Freelance Writing Coach
Entrepreneurship
Kaleigh Moore and Emma Siemasko have long shared a dream: to build the world’s most fulfilling freelance writing businesses. Over the past 8 years, the two friends have become successful freelance writers, finding new clients (hello Salesforce + Vogue Business); refining their service offerings; building six-figure businesses; and ultimately, creating their dream careers. Now, they’re sharing everything they know and discussing what they’ve yet to find out. Why? Because they know you can build a great freelance writing business, too. But first, you gotta get real. On Freelance Writing Coach, Kaleigh and Emma discuss all things related to building a successful freelance writing business. Topics include things like client boundaries, digital products, rates, proposals, loneliness, and much more. Their promise? To tell it like it is.
Location:
United States
Description:
Kaleigh Moore and Emma Siemasko have long shared a dream: to build the world’s most fulfilling freelance writing businesses. Over the past 8 years, the two friends have become successful freelance writers, finding new clients (hello Salesforce + Vogue Business); refining their service offerings; building six-figure businesses; and ultimately, creating their dream careers. Now, they’re sharing everything they know and discussing what they’ve yet to find out. Why? Because they know you can build a great freelance writing business, too. But first, you gotta get real. On Freelance Writing Coach, Kaleigh and Emma discuss all things related to building a successful freelance writing business. Topics include things like client boundaries, digital products, rates, proposals, loneliness, and much more. Their promise? To tell it like it is.
Language:
English
Episodes
How to expand, broaden, and pivot your offerings
3/25/2024
Most of us believe that we can build better businesses if we niche down to become a go-to writer for a particular type of asset in a specific space. Once we do this, however, it can feel hard to expand and grow. What if we want to work in another industry? What if we want to write web copy instead of longform content? In this episode, we offer advice on how to expand, broaden, and pivot your offerings.
Duration:00:18:04
How to find a freelance writing mentor (and what IS a mentor?)
3/18/2024
Finding a freelance writing mentor is no easy task: They need to fit in with how you work and take instruction best. In this episode, we share our most impactful mentor experiences and the editors/mentors we learned from the most, plus tips on how to find one for yourself.
Duration:00:17:21
Building email lists and sending newsletters
3/11/2024
An email newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with your audience and build your personal brand. But wait…is an email newsletter necessary? Will it actually help you market and sell your freelance services? In this episode, we share how we think about email newsletters and what we’ve seen from our freelance friends: the successes, downfalls, and our personal experiences
Duration:00:22:47
Explaining your freelance writing job when you’re off the clock
3/4/2024
What do you say to people when they ask what you do? Does your professional identity as a freelance writer affect how you show up in the world? In this episode, we talk about how to explain what you do when you’re off the clock, surrounded by people who don’t “get it.” We’re also covering what we’re doing outside of work in 2024, what we’re thinking about as freelancers and as people.
Duration:00:26:42
What to do when the market is flooded with freelance writers
2/26/2024
You see a post on LinkedIn calling for freelance writers with 750 comments. Is it just you… or does the market seem super saturated? What can you do when it feels harder than ever to differentiate? In this episode, we explore what we’ve been seeing lately and how it’s affected us mentally. We offer advice on how to work around this saturation to continue to build a solid business.
Duration:00:21:50
Is the way we write today efficient? A conversation with Rob Carpenter of ButterDocs
2/21/2024
The writing process consists of three steps: (1) researching and outline, (2) productive writing, and (3) editing. But are the tools we use designed for this process? Are we as efficient as we think we are? Is there room to save time and increase our creative output? We sat down with Rob Carpenter, content strategist and Head of Marketing at Butter, to talk about ways to work smarter, not harder.
Duration:00:24:13
Short-term contract roles: yay, nay, or maybe?
2/19/2024
Companies sometimes hire writers for short-term contract roles to help with specific projects. They might hire a writer to work with them for 30-40 hours per week for a set period, such as three months. What are the pros and cons of taking on these roles? In this episode, we share our own experiences taking on contract work and offer some things to think about if you’re considering such a role.
Duration:00:21:47
“Book My Day” offerings: Will they work for you?
2/12/2024
Some freelancers suggest clients “book their day” if they want to work with them. Clients reserve a day… and work gets done. What does this look like in practice? How do freelancers successfully structure it? Are “book my day” offerings a good idea for your business? In this episode, we dig into the benefits and pitfalls of clients paying for a day.
Duration:00:20:44
What’s happening outside work? We’re dishing!
8/7/2023
Did you know we are really good friends? HA. We enjoy each other’s company, love chatting about WHATEVER, and are catching up and giving you a picture of our holistic selves beyond the world of freelance work. We talk about Kaleigh’s history as a dancer, Emma’s weird modern house, and get into what’s happening outside of work. For anyone who wants to get to know us better, listen in on this episode to learn what’s happening outside of work.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:40:54
WTF is going on with freelance writing right now?
7/31/2023
Freelance writing is really weird right now. Layoffs, the rise of generative AI, and internal chaos at a lot of companies have made many of us feel super insecure about the field. Our friends and colleagues are kinda freaked out… and maybe we are too? In this episode, we talk about what we’re seeing in the world of freelance writing and what we’re doing about it.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:26:14
What’s the deal with B2B SaaS and why is everyone doing it?
7/24/2023
We both work in B2B SaaS. So do A LOT of writers. But what even is B2B SaaS? Why does it seem like so many writers are working in this area? In this episode, we talk about how we got into B2B SaaS, explain why it’s so popular, and offer some guidance on how to figure out whether it’s the right niche for you.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:25:14
How to conduct an A+ interview that gets you the gold
7/17/2023
If you’re creating original content, you’ll likely find yourself conducting interviews. You might interview subject matter experts, customers, or your client’s customers! Emma does it all the time when she writes case studies. Kaleigh does it for more journalistic assignments. In this episode, we offer advice on how to conduct a gosh darn good interview that guarantees you’ll get the info you need to do your best writing.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:27:11
When your editor has SKY HIGH expectations
7/10/2023
Working with an intense editor can be, well, intense. It has the potential to elevate your writing, poke helpful holes in your sentences, and take you to the next level. But it can also be really annoying. In this episode, we’re discussing our experiences working with editors who’ve got high high high standards.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:27:56
What do people look for when they’re hiring writers?
7/3/2023
What does it mean to be a REALLY GOOD writer? In this episode, we’re exploring what content managers, thought leaders, and others look for when they’re hiring writers. In particular, we discuss writing abilities and editorial chops.
Duration:00:27:19
ChatGPT, Google Bard, and what we think about the wild world of AI
6/26/2023
WOOOOOOO boy. Where do we start with this one? Unless you’re living on the moon, you have *feelings* about what generative AI tools mean for your business, livelihood, and craft. In this episode, we explore our thoughts and feelings on AI and offer some ideas on how we can rise to the occasion in the new world of robot writers.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:30:18
How to screen prospective clients to avoid bad ones
6/19/2023
We’ve all had clients that were...awful. But what if we told you avoiding nit-picky, cheap, or boundary-crossing clients was well within your control? We believe a screening process makes the difference! Don’t worry– we’ve made our fair share of mistakes, too. In this episode, we’re explaining how we screen prospective clients to avoid bad eggs and maximize good experiences.
This season of Freelance Writing Coach was generously sponsored by Automatic Evergreen (yourweekly.email), B2B Writing Institute (https://b2bwritinginstitute.com/), Growthtrackers (https://supereasydigital.com/growthtrackers), and Ivy Magic (https://thativymagic.com/).
Duration:00:29:12
How freelance writers can efficiently outsource: A conversation with John Doherty, founder of EditorNinja
4/3/2023
Outsourcing frees up your time so you can focus on tasks that generate revenue and ultimately build your business. But how can you get started with outsourcing and why might hiring editors be a good place to start? In this special episode, we sat down with John Doherty, founder of EditorNinja and sponsor of this season of the Freelance Writing Coach Podcast, to discuss editing, outsourcing, and his path to offering services to freelancers.
Duration:00:25:21
Becoming a better editor (so you can be a better writer)
3/27/2023
Freelance writers benefit from great editing! After all, having a second (or third) set of eyes on a piece of writing can help you better understand its strengths and weaknesses, ultimately helping you deliver higher quality assets. But what IS editing and how do you make sure everything you turn in is sufficiently polished? In this episode, we talk about the importance of great editing, how to become a better editor, and the tools you can use to help.
Duration:00:17:55
How to get off on the right foot with a new client
3/20/2023
A new lead comes in, you sell them on your services, and you both agree it’s a great fit. YES, this is the dream! But rolling out the red carpet for a new client doesn’t end after they sign your contract or proposal. What can you do with a brand new client to get the relationship off on the right foot? In this episode, we talk about how to make sure clients are well taken care of from the second they say yes. After all, this is the beginning of a client relationship that hopefully leads to more business and more referrals.
Duration:00:21:59
Writing tests, trial posts, and when to do something for free
3/13/2023
What happens when a prospective client asks you to write a trial post for free? What about an unpaid test? Are there circumstances where doing work that’s unpaid makes sense or is this always a big NO? In this episode, we talk about writing tests, trial posts, and when it might make sense to write for free (or not!).
Duration:00:19:35