

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