Going Pro Freelance Writer’s Launch Pack

A 12-week business education for writers that supplies the tools, templates, and confidence to create a sustainable freelance writing career, based on my decade of experience, with work in publications such as the New York Times, Vox, and Elle, as well as clients such as Fender, Microsoft, and Adobe.

Course Table of Contents

We named each week of lessons for the course after an adjective that describes a successful freelance writer.

Week 1: Confident

1: The Win-Win of the Freelance Writing Life

2: Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt

3: Adopting the Business Mindset

4: What Assets Do You Bring to This Business?

5: Building a Bridge with Your Niche(s)

Week 2: Strategic

6: Why Freelance Writers Need Strategy

7: Editorial vs. Commercial

8: Creating Your Freelance Mix

9: Deciding Whom to Disappoint

10: No Matter What, Sell Luxury

Week 3: Connected

11: Connecting with Potential Clients

12: Learning from Your Niche Experts

13: Creating Community with Colleagues (aka Other Freelance Writers)

14: Start Networking to Nourish Your Business

15: Growing Your Business on Social Media

Week 4: Valuable

16: Ways to Provide Value

17: Pitching Projects

18: 50 Story Ideas

19: Letters of Introduction

20: Productivity

Week 5: Organized

21: The Freelance Writer’s Data

22: Your Admin Notebook/Paper Assistant

23: Organizing Your Workspace

24: Most Important Digital Tools for Organization

25: The How to Be You Manual

Week 6: Systematic

26: Your Executive Meeting

27: Daily Operational Habits

28: Anything Important Needs a System

29: The Tools of Your Systems

30: Building Trust With Your Clients Through Systems

Week 7: In-Demand

31: Marketing is Planting the Seed

32: Where to Find Your Perfect Writing Jobs

33: Every Writer is a Salesperson (Sorry)

34: Make a Selling Machine Out of the Internet

35: Your Niche Pitch

Week 8: Creative

36: Finding Ideas through People

37: Reading

38: Establishing Practices of Creativity

39: Understanding the Kind of Creativity Magazines Want From You

40: Creativity and Business

Week 9: Profitable

41: Do You Know How Much It Costs to Keep the Lights On?

42: Deciding On Your Ideal Rate

43: How to Set Your Rates - Never Write for Free, Even If You Don't Get Paid

44: You Have No Excuse Not to Negotiate

45: The IRS - Track Your Business Spending As You Go

Week 10: Responsible

46: Make it Official

47: It's Time to Talk About Accounting

48: Know Your Numbers

49: Prepare for Taxes

50: Rock Your Retirement

Week 11: Thriving

51: None Of This Matters If You're Not Healthy

52: Taking Care of the You Inside of You

53: Staying Joyful in Your Freelancing Work

54: Taking Care of Your Social World

55: Freaking Out About Money Is Not Fun

Week 12: Unstoppable

56: Your Schedule Hour-by-Hour

57: Maximize Your Strengths, Manage Your Weaknesses

58: Keeping the Clients You Have and Using Them to Grow

59: Constantly Level Up

60: Getting The Help You Need (Mentors and Coaches)