A Little Bird Told Me Freelance Writing Podcast

Have you found yourself in a freelance writing rut? Perhaps you are bored of the area you are working in, and want a change, or you have found a new passion for a previously unexplored area of work. In this episode, Philippa and Lorrie discuss various ways to make the transition from one area of freelancing to another, and offer practical suggestions and advice, as well as the usual Little Bird Recommendations and chatter. Show Notes Episode 7: Freelance Writing - To Specialise or Not to Specialise Episode 33: How to deal with a crisis of faith Source Bottle The Women's Room Ian McMillan and Stephen Fry talk Yorkshire accents There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast!   To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links:   Websites   Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts   Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija For artwork snippets, thanks goes to James Nash and Amir Rowaichi, for also Creative Commons Licensing their bird illustrations. Pippa’s good at putting things together, but can’t draw.    

Social proof is an excellent way of getting clients to have faith in your abilities. In this solo episode, Lorrie explains the concept of social proof and looks at good - and bad - ways of getting recommendations that fit the bill. Show Notes Episode 31: Gaining Credibility as a Freelancer and Specialist - 10 Tips to Get to the Top Episode 15: Guest Blogging for Exposure, Brand Building, Backlinks and More Episode 9: The Sad Smell of Desperation thinglink There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie online, follow these links: Websites Lorrie's website: http://www.lorriehartshorn.com Twitter Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie: http://www.facebook.com/ThatWordyBird LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin reinsamba 28-yuen-po Tomlija   For artwork snippets, thanks goes to James Nash and Amir Rowaichi, for also Creative Commons Licensing their bird illustrations. Pippa’s good at putting things together, but can’t draw.          

When you work from home and deal with clients mainly over the phone or by email, don't fall into the trap of thinking that you don't need to take the visual side of your presentation into account. Whether it's your Twitter profile page or how you look on Skype, there are some really important things to consider. In this episode of A Little Bird Told Me, Philippa and Lorrie discuss the topic, and present their Little Bird Recommendations of the Week. Show Notes How to name your business: Facebook discussion The top 50 most embarrassing domain names ever purchased Clients from Hell The Essentials of Reuters sourcing Coursera There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast!   To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links:   Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts   Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija   For artwork snippets, thanks goes to James Nash and Amir Rowaichi, for also Creative Commons Licensing their bird illustrations. Pippa’s good at putting things together, but can’t draw.

Many people who want to start out as freelance writers fear that they will never get any work because they don't have any published writing to show to potential editors or clients. They feel stuck in a vicious circle where they can't get work published because they don't have experience, but they can't get experience because they don't have any published work. In fact, this does not have to be as much of a barrier as you might think, and in this episode Philippa looks at how journalists, feature writers, ghost writers, fiction writers and commercial copywriters can all get some all-important clips to create a portfolio to wow their clients of the future. Show Notes Episode 15: Guest Blogging for Exposure, Brand Building, Backlinks and More 10 very costly typos There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Philippa online, check out these links: Websites Philippa's freelance writing website  Philippa's social media writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Facebook: Philippa's main Freelance Writing Facebook Page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook Page LinkedIn: Philippa Willitts on LinkedIn Google+ Philippa's Google+ Account Pinterest Philippa on Pinterest    Birdsong courtesy of    http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija   For artwork snippets, thanks goes to James Nash and Amir Rowaichi, for also Creative Commons Licensing their bird illustrations. Pippa’s good at putting things together, but can’t draw to save her life.

While promoting your work and the services you offer, you can tread a fine line between marketing yourself sufficiently, and being irritating and spammy. In this podcast episode, Philippa and Lorrie look at four different parts of a freelance writer's marketing toolkit, and discuss what is acceptable and what is definitely not! Show Notes Buffer App Condescending Corporate Brand Page Writing a Better Elevator Pitch How to work long periods at your desk and come out healthy There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast!   To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija For artwork snippets, thanks goes to James Nash and Amir Rowaichi, for also Creative Commons Licensing their bird illustrations. Pippa’s good at putting things together, but can’t draw to save her life.

Freelancing can be a tough business. While it's a common preconception that working from home and working for yourself are an easy ride, being a freelance copywriter has its ups and downs like any job.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 solutions to common freelancing problems. Show Notes How To Be A Happy Freelance Worker 27 – Dealing With Feeling Overwhelmed Episode 21 – Managing Freelance Projects And Planning Your Time Effectively Episode 11 – Overcoming Isolation As A Freelance Writer Episode 9 – The Sad Smell Of Desperation There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast!   To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts   Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija    

Most freelance writers will work with a combination of short-term and long-term clients. There are certainly benefits to both of those, and different factors will influence which you prefer to take on. Whether you get bored easily, you want as much stability as possible, or you worry that your writing has become stale, all of these can be affected by the length of time you have worked with different clients and businesses. In this podcast episode, Philippa and Lorrie look at the advantages and the disadvantages of working with long-term clients. Show Notes A to Z Challenge #atozchallenge NaBloPoMo 100 Twitter hashtags every writer should know Larry Hynes: How to Work With Me on a Low Budget There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija    

In order to get potential clients to trust in your abilities, you need to provide them with proof that convinces them that you are capable and knowledgeable. In this solo episode, Philippa talks about 10 different ways to prove your credibility as a freelance writer, and in the specialism you choose. Show Notes @GooglePoetics There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Philippa online, check out these links: Websites Philippa's freelance writing website  Philippa's social media writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Facebook: Philippa's main Freelance Writing Facebook Page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook Page LinkedIn: Philippa Willitts on LinkedIn Google+ Philippa's Google+ Account Pinterest Philippa on Pinterest Birdsong courtesy of  http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija    

In this podcast episode, Philippa and Lorrie discuss the specifics of commercial copywriting, including how it differs from "typical" fiction or non-fiction writing, what PPC ads can teach us about why good copy might not be that good, and what the deal is with features versus benefits. On top of that, they conclude this 30th episode with their favourite recommendations of the week. Show Notes Calmingmanatee.com Entrepreneur.com: Marketing Features Vs. Benefits Google Adwords keyword tool 10 Amazing Free Online Writing Courses Episode 23: How to Decide What to Charge for your Freelance Writing Services Episode 24: The Art of Getting Paid Episode 25: Why and How to Charge More For Your Freelance Writing Calculate Your Hourly Rate With This Freelance Billable Rate Calculator Birdsong and applause courtesy of http://www.freesound.org, thanks to: Justkiddink Dobroide Acclivity Percy-duke Ingsey101 3bagbrew Inchadney Sean Townsend Soundbytez Urupin 28-yuen-po Tomlija There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts        

In response to a listener question, Lorrie dedicates this solo episode to the subject of how to get started as a freelance writer. She looks at how to prepare, what you need to do, and how - and where - to start looking for work. Show Notes http://freelanceswitch.com/freelance-news/commentary-analysis/build-a-business-plan-for-success/ - build a business plan http://writetodone.com/www.copyblogger.comwww.Alison.comhttp://www.open.edu/openlearn/peopleperhour.comconstant-content.com There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie online, follow these links: Websites Lorrie's website: http://www.lorriehartshorn.com Twitter Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie: http://www.facebook.com/ThatWordyBird LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn

There are many myths around freelance writing, whether that's that copywriters laze around getting paid for doing nothing, or that all you need is an internet connection and a word processor! In this episode of A Little Bird Told Me, Philippa and Lorrie discuss 11 of the myths they come across regularly, presenting instead the reality of the job. Show Notes Marissa Mayer banning working from home  Zemanta for Google Chrome Zemanta for Firefox Zemanta Wordpress Plugin 57% of online shoppers will wait three seconds or less before abandoning the site Expertise vs. Humility – A Writer’s Battle Royale? There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts    

While having lots of work to do is usually good news for a freelance writer, sometimes it can feel totally overwhelming. Panicking, procrastinating and not being able to see the end in sight are all horrible feelings, and it can be difficult to know how to manage them. In this podcast, Philippa talks about several different ways to manage feelings of overwhelm, and discusses how they each can help in this situation. Show Notes Renny Gleeson: 404, the story of a page not found There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Philippa online, check out these links: Websites Philippa's freelance writing website  Philippa's social media writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Facebook: Philippa's main Freelance Writing Facebook Page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook Page LinkedIn: Philippa Willitts on LinkedIn Google+ Philippa's Google+ Account Pinterest Philippa on Pinterest

Freelancing isn't all about saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Sometimes you might be in a position where you need to start saying no, either to meetings, clients, collaborators or contractors. In this episode of A Little Bird Told Me, Philippa and Lorrie talk about how to handle this tricky situation. Show Notes No More Useless Meetings - Liz Sumner Carol Tice - @TiceWrites That’s Not What I Wrote! What to Do When You’re Hit With Heavy Editing - Sophie Lizard at Make a Living Writing Topsy Guest blogging for exposure, brand building, backlinks and more There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! To find Lorrie and Philippa on the web, follow these links: Websites Philippa Willitts's freelance writing website Lorrie Hartshorn's freelance writing website Philippa Willitts's Social Media Writer website Twitter Philippa: @PhilippaWrites Lorrie: @ThatWordyBird Facebook: Lorrie on Facebook Philippa's main freelance writing Facebook page Philippa's Social Media Writer Facebook page LinkedIn: Lorrie Hartshorn Philippa Willitts Google+ Philippa Willitts Pinterest Philippa Willitts