Podcasts by The Writers’ Co-op
The Writers’ Co-op is an audio business handbook for freelance creatives. Host and executive producer Wudan Yan leverages her and co-hosts' freelance experiences to provide a transparent look at what it takes to run a resilient freelance business as a creative. From negotiating higher rates, to protecting your business and intellectual property, to taking time off and organizing your workflow, to doing the mindset work needed to achieve your goals, you'll walk away from this podcast with actionable tips to implement right away.
Further podcasts by Jenni Gritters, Wudan Yan
Podcast on the topic Karriere
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Approaching Clueless Clients with Sara Gates from 2023-11-20T14:00
As freelancers, we’ve probably all worked with clients who couldn’t pin down exactly what they wanted. Maybe they never had a clear vision for the project, or maybe they constantly changed their...
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Corporate to Freelance with Melody Burdette from 2023-10-23T13:00
A very overdone and true statement about freelancing is: “You’re running a business!” Businesses of all sizes have things like income targets, goals, creative direction—and even business plans! ...
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Market Yourself Authentically with Rux Guidi from 2023-09-25T13:00
Most of us who work for ourselves probably don’t love marketing but know that it’s a necessary task to attract more clients. Some take a more traditional approach—constantly sharing work and ser...
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Create Your Own Publication with Leah Sottile from 2023-08-28T13:00
Most of the time, freelancers who work with clients do not own the rights to the creative work that's produced. Even retaining a modicum of your rights is frequently a prolonged legal battle...
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Rate Increases and Price Ceilings with Kat Boogaard from 2023-06-26T13:00:20
Determining rates can be really tricky for freelancers. We need our clients to agree to a price for a project, but we can’t sell ourselves short and leave money on the table. Naturally, freelanc...
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Navigating Freelance Career Transitions with Simone Stolzoff from 2023-05-22T13:00:59
Navigating crossroads in our careers isn’t easy — not when we’re traditionally employed, and certainly not as freelancers, where we pick the rules. The possibilities can seem endless. One assign...
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Set Yourself Up Well for Freelancing When You’re Full-Time with Karen Given from 2023-05-22T13:00:43
If you consume media, are a media worker, or just happen to pay attention to what’s happening to the media landscape, you might have heard that the industry is having… a bad time, to say the lea...
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Reclaim Hours – Even Days! – From Your Workweek with Anna Burgess Yang from 2023-04-24T13:00:45
A big reason why many of us feel drawn to freelancing is because we love the freedom and flexibility that it offers: we can work when, where, and how we want.
Still, even as freelancers,...
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Redefine Freelance Success with Joanne Machin from 2023-03-27T13:00:38
Welcome to Season 7 of the Writers’ Co-op! To kick off the season, we wanted to dedicate our first episode to a word that often shapes how we view both work and ourselves: success.
We usu...
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Season 7 of The Writers' Co-op: Coming Soon! from 2023-02-01T22:16:36
Season 7 (!!) will launch shortly, after a month-long break.
Wudan will be hosting and executive producing the show moving forward, after Jenni resigned at the end of last year to focus o...
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Embrace Authentic Marketing (July 2021) from 2023-01-23T15:17:22
Today we’re playing an episode from July 2021 with freelancer Emma Diehl. This was from our third season, where we coached other freelancers. In this episode, Jenni and Emma talk about som...
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Another Ask Us Anything from 2023-01-16T15:10:06
Today we’re running our last live episode of the season! Jenni will be stepping away from TWC to focus on her family and health, and Wudan will carry on with managing the community and future it...
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To Bail or Not to Bail from 2022-12-19T15:03:20
It’s rare to have a perfect relationship with a client. They might do small things that bug us, like scrub all of our oxford commas and em-dashes.
But there might be other things they do ...
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The Subtle Art of Saying No (May 2020) from 2022-12-05T15:32:35
Saying no is just as critical to running a freelance business as saying yes. You can't say yes to the right opportunities if you're filling up your time with assignments that don't pay well, or ...
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Pace Yourself from 2022-11-21T15:43:10
Today we have a new episode for you, which is about pacing your workdays.
This episode was inspired by a Listen
Building Relationships (May 2020) from 2022-10-31T13:00:44
This episode is a re-run from May 2020.
Making connections with other writers, editors and creatives is essential to building a freelance business th...
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Chasing Corporate Clients with Matt Villano (October 2020) from 2022-10-17T17:14:27
This episode is a re-run from October 2020.
If you want to talk about running a 6-figure freelance writing business, Matt Villano is the person to call. He has b...
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Mistakes Were Made from 2022-10-03T14:05:06
Let’s be honest: No one is perfect at running a business. We’ve all screwed up. We’ve all been too pushy or not pushy enough. We’ve all reacted too quickly when a situation doesn’t go the way we...
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Managing Service Transitions from 2022-07-25T15:30:33
Happy July! We hope you’re hanging in there. We are both officially OOO right now – Jenni with her new baby, and Wudan hiking the PCT. This episode was recorded about a month ago, and it’s our l...
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Grow Your Career (June 2020) from 2022-07-11T16:00
We're re-running old TWC episodes over the course of the spring and summer, as we both slow down. This re-run is all about career planning and growth! An oldie and a goodie....
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The Discovery Call from 2022-06-27T15:08:21
Wudan's love for discovery calls probably surprises very few of you: She loves connecting with others and enjoy learning about how she can bring her skills to help a new client. She gets really ...
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Money Mindset (March 2020) from 2022-06-13T16:00
We're running some older episodes while we take this spring and summer season more slowly! This week's re-run is our very first money-related episode ever published! Listen
Embracing Slow Seasons from 2022-05-30T15:00
Today we’re bringing you a new episode about approaching slow seasons. You know what we’re talking about: Those lulls in freelance work after all your projects are filed. You’re busy and then… v...
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Inflection Points (July 2021) from 2022-05-16T18:35
As we take this spring and summer more slowly, we're currently replaying some old hits! This one is from July 2021.
Building a freelance career can feel directio...
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Freelancing + Buying a House from 2022-05-02T16:00
Is it possible to buy property while working for yourself? Recently, Jenni and Wudan both bought houses -- so the answer is yes, but with a lot of caveats! In this episode, we'll talk about what...
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Werk It (March 2020) from 2022-04-18T16:00
It's an oldie but a goodie! We're currently releasing episodes at a slower cadence and re-sharing some old favorites.
In this 2020 episode, Jenni and Wudan address the question they get a...
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Welcome to Season 5 of The Writers' Co-op! from 2022-04-17T20:57:51
Welcome to season 5 of The Writers' Co-op! This season, we're slowing things down a bit because Jenni will be stepping away for maternity leave come June through the end of September, and Wudan ...
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Surviving a Layoff from 2022-03-07T15:00
Today we’re talking about a subject that’s near and dear to Jenni's heart: getting laid off. At this point, being laid off feels like a rite of passage, particularly in the media space. Jenni he...
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Why We People Please from 2022-02-21T17:00
This week on the show, we’re talking about yet another issue we may all run into: being people pleasers. In some ways, people-pleasing feels inherent to being a freelancer. After all, we get hir...
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Taking Caregiving Leave as a Freelancer from 2022-02-07T17:00
Today we're talking all about how to take an extended leave from your business when you’re preparing for a baby, surgery, illness, or any other kind of caretaking. We're purposefully keeping the...
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The Roots of Overbooking from 2022-01-24T18:00
Today we're talking about how to stop yourself from overbooking your freelance assignment roster. And we know, that description may raise a doubtful eyebrow or two – but we promise you, it’s pos...
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Q&A: Ask Us Anything from 2022-01-10T14:00
Welcome to the new year! We’re back from our holiday break and getting ready to dive into all that 2022 has to offer. Today we are focusing on answering audience questions! We do a Q&A episo...
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Creating a Sustainable Business Structure from 2021-12-20T17:51:22
In this episode, we address a topic that freelancers don’t talk about enough: getting to a place of neutrality and sustainability in your business. Many of you who follow the podcast may remembe...
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The Six-Figure Freelance Obsession from 2021-12-06T15:00
You asked and we're giving it to you: Today, we're finally digging into the obsession with being a six-figure freelancer. The bottom line for us is that the only people who truly care about our ...
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Leveling Up in Your Freelance Business from 2021-11-22T17:00
As the holiday season approaches, you might be anticipating a bit of a lull in your freelance business. Perhaps you're planning to take time off, or perhaps you're excited to work on your own st...
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Limiting Beliefs: Removing Mindset Barriers from 2021-11-08T17:00
We're back, this time digging into limiting beliefs. These are beliefs that get in the way of you achieving what you want to achieve; usually, they come from people other than ourselves. They ca...
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Value: A New Pricing Consideration for Freelancers from 2021-10-25T16:00
Welcome to the 4th season of TWC, where Jenni and Wudan will dig into persistent themes and issues that we haven't had time to cover in seasons past. During this season, anything goes!
We...
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Fund Your Passions from 2021-09-06T16:00
We're wrapping up season 3 with a chat about balancing your passion projects with work that pays the bill. Wudan digs in with freelancer Joshua Eaton. Joshua is an investigative reporter based i...
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Banish Burnout from 2021-08-23T16:00
Burnout may be common for freelancers and small business owners, but you don't have to live with it. If you've listened to TWC episodes before, you know that Wudan and Jenni believe that time of...
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Retain Your Clients from 2021-08-09T16:00
This week’s episode is sponsored by Lili. Lili is the first online bank account specifically designed for freelancers, where you can m...
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Embrace Authentic Marketing from 2021-07-26T15:09:28
For so many of us, marketing can feel like the trickiest part of being a freelancer. How do you sell your services in a way that feels authentic? How do you even get in touch with what is Listen
Inflection Points from 2021-07-12T14:52:49
Building a freelance career can feel directionless; there are no set rules about where to go. But Jenni and Wudan have both built their own careers (and helped other people craft theirs) by pivo...
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Balance Your Biz from 2021-06-28T15:14:34
Here's the thing: If you're only offering one service in your freelance business, you're probably on the train to burnout town. What's better? Offering a few (related) services, which helps you ...
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Ask For Better from 2021-06-14T20:20:50
If you’ve ever struggled with asking for more money or better terms from a client, this episode is for you. Jenni sits down with Jennifer Barton, a freelance writer, editor and copywriter from N...
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Boost Your Confidence from 2021-05-31T15:08:52
If you've ever felt like an imposter or like you don't deserve to ask for a raise, this episode is for you. Our anonymous guest is a freelancer who identifies as a person of color and has over t...
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Clarify Your Career Direction from 2021-05-17T14:55:23
Today’s episode -- the second of season 3 -- features a conversation with a freelancer named Hanna Merzbach. She’s new to the game; she graduated fro...
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Freelance Business Coaching 101 from 2021-05-03T15:06:53
Welcome to season three of The Writers’ Co-op: The Business Edit. Each episode of this season involves a coaching session with a freelancer just like you who struggles with issues common to free...
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Season 3 of The Writers' Co-op: Coming Soon! from 2021-03-19T20:05:15
It's happening, y'all: Season 3 of The Writers' Co-op is headed your way in just a few weeks!
We're calling this season The Business Edit; think of it like a KonMari session for your free...
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Cait Flanders from 2021-02-01T15:34:46
If there's one topic we've been skeptical about this season, it's book publishing. Can you publish a book as a freelancer and still make a living? What do the finances look like? How does the pr...
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Lee van der Voo from 2021-01-18T17:27:03
This week, we're talking about how to make investigative reporting work within a freelance career. So often we think of investigative reporting projects as money sucks that will wreck your susta...
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Jacy Topps from 2021-01-04T15:06:23
If you've ever wondered what it looks like to add ghostwriting to your mix of freelance writing services, this episode is for you! Jacy Topps joins Jenni ...
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Deepa Lakshmin from 2020-12-21T16:10:29
What does it look like to run a freelance business on the side while still holding down a full-time job? This week, we have social media expert Deepa Lakshmin on the show to talk about how she b...
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Our End-of-Year Biz Audit from 2020-12-07T16:45:31
There's no better time to revisit your business than at the end of the year. Take a moment to think about where you want to go, what you want to accomplish, and what happened during the past yea...
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Ask Us Anything, Part 2 from 2020-11-23T19:32:31
For our mid-season episode, we're addressing Writers' Co-op members' questions! We dig into how to ask your anchor clients for a raise; project prici...
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Daniella Zalcman from 2020-11-09T16:39:09
Grants are an incredible and often-underused way to fund ambitious creative projects, especially if you're pitching to a publication that may not be able to cover your travel or research expense...
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Aurora Almendral from 2020-10-26T16:09:33
Freelance foreign reporting often gets a bad rap; it can be low-paid and exploitative. But that doesn't always have to be the case. This week, Aurora Almendral, an American freelance journalist ...
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Matt Villano from 2020-10-12T15:07:33
If you want to talk about running a 6-figure freelance writing business, Matt Villano is the person to call. He has been a full-time freelancer for 25 years and during that time he’s written for...
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Maya Kosoff from 2020-09-28T01:45:06
We're back with season two of The Writers’ Co-op! This season, we’ll be interviewing other freelance writers to get a glimpse into how they run their businesses. Success takes on many shapes and...
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Season 2 of The Writers' Co-op: Coming Soon! from 2020-08-26T15:45:54
Season 2 is just around the corner, and this time we'll be interviewing other successful freelance writers about their business models. How do you get into copywriting? What's it like to make 6 ...
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Grow Your Career from 2020-06-28T17:00
How do you plan a career trajectory when there are infinite options and no set paths? Freelancers can struggle with career building because there are no managers to give you raises, and no obvio...
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Out of Office from 2020-06-14T16:00
Time spent away from work can be just as important as time spent at work, so this week on the podcast Jenni and Wudan discuss their strategies for getting out of the office and into the woods on...
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The Subtle Art of Saying No from 2020-05-31T16:00
Saying no is just as critical to running a freelance business as saying yes. You can't say yes to the right opportunities if you're filling up your time with assignments that don't pay well, or ...
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FU, Pay Me from 2020-05-17T15:00
There are few things more infuriating than getting paid late for work you've already done. In this episode, Jenni and Wudan discuss one of the hardest aspects of working as a freelance writer: c...
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Building Relationships from 2020-05-03T19:00
Making connections with other writers, editors and creatives is essential to building a freelance business that lasts throughout the years. When a gig ends or a client runs out of budget, having...
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Ask Us Anything from 2020-04-19T18:00
This week on the podcast, Jenni and Wudan address questions from Writers’ Co-op members! They talk about how to renegotiate a project fee when the scope starts to creep; tracking the time you're...
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More Than Just a Handshake from 2020-04-05T22:00
Managing and negotiating contracts can be one of the most challenging bits of freelance work, so this week Wudan sits down with Listen
Money Mindset from 2020-03-15T21:00
Your money mindset determines every aspect of your freelance writing and editing business. It's also a key to long-lasting success: Making good money allows you to live a life based on what you ...
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WTF Am I Doing? from 2020-03-01T22:00
What does it take to become a freelance writer or editor, and how do you know if this career path is right for you? In this episode, co-hosts Jenni Gritters and Wudan Yan explain their career tr...
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Welcome to The Writers' Co-op from 2020-02-06T18:00
In The Writers’ Co-op, freelance writers Listen