freelance Archives | Philippa Writes

20Dec 2016 by Philippa Willitts

Fixing the Mistakes Made by Hiring Cheap Writers

About Writing

I've lost count of the number of times somebody has approached me about my writing services. They complain that they hired somebody to do this work already but, well, it was awful and now they need someone to fix it or to start again from scratch. Invariably, they paid that person around $5 for 500 - 1,000 words and the content they show me is an unmitigated disaster. So, they hire me. I do the work they need, and they pay me. They've paid out twice for writers when, if they'd only bitten the bullet and paid fair fees in the first place, they would have saved themselves both money and time, all the while reducing their stress levels as an added bonus. Those of us who charge higher rates…

18Feb 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 68: Working for free and the myth of ‘exposure’

Podcast

[tweetherder]Writers, stop working for free, and certainly never pay for the privilege![/tweetherder] We see it all the time, and it seems to be getting worse: business owners and media outlets put pressure on writers to work for free. Is there any benefit to this, or is the fabled 'exposure' they promise not worth a thing? In this episode, Lorrie and I look at the facts and share some rather strong opinions on the topic! Show Notes Episode 4: Is writing for free ever ok? The Center for Architecture and Urban Design Los Angeles (CALA) logo design competition 99 designs Absolute Write: $5 for 500 word articles Carol Tice on Freelance Writing Scams Philip Hensher stirs debate among authors after refusing to write for free Paying bills with a drawing of…

21Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 66: Five (and a half) ways lists can transform your marketing

Content Marketing, Freelance Self-Promotion, Podcast

Everybody loves crossing things off a list, right? A to-do list is not the only list freelance writers can use to help their marketing and self-promotion, so tune in to this podcast episode where we talk you through five and a half types of lists that can help you to transform your business. Show Notes 10 most popular episodes of 2013: 10: Episode 2: Setting up as a freelance writer: website, social media and brand management best practice 9: Episode 3: Setting up as a freelance writer part 2 8: Episode 18: How to network like a ninja 7: Episode 7: Freelance Writing: To specialise or not to specialise? 6: Episode 55: Coping with rejection 5: Episode 30: It's not about you: the art and science of commercial copywriting 4: Episode 38: How to break into new freelance…

19Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Big Yourself Up! How giving stuff away will have new clients flocking in your direction, make you look awesome, and give you a nice happy feeling inside. Or, self-promotion for freelancers.

Freelance Self-Promotion

There is a lot to be said for providing valuable content, skills or expertise online for free. Offering useful information demonstrates that you know what you are talking about, it helps to show people you can be trusted, and it gives you an opportunity to get your name 'out there'. It's one of the reasons I make a freelance writing podcast - it helps to establish in potential clients' minds that I'm knowledgeable and skilled in my field. Similarly, the writing I have volunteered for non-profit websites shows editors and clients my writing style and the topics I specialise in writing about. It has also increased my profile, all of which contributes to me getting work on a daily and weekly basis. [tweetherder]Giving stuff away for free is usually good; working…

13Nov 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 62: How to meet – and exceed – your clients’ needs

Podcast

[tweetherder]Retaining existing freelance clients is generally much easier than constantly finding new ones[/tweetherder], so it's important to ensure that you are always seeking to meet, and exceed, their expectations. If someone hires you, make sure you are impressive! In this podcast episode, Lorrie and I recommend various ways to make sure that you correctly identify the needs of your clients, and how to go about meeting them. Show Notes Episode 18: How to network like a ninja Episode 13: How to be responsive and flexible without losing the plot Lousy Book Covers Lorrie's favourite lousy book cover I couldn't decide whether this one or this one was the best / worst. Free Download: 50 customizable call-to-action templates There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told…

30Jul 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 48: How to prevent your freelance business from wasting money

Podcast

It's not unusual for a freelance writing business to go through a dry patch. Finding work is difficult, regular clients go quiet, and you are left short of cash. In this podcast episode, we talk about [tweetherder]how to avoid wasting money when you are a self-employed writer[/tweetherder], and look at ways to save some cash. Show Notes Google Drive Open Office Open University OpenLearn Alison.com YouTube Suite101 WikiHow Quora Credit Unions MoneySavingExpert TopCashback Google Calendar Checker Plus for Google Calendar (Chrome Extension) Facebook Events on Google Calendar (Chrome Extension) Send to Calendar (Chrome Extension) Save your local library The Handbook of Non-Sexist Writing by Casey Miller and Kate Swift (UK) / (USA) Philippa's work bookshelf There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little…

24Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 35: No portfolio? No problem. Get writing work without published clips.

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Lots of new freelance writers fear that they will never get any work because they don't have published articles or novels already. However, when you remember that every successful freelancer started out in the same way, it becomes clear that it is definitely possible to get hired as a writer even if you have no clips to show. But how, exactly? In this podcast episode, I go through lots of different ways to get yourself some clips, build up your portfolio,…

16Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 34: Sociable or Spammy? Pitching your marketing to be enticing, not annoying

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Freelancers need to constantly market themselves and their services in order to keep the work coming in. To make sure that your self-promotional efforts hit the mark and don't put potential clients off or even offend them, Lorrie and I made this podcast episode to summarise some of the most crucial dos and don'ts for four different marketing platforms. Show Notes Buffer App Condescending Corporate Brand Page Writing a Better Elevator Pitch How to work long periods at your desk and…

09Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 33: How to deal with a crisis of faith

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Freelancing can be a really tough business. While it's a common preconception that working from home and working for yourself are an easy ride, like any other job being a freelance copywriter has its ups and downs. In this solo episode, Lorrie discusses what to do if you feel like your freelance writing career has reached crisis point. She talks about how to tell the difference between a career crisis and a temporary blip, and outlines a number of helpful solutions…

02Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 32: The Pros and Cons of Long-Term Clients

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Should you take on one-off projects as a freelancer, or only work with clients who promise long-term work? What are the risks associated with long-term clients? And how can freelancers turn clients who started off with a one-off project into clients who work with you for an extended periods of time? In this podcast, Lorrie and I cover it all! Show Notes A to Z Challenge #atozchallenge NaBloPoMo 100 Twitter hashtags every writer should know Larry Hynes: How to Work With…

Tag: freelance