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The Writing Coach Podcast with Rebecca L. Weber

Dec 28, 2021

When it comes to making lasting changes in your freelance life, I’m more a fan of experiments than of resolutions. The latter tend not to work so well, often relying on willpower or self-shame as fuel to get things done. Some industries have business models based on these negative, dysfunctional cycles, and you...


Dec 21, 2021

Freelance writers often conflate two very different kinds of urgency. Confusing them impacts pitching and following up.

First is the urgency of the story itself. This includes identifying why the story needs to be told now. It can be any kind of news peg or timely aspect that compels the editor to assign and publish the...


Dec 16, 2021

Should you pitch during the holiday season?

Yes, if you want more assignments. No, if you want to take time off.

There are two valid approaches to taking time off as a freelancer:

1. Take time off during conventional holidays. Editors and sources may be less available; family and friends may be off too.

2. Freelancers...


Dec 14, 2021

When I started freelancing, I was 100% DIY.

One of the tricky things about making a good living as a freelance writer is getting a feel for what to do yourself and where to spend–or invest–time and money. Some choices that seem to be saving short term wind up costing you in the long run.

Let’s look at some areas...


Dec 7, 2021

When you’re interviewing a source for an article, you’d want to do some followup if they said: “I don’t know how a key part of my job works.” You’d ask the question again, or come at it from a different perspective.

It should be the same when you wonder why you did (or didn’t) get assigned a story idea you...