Whether you’re writing an article about a medical topic or a product, there’s a good chance you’ll need to have an expert weigh in…but where do you find those experts?

Early in my freelancing career, I would head to LinkedIn or Twitter (RIP) and put out a call for experts to varying degrees of success. Since then, some platforms have come up that make finding experts and products a lot easier, including Qwoted, Pitchcraft, and PressHook.

Interestingly, each of these platforms has sort of found its own niche, which is a post for another day. Today, we’ll talk about Qwoted.

Qwoted is great for finding expert sources from a wide range of fields and industries. The platform is super easy to use, and the Qwoted team is constantly iterating and adjusting to make things as easy as possible for freelancers and journalists (and, I assume, PR reps as well).

In fact, one of Qwoted’s recent blog posts began like this:

At Qwoted, everything we build starts with one question: does this make it easier and safer for journalists and sources to tell great stories together?

In a world filled with AI, Qwoted does a really good job being human and helping the humans that use their platform.

I use Qwoted regularly to find sources and experts for articles, and I put together these tips for finding the best sources and getting the most out of the platform. I also had a chance to chat with about some of the features and extras that Qwoted offers.

Check it out below!

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Here are a few ways that I find quality sources on Qwoted.

Ask for credentials before sending questions or accepting answers

I used to love putting the questions in my call for experts. It cut out a step because experts could just answer them right away instead of doing a back and forth. But, what I’ve found more and more is two things:

1. The expert might not be the right fit, and answers tended to be generic and potentially AI-generated.

2. It wastes the expert’s time if I don’t use their answers, and I feel bad that they spent time sending them.

Now, I ask for credentials before I send the questions. This allows me to vet the expert first and then, they only have to answer the questions if I think they’re a good fit. It’s also a way to see if people are able to follow directions. Though I’ll occasionally accept people who send their commentary through first — it’s a case-by-case scenario.

Use experts that Qwoted suggests

After you send a request for a source, you’ll typically get an email from a Qwoted team member with some suggested source that you can reach out to directly. This is super handy if you’ve posted a request and haven’t gotten any pitches.

The email will usually list a few relevant experts and then you can reach out to them directly. Which brings us to…

Attach requests in direct messages

This is a feature that I use especially when I haven’t gotten any pitches or if I need a source quickly. You can create a request and then search for experts. When you DM the expert, you can attach the request in the DM, so you don’t have to explain your needs every time.

Send a request directly through the Qwoted team

Each week, I get at least one email from someone on the Qwoted team asking if I need any sources. While I typically post my own requests, if I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed, I’ll just respond to the email with a quick description of what I need, then they post the request for me. I really does save time because I’m not navigating through the platform, it’s just a quick email!

Use built-in AI detection

I literally just used this feature even though I know it’s been there for awhile. On each pitch you get to your request, there’s text that says “Check for AI.” I just did this on a few of the pitches I got, and it seems pretty accurate. I also copy and pasted the text to ZeroGPT, and it flagged the same responses as being AI generated.

P.S. argh because I SPECIFICALLY said NOT to use AI. Why aren’t people listening?!?!

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But wait, there’s more!

Beyond being a great place to find sources, Qwoted is always introducing new features and safeguards that help you find real people with read expertise.

New updates make it easier to verify the expert’s human-ness

If you read my post about the AI shenanigans I’m not into, then you know that I had an issue with a couple of experts using ChatGPT when they sent their answers. Even though Qwoted is continually adjusting things on their end to monitor for AI, it’s impossible to avoid it altogether, especially when people are using it without malice and just think it’s a great tool (which is what I assume happened in my situation).

One of the recent updates is the ability for experts to attach video messages to their response. That means that a video of the expert answering your questions will show up in your Qwoted inbox, reducing the need to jam another call into an already packed schedule.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a video call and think it’s a great way to build rapport with the expert and get more out of the interview, but sometimes it’s just not feasible. This update bridges that gap! I haven’t used this yet, but I’ll report back when I do.

Events and webinars

Qwoted regularly puts on webinars for media professionals. You can join live, or you can check out replays on their Events & Webinars page.

A job board

This is a lesser known feature, and to be honest, I forgot it was there until my chat with Callie. If you’re looking for a job — or get ideas for places to pitch — you can access Qwoted’s Media Jobs job board filled with copywriting, editor, and writing jobs!

Do you use Qwoted or another platform? What’s been working for you?

If you like this article, check out more Visibility & Relationship posts here:

More like this!

Welcome to our weekly coffee chat! I went down to one post a week for awhile and didn’t always include a coffee chat, and honestly, I missed it. I love sharing this with you guys, but it’s also really nice to sit and reflect for a few minutes. I hope you enjoy, and I’d love to hear what you’re reading, working on, loving, and thinking ☕🤍

📖Reading

For our local library’s summer reading program, we get to choose a book (almost any book!), and they’ll order it and send it to our house. We’ve been having the best time. My bedtime book is Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson (Supreme Court Justice). It’s really interesting to see where she came from — though I could have done without the 5 chapters dedicated to her time in speech and debate in high school — but I’m most interested to see her in her role as a judge and, later, the justice that she is now.

One of my lifetime reading goals is to read a book about every president (Confronting the Presidents talked about every president, but I’m not counting that!). I’m also adding a book about or by every Supreme Court Justice to that goal. I read Notorious RBG a few years ago and it was fascinating. Next up is Listening to the Law by Amy Coney Barrett.

My living room book is The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon.

Did you know that in the ocean, salt weighs down the water so the waves are more rolling and are further apart but in the Great Lakes, the lack of salt means that the waves are choppier and closer together, making it more treacherous? I live in Wisconsin and grew up in Ohio and my grandparents lived in Erie, so many of the towns and names are familiar which always makes reading a little more fun!

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💻Working on

You know how I said that this has been a slower month? Well, that was then, and this is now:

• 7 MoneyLion articles

• 1 small business lender article

• 2 articles for BRAVA — a regional publication in Wisconsin that I’m SO excited about!

🤍Loving

I write for In My Expert Opinion, a site where real people/writers write real product reviews, and it’s so much fun! I’m very behind, so I have upcoming articles on the Tiny Health Gut test and Wildwonder drinks, but I’ll leave a few of the articles here for you to check out (you can see all of them here):

• Baloo Living Weighted Blanket

• Baloo Living Stonewashed Linen Sheets

• The Woobles Advent Calendar

• Motette Bamboo Pajamas

• SaunaBox Smart Steam Pro

🧠 Thinking

The kids are doing Vacation Bible School this week, so I’ll have a couple of hours each day to myself (read: to work), and I’m looking forward to some focused time. That said, our summer is a little shorter this year, and it’s just going too quickly! I’m also starting to think about school shopping which we’ll do the first week of August…but that means that next week, we need to go through clothes and shoes, print supply lists (the school’s taking care of a lot this year, though!), and then do the actual shopping.

Fun fact about me: I hate clothes shopping. I can get myself on board sometimes, but generally, I don’t enjoy it. Thankfully, we’ve always had tons of hand-me-downs that have saved me from having to choose clothes when the kids were little. Now, one of my favorite things is that I can take the kids out shopping and tell them what shelf/rack they can choose from and then they choose their own clothes. My ultimate goal is that they can eventually just pick out my clothes, too!

I want to know all of your over coffee things. You can copy and past the list in the comments and add what you’re:

📖Reading

💻Working on

🤍Loving

🧠 Thinking

Leave a comment

Before we get any further, though, have you considered joining the TSF Club? It’s the paid membership tier, and it’s FUN!

TSF Club members get a fun real life welcome gift (stickers and more!), interviews with other freelancers, webinars, Ask Me Anythings, Coffee Chat co-working sessions, bonus posts here and there that really get into the details, and a private chat where you can ask your questions or just…chat, and more. Join today for $8 per month ($80 for the whole year)!

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I’m going to be working on an introduction post for next week, but in the meantime, I want to learn more about you! We’ll start with how long you’ve been freelancing…

How long have you been freelancing?

I’ve been freelancing for over seven years. I started in 2019 while I was still teaching, and then when I quit after the school year to stay home with my kids, I continued to build a client base and bring in some income!

What’s your primary focus?

I wanted to make a question about your niche but couldn’t narrow it down to just five options. I’ve written about a lot of different things over the last seven years, and at the moment, they don’t all fit neatly into a niche. Recently, I’ve been doing ice maker and smoke detector reviews and writing about small business lending, wire rope fabrication, personal finance, retail, cost guides, and mortgages. It’s wild!

My primary focus has been on media publications and content writing/marketing but I’m working on shifting into more trade specific association publications.

If you’re looking for a way to track projects, calculate your rates, and track your income, check out Writer OS from Ravenwood Writing Academy. Cody is a freelance writer and built a great system to help you run your freelance business. He even included pitch templates for a variety of scenarios. Use code TSF10OFF to get $10 off the launch price of $59!

Sign up here!

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How much do you make each year?

I broke down my 2025 income in my year in review post, but for the last two or three years, I’ve come in just over $70,000. I’m working towards the $100,000+ mark, not because I want to be a six-figure freelancer, but the more money I make, the closer we get to paying off our house! My big delusional goal is to do it this year.

What’s your biggest challenge?

I think my biggest challenge is and always will be time and narrowing my focus. There are so many things that I want to write about — products and commerce, travel, building materials and construction, lifestyle, books, etc. There just never seems to be enough time in the day to spend time on all of them and sometimes I can almost feel my brain pulling itself in different directions. “But I want to do this and that and that other thing!” What’s your biggest challenge?

Have you always been a freelancer?

I’m always fascinated when I see people who have been freelancing for 15 years or more. I didn’t even know this job existed 15 years ago otherwise I totally would have been doing it during my summers off! P.S. I just realized that I literally started teaching 15 years ago and feel like time is warped and imaginary and everything is crazy because HOW was it that long ago when it feels like it was yesterday???

I did a bunch of odd jobs during and after college — car salesman, receptionist at a modeling agency, bartender, reading program at a day care — and went back to school for education after I was about three years out of undergrad. Then I was a teacher for eight years before quitting to stay home with my kids and jumped on the freelance wagon!

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I’m skipping the coffee chat this week in favor of going to bed a bit earlier. I was exhausted over the last few weeks and couldn’t figure out why. Then…I thought about how much sleep I was actually getting and it was averaging about five hours. I typically get between six and seven, but I think a sustained stretch of the five hour nights caught up with me. I’m much more rested now, but I realized I need to make sure I’m getting a little more sleep!

I’d still love to hear your coffee chat things, though! What are you reading, working on, loving, and thinking about???

Leave a comment

We work so hard to get clients. Outreach, networking, cold emails, pitch call responses, and on and on and on.

After putting in the work to get a client, learn their process, and nail their tone, the idea of letting go of a client (read: income) is, frankly, terrifying. Especially if the client is great, and it’s just not a good fit anymore for whatever reason. If the client is difficult, then it’s typically a no-brainer, so we’re going to focus on letting go of good client.

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If you want to join the TSF Club, consider becoming a paid subscriber. If you want in on the fun — think a fun real life welcome gift (stickers and more!), interviews with other freelancer’s, webinars, Ask Me Anythings, Coffee Chat co-working sessions, and more — join today for $5 per month ($50 for the whole year)!

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I also just opened up the subscriber chat, so you can chat with me and other freelancers about keeping your business simple (while making money, duh!). I know we all have about a thousand ways to chat with people, so no pressure!

Upcoming paid subscriber events:

• May 19 @ 2:00 (CST): Substack Live Q&A with myself and Rebecca Treon of Breaking into Freelance Writing. We’ll talk about how we got started and offer tips for making it as a freelance writer. Send us your questions!

If you click the link, I think you can RSVP. But maybe not. We’re figuring it out as we go!

Join the LIVE!

Ok, so when is it time to let go of a client?

• The scope has creeped: If you haven’t heard of scope creep, it’s basically when the length or complexity of the assignments have increased from what was originally agreed upon but the rate has stayed the same. This might look like additional edits, asking for more research or interviews, or adding to the length. If this happens, even though it seems like you’re still making the same amount, you’re actually making less because it’s taking longer or is more labor intensive.

• Your other rates have increased: If you’ve raised your rates with other clients or brought on more clients that are higher paying, it may make sense to start letting go of clients on the lower end of the pay spectrum. You can always check in with them about a rate raise, but if their budget doesn’t allow it, it might be time to move on to make room for clients who can meet your current rates.

• It’s taking too long: This is essentially what happened with a client that I recently let go of. The assignments were lengthy, and the rate wasn’t great, but I’ve been working with them for about a year and in total made a decent amount each month. Even though they were great to work with, ultimately, it got to a point where I wanted to focus my energy on outreach and other clients. This was a literal “it’s not you, it’s me” situation.

Those were the more business-focused reasons to let go of a client, but there are more personal reasons to consider as well.

• You’re starting to dread the assignments: There could be a lot of reasons you’re dreading the assignments — maybe you no longer like the topic, the assignments are too long, or any number of other reasons. One of the great things about being a freelancer is that you get to choose who you work with. If you’re not feeling it anymore, that’s reason enough to move on.

• You want to focus on something different: If you’ve been writing blog posts for a long time and want to pivot to a different format or you’ve been writing about a certain topics and want to pursue something new, you can start letting go of clients who aren’t in the niche that you want to cover.

My super secret test to decide whether letting the client go is the right choice

Like I said at the start, letting a client go is terrifying, so when I get to a point where I think it’s the right choice, but I’m hesitating, I use this super secret test.

I imagine myself sending the email saying I can’t work with them any longer and then ask myself one question: How will I feel when I hit send on this email?

If the answer is relief or anything similar, I know it’s the right choice. So often, we don’t trust our own instincts, but using this test allows me to put myself in a future position to try it on and see how it feels.

A “time to move on” template

Part of the struggle of letting a client go is wording the email, especially if you want to preserve the relationship.

Here’s a template to get you started. You can change any details and wording to best suit your situations, but sometimes it helps to see an example.

Hi [name],

After lots of thought, I’m no longer work with you on these assignments. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

You can also consider the following:

• Give them a set time you’ll be done: After this month’s assignments. In two weeks. Immediately.

• Offer to work with them again in the future if rate was the issue: If you have the ability to offer an increased rate in the future, I’d love to chat then.

What did I miss? Have you had to let go of a client?

FLOWN is a body-doubling and co-working platform that helps increase focus and productivity. You can join drop-in sessions, focus sessions, or community-hosted sessions. It’s a great platform for friendship and focus!

It’s free to join and you get an allotment of sessions that you can join throughout the month (plus free Fridays!). These are the ones I’ll be in this week if you want to see a friendly face (but actually everyone is friendly!):

📅 My FLOWN calendar

I won’t be on FLOWN this week, but you can go and hang out with amazing people who are all there to get stuff done!

📖Reading

I just finished Spellstruck, and I really loved it! On its face, it’s a cheeky investigation into magical accidents, but deeper down it makes a statement on the ability for someone to change their mind given new experiences and information. I just started The Lost Bookshop via Kindle Unlimited, and I’ll report back. P.S. Finally buying a Kindle is one of the best things I’ve done!

💻Working on

This is a pretty heavy week which I love:

• 3 MoneyLion articles

• 3 small business articles

• 4 Angi articles

🤍Loving

My Kindle. I know I already said it, but when I bought it, I really wasn’t sure if it was something I really needed or wanted. I have a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, which is really nice, but I probably won’t renew because I’m a cheapskate. The Libby app is fantastic for borrowing library books, and that’s what I’ll lean on after the subscription is over. I’m also able to get ARC of books from NetGalley, and this brings me more delight than I can ever describe.

🧠 Thinking

I’m working into some travel writing this year and have a couple hosted stays lined up. Not only am I super excited about that on its own (they’re really cool!), I’m also excited to share my experience with you all. I still have a lot of questions about certain things when it comes to travel PR, but I’m getting answers slowly but surely, and I’ll be spilling it all here in a couple weeks!

I want to know all of your over coffee things. You can copy and past the list in the comments and add what you’re:

📖Reading

💻Working on

🤍Loving

🧠 Thinking

Leave a comment

Ways to support The Simple Freelancer

If you want to send some support, here are a few options:

• Share what you enjoy about The Simple Freelancer here. I’ll share testimonials on LinkedIn and on Substack Notes to get the word out for other freelancers who could benefit from simple tips for freelance success.

Share a testimonial

• Restack this post or share it on your social media of choice (and come say hi on LinkedIn. I love the LinkedIn x Substack vibe).

• Ask Me Anything about freelancing, work-life balance, mindset, and whatever else. This will give me ideas for future posts!

• Buy Me a Coffee or download a resource from my Buy Me a Coffee shop.

• Check out the resources I have available on Gumroad (some are free and some have an associated cost).

• Buy this mug of anything from the Freelance Survival Guide. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases..

• Follow me on Pinterest.

• Share this post so others can find it!

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Come hang out on my first Substack LIVE!

When: Friday April 10 @ 1:00 CST

Where: Here!

What: We’ll do an AMA style — you can put questions in the chat, and I’ll answer them I’ll also share a little bit more about what I’m working on both as a freelance writer and as The Simple Freelancer!

Join the party!

I’m a planner at heart. I love a list. I love the feeling of everything starting to come together.

I also love execution, but sometimes that’s the hardest part.

Subscribe to The Simple Freelancer to get two posts per week straight to your inbox 💌. You’ll get at least one Behind-the-Pitch post each month from myself or a guest poster as well as lots of simple tips for freelance success. Grab a coffee, and let’s hang out ☕!

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Planning is exciting, but it’s just the beginning, the action is where things really happen, but it’s easy to get stuck in the planning phase and mistake it for action.

It’s so easy and exciting to make a list of all the places you want to pitch, the companies you want to reach out to, the editors you want to connect with.

It’s incredible and inspiring to scroll LinkedIn and see what other writers are doing and add those publications to your ever-lengthening list. Checking email feels productive (what if someone responded!?). Reading an article about how to get more clients builds knowledge and may give you new ideas. Jotting down random article ideas makes sure you don’t lose them.

As much as I love doing all of these things, I’ve realized more and more lately that it feels like action, but it’s actually not.

This is all in the research phase.

Taking action means getting those names off the list and into the Sent folder. It means putting yourself out there to connect with people and share your work.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck or just need a bit of a roadmap, here are three things you can do today to take action.

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1. Formulate a pitch

If you’re anything like me, you probably have random lists of article and story ideas all over the place. I’ve even made spreadsheets to keep track of my ideas. These ideas then languish in the spreadsheet or on a scrap of paper that my kids will eventually put gum on.

Take action: Sit down and write out a full ready-to-send pitch.

2. Send a Letter of Introduction (LOI) to someone you want to work with

Again, I have a list of editors and companies that I’d like to work with. But they don’t know that. The only way they’re going to know that I exist is if I reach out.

Take action: Send an LOI to an editor of a publication or a marketing manager for a company you want to work with. We’ll get into this more in upcoming posts (I’m currently testing out a client acquisition strategy)

3. Share the type of work you’re looking for

I think a lot about the types of work I want to do, but it’s just that, thoughts. We live in a world where connections are literally the click of a mouse away, and sometimes just putting yourself out there can create a ripple effect later!

Take action: Post about the type of work you’re looking for. Share your previous work, published articles, and current and past clients. If you’re feeling extra brave, tag the person or publication or company — you never know what could happen!

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Ways to support The Simple Freelancer

If you want to support what I’m doing at The Simple Freelancer, here are a few simple ways :)

• Share what you enjoy about The Simple Freelancer here. I’ll share testimonials on LinkedIn and on Substack Notes to get the word out for other freelancers who could benefit from simple tips for freelance success.

Share a testimonial

• Restack this post or share it on your social media of choice (and come say hi on LinkedIn. I love the LinkedIn x Substack vibe).

• Ask Me Anything about freelancing, work-life balance, mindset, and whatever else. This will give me ideas for future posts!

• Buy Me a Coffee or download a resource from my Buy Me a Coffee shop.

• Check out the resources I have available on Gumroad (some are free and some have an associated cost).

• Buy this mug of anything from the Freelance Survival Guide. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases..

• Follow me on Pinterest.

• Share this post so others can find it!

Share

As with many things in life, I’ve taken my cue from the show New Girl. (If you haven’t seen it, please, stop reading and watch the entire series immediately.)

Ok, so here’s the scenario, and then I’ll get to how the strategy works for freelancers.

Jess, the main character is trying to hook up with a guy at a wedding, but Jessica Biel’s character is also vying for his attention and winning. When Jess shares her frustration with her friend Winston, here’s what he says:

“Would you like to know my strategy, Jess? Be there. Just be there. No matter where he goes, be there. He gets a drink, be there. He talks to his friends, be there. At the end of the night, be there. I call it the Joe Biden.”

In Jess’s case, this approach doesn’t actually work (in Biden’s case it did), but I’ve been applying it to freelancing. So, what does this actually look like?

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The cold approach vs. the ‘Be There’ strategy

The cold approach is common among freelancers, and I definitely use it. Basically, you’re reaching out to editors or potential clients with a pitch or service offer without a previous relationship.

The problem with this approach is if you’re reaching out to editors or businesses as a freelance writer and your name shows up in their inbox, the chances of the email being opened are fairly slim.

We’re one of a billion emails that hit their inboxes every day, and we’re hoping that the subject catches their eye. But that’s not always the case.

The ‘be there’ strategy adds a layer. Being there doesn’t mean being creepy or stalker-y. Rather, it means making yourself more visible.

We’re working with the entire internet — that’s a lot of people — and generally, people gravitate towards things that are familiar and comfortable.

In that context, being there simply means putting your name places where it can be seen by the people that you want to see it. For me, this is typically on LinkedIn, but it could be anywhere your clients are.

Here are a few ideas:

• Join industry-specific webinars and put your name and what you do in the comments

• Join an industry-specific organization or association and/or attend meetings

• Comment on posts from editors or people in your target industry

• Connect with people doing what you want to be doing

• Tag a brand, publication, or business that you want to work with

• Follow and comment on business or organization pages on LinkedIn

Here’s one example of how I’ve used this strategy:

There was an editor that I wanted to work with, so I DMed her via LinkedIn. She said I could pitch her and gave me her email. I emailed her and didn’t hear back. I sent a few more pitches, and at one point, shortly after I sent an email, a LinkedIn friend tagged her in a post where she shared an article. I commented on the post saying that I loved the article and had just pitched that editor. She ended up emailing me that day! (This happened over the course of a year.)

Here’s another example:

I listened to a podcast about a year ago and reached out to the guest to say that I loved listening to her. She and I connected on LinkedIn and chatted a bit. Fast forward to last week, and an editor of a very random publication reached out to see if I wanted to contribute to the magazine because we had a shared connection — the freelancer that I reached out to last year!

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Put yourself out there in small and strategic ways

Putting yourself out there in small and strategic ways compounds to create a larger presence. I’ve been using this strategy by commenting on pages, tagging brands, and connecting with people who are doing the things that I want to do. All of those little things compound to build more visibility.

When you make yourself more visible, then when your name pops up in an editor’s inbox or DMs, they might be more likely to respond because it feels a little more familiar. In some cases, being there might mean that someone reaches out to you because your name keeps popping up.

Even something like looking at someone’s profile might get you on their radar if they can see who viewed it.

What’s one small way you can put yourself out there and ‘be there’ this week?

Leave a comment

📅 My FLOWN calendar

I hosted my first FLOWN session last week, and it was so much fun! So, I’m hosting a few more this week!!!

• Tuesday March 24 @ 9:00 am CST: 2 Hour Focus Session (hosted by Victoria)

• Tuesday March 24 @11:00 am CST: Bounce Mode 🔵 In keeping with last week’s post about Bounce Mode, I’m hosting a Bounce Mode session where you can bop around and check a bunch of items off your to-do list!

• Wednesday March 25 @ 10:00 am CST: Coffee Chat & Work Session (Grab a coffee, come hang out, say hi, and get some work done!)

Check out FLOWN!

📖Reading

I’m almost through The Nine. It’s interesting to read a more recent history (the ‘70s through the early 2000s). I remember a lot of the names and events in the book and most of the events happened in my lifetime, but enough time has gone by that there’s room to see the larger impact.

I give it five stars, but that’s not very helpful because I give every book I read five stars! (If it’s not five stars, I probably won’t finish). Are you team “finish a book no matter what” or team “I’ll abandon a book I don’t like”?

💻Working on

This week is fairly light, but I’m working on:

• 2 small business articles

• 2 GOBankingRates articles

• Pitching some travel stories

🤍Loving

Ugh, I started Age of Attraction on Netflix. I’m a dedicated Love Is Blind watcher, and this show is filling the void after the latest season. Now I’m addicted to this one. I have so many thoughts!

🧠 Thinking

Honestly, I’m not thinking about much more than getting some work done, hanging out with my family, enjoying the weather (I finally used the Traeger again last night!), and focusing on working out and eating right!

I’m also thinking of getting a Kindle. I’ve been writing about books lately, and it would be great to be able to use Libby (the library app) and NetGalley to check out books for consideration. If you have a Kindle, I need to know your thoughts!!!

I want to know all of your over coffee things. You can copy and past the list in the comments and add what you’re:

📖Reading

💻Working on

🤍Loving

🧠 Thinking

Leave a comment

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I just set up subscriber referrals, and you can earn rewards if you refer people to The Simple Freelancer!

How to participate

1. Share The Simple Freelancer. When you use the referral link below, or the “Share” button on any post, you’ll get credit for any new subscribers. Simply send the link in a text, email, or share it on social media with friends.

Refer a friend

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• Get Find Clients Mini Course for 3 referrals

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• Get One-on-One Freelance Chat for 25 referrals (I’ll actually do this anytime, but it’s also a fun reward)

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Thank you for helping get the word out about The Simple Freelancer!

It was fantastic. I got to meet other people who worked from home as we supported and cheered each other on from all around the world. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was participating in a form of focus called body-doubling.

When Groove closed down last year, a lot of us wondered if we’d be able to find that sense of community again or reap the benefits of the body-doubling that had become second nature when we sat down to work.

That’s where FLOWN, the virtual body doubling platform, really came through. Not only did they set up a group for Groovers where we could still meet, they opened up a new focus and friendship community that’s even wider reaching.

Check out FLOWN

Subscribe to The Simple Freelancer to get two posts per week straight to your inbox 💌. You’ll get at least one Behind-the-Pitch post each month from myself or a guest poster as well as lots of simple tips for freelance success. Grab a coffee, and let’s hang out ☕!

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So, what is body-doubling?

I’ll admit that even though I’d been Grooving for a few years, I hadn’t heard the term ‘body-doubling,’ but that’s exactly what I’d been doing, and it had a hugely positive impact on my focus.

Working from home is wonderful, but it’s also full of distractions — from a sink full of dishes to phone notifications to dogs that need to go on a walk. According to a study done for FLOWN, 68% of hybrid workers report problems with focus and concentrations.

Body-doubling is a strategy where a person works alongside another person. This can be done in the same space or virtually. Essentially, working alongside others can encourage focus and provide an external structure.

This strategy has high success rates for those with ADHD and neurodivergent individuals, but it has benefits for everyone.

Benefits of body-doubling

This might sound strange if you haven’t done it, especially if you haven’t done it virtually, but it reminds me of the days in college when I’d get together with friends at someone’s house, at the library, or in an outdoor space and work on our own homework.

Just being in proximity of others working helped everyone focus. Then, every now and then, we’d take a break to chat and get a snack and then head back to work.

Body-doubling is essentially the grown-up, virtual version of this type of communal workspace.

Benefits include:

• Reducing startup friction. This is one of my favorite parts. Sure, I can sit down at my desk and tell myself that it’s time to work, but when the facilitator or session leader says it’s time to get going, there’s an added weight that helps me focus faster.

• Creates a work-friendly environment. It’s easy to get distracted throughout the day, but when there’s a group of people that I can see heads down working, it’s easier to stick to the task at hand.

• Supports focus. Each work session length varies, but they’re typically between 20 and 50 minutes. These shorter focus blocks reduce the overwhelm of feeling like you have to work for hours on end.

• Increases focus duration over time. In a recent FLOWN survey of 117 members, they reported that their focus time went from under 30 minutes to over an hour in a 12-week period.

For me, FLOWN is a chance to see a friendly-face and support my focus throughout the day. The number of times I find myself wandering around the internet when I’m supposed to be working is ridiculous, and when I feel myself getting really out of the rhythm, joining a FLOCK helps bring me back into focus.

How does FLOWN actually work?

FLOWN sessions are called Flocks (how sweet is that???). The actual format will differ depending on the type of Flock you join. Options include:

• 1 and 2-hour facilitated focus sessions

• Mindful morning “Take-Off” sessions

• Focus ladder sessions

• Meditation and journaling sessions

• Community-led sessions ranging from Focus Ladders to Pomodoros

  

The specific format for each session depends on the facilitator, and you can see how it’s set up when you click on the session. You can also click the calendar button to schedule a Flock and put it on your calendar.

Join a Flock

After you’ve completed 30 Flocks, you can become a facilitator and set up your own sessions. I haven’t tried this yet, but as soon as Spring Break is over, and I’m back on my normal schedule, I’m going to — and you can join 🤗. (I’m thinking of what to call it. Coffee Club Morning Start?)

One of my favorites spaces is the Drop-In. It’s a bit like a virtual cafe or library space. Everyone is working quietly in the same room, mics off and cameras on. The Drop-In also include all of the tools you need to focus — timers, intention setting, and music you can control while you work. If you need to take a break and turn your camera off, you’re given options to help recharge, like a quick meditation or a nature-gazing session with breathing prompts.

One of my fellow former-Groovers, Jowanna, also does regular sessions that are fantastic. She incorporates meditation and movement in-between focus sessions, and her energy is amazing!

📅 My FLOWN calendar

These are the sessions I’m planning on joining next week:

• Monday, March 9 @ 12:00 pm (CST): 1 hour focus session with Victoria (Viki)

• Tuesday, March 10 @ 11:00 am (CST): 1 hour focus session with Karla

• Tuesday, March 10 @ 12:20 pm (CST): All 👀👀 on Me (🖥️Screen Share) with Jowanna

In Tuesday’s post, I’ll share a list of more sessions I plan on joining, if you want to join as well! I might even have my own session set up my then!!!

Come hang out!

You can join FLOWN for free and get access to 4 Community sessions a month and access to any sessions on Fridays! If you choose the paid version, you start a 30-day trial to check out as many sessions as you want and unlock access to hosting and on-demand content.

Ways to support The Simple Freelancer

If you’ve been following my Substack, especially over the last few weeks, you know I’ve debated about whether or not to do paid content. After a lot of thought and some very welcome reader feedback, I decided that paywalling content just didn’t feel right for me or The Simple Freelancer. I’m exploring other ways to monetize (if you want to sponsor a post to share your product or service, message me or check out my Passionfroot page!), but in the meantime, if you want to send some support, here are a few options:

• Share what you enjoy about The Simple Freelancer here. I’ll share testimonials on LinkedIn and on Substack Notes to get the word out for other freelancers who could benefit from simple tips for freelance success.

Share a testimonial

• Restack this post or share it on your social media of choice (and come say hi on LinkedIn. I love the LinkedIn x Substack vibe).

• Ask Me Anything about freelancing, work-life balance, mindset, and whatever else. This will give me ideas for future posts!

• Buy Me a Coffee or download a resource from my Buy Me a Coffee shop.

• Check out the resources I have available on Gumroad (some are free and some have an associated cost).

• Buy this mug using the link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. You can check out a list of some of the things I love in this post.

• Follow me on Pinterest.

• Share this post so others can find it!

  Share

I’ve had a lot of jobs. Some were pretty standard and others were very weird. Here’s a non-comprehensive list in no particular order:

• Receptionist at a modeling agency

• Car salesman

• Server

• Bartender

• Kitchen remodeler

• Cow milker

• Landscaper

• Confectioner’s assistant at a popcorn factory (yes, I did get tired of popcorn and fudge)

• Fence spray painter

• Teacher

Some of these required a semi-relevant resume, others required showing up, and others required hounding a relative or a guy that came into the bar where I was working. None of them required what I would consider networking.

The word networking comes with some connotations that call to mind standing around in a suit making small talk over bad coffee. But, as with many things that come with freelancing, it can actually be whatever you want it to be!

I’ve approached “networking” as just making new friends. If I happen to see a pitch call that someone would be great for or hear of someone who needs a particular skill set and can recommend them, even better! And vice versa, obviously.

Reaching out and actually talking to other freelancers, however, can be uncomfortable. Many times, before hitting send on a message, I’ve though “but why would they even want to talk to me.”

So I do what I usually do when I feel uncomfortable — I start talking myself into.

I want to meet them, why wouldn’t they want to meet me?

I love when people reach out to me, I’m sure other people feel the same way!

The worst they can say is no!

In the past month, I’ve met with four other freelancers, and all of the conversations have been so much fun. No notebook, no note taker, no agenda. Just a fun conversation about our freelancing experience, the kind of work we’re doing, and tips we have to share.

If you want to make more connections that don’t feel like weird-o networking, keep reading!

6 ways to make freelance friends (from home)

I haven’t been to a lot of in-person events, so we’re going to keep this digital.

1. Reach out after an event

Online events can be a lot of fun, and if you see someone on the call that you feel like you’d get along with, send a connection requests. I’m on the fence about whether or not adding a note is always the right call, but this is one situation where I’m pro note. I was on a Pitchcraft call the other day, and one of the participants and I started clapping for someone at the same time. I mentioned that in the note, and she accepted the request!

2. Dive into the comments

LinkedIn comments are where the magic happens. It’s great to comment on someone’s post, but you can make even deeper connections when you respond to someone’s comment.

3. Ask more about what they do

Freelancing is different for everyone. Different workflows, different clients, different locations, different goals. Asking someone about their freelancing experience is a great conversation starter.

4. Mention a common interest

If you’re into Notion and you come across someone else who raves about it, reach out and ask if they want to get on a chat to share tips. Maybe you know you’re both into trivia or escape rooms or skydiving or cooking and you can use one of those as a conversation starter. You can even ask about one of their interests that you’re curious about.

5. Jump into Substack Notes and DMs

I’ve had a few really great conversations through Substack DMs and in the Notes section. The community here is incredibly warm and inviting, and everyone is here for genuine connections.

6. Share their work

Celebrating someone’s work or ideas is a great ice breaker. If you see an article that you love, share it on LinkedIn or repost their post. Share a little bit about what you loved and watch the connection form!

Regardless of what you choose, the first step is just starting a conversation. From there, some won’t go any further, others may turn into a coffee chat, and others may turn into genuine friendships. Either way, getting to know other freelancers is a lot of fun! What are your favorite ways to make new freelance friends?

Leave a comment

Subscribe to The Simple Freelancer to get two posts per week straight to your inbox 💌. You’ll get lots of simple tips for freelance success, peeks into the pitching process, ways to make your days easier, and tons of support. Grab a coffee, and let’s hang out☺☕!

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Welcome to our weekly chat! There’s a Coffee Chat template below that you can copy and paste into a Note or a comment. Tell me what you’re reading, working on, loving, and thinking!

📖Reading

I’m almost finished with How Infrastructure Works by Deb Chachra. She presents interesting insights into where our infrastructure systems are today and where they are headed as well as ways to improve them as we move into an age of renewable energy sources.

I’m also still working my way through Katabasis, I’ve almost stopped a few times, but every time I start getting a little bored, there’s a twist or a turn that keeps me reading!

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases.

💻 Working On

This week is crazy on the living/parenting front, so I’m front loading writing on Monday and Tuesday. The rest of the week I’ll be volunteering at the school, heading to parent-teacher conferences, and taking the kids to appointments.

• 2 woodworking client articles (turned in Monday)

• 2 small business lending client articles (just the first drafts)

• 2 GOBankingRates articles

🤍Loving

I’ve had a few LinkedIn posts get a lot of comments, and reading everyone’s responses and experiences has been so much fun! I’ve also been making graphics to go with these posts, and I think I’m getting better. I’m much better with words than I am with visuals, so I’m happy with anything that’s even remotely aesthetically pleasing!

🧠 Thinking

I’m thinking of ideas to pitch and outlets I want to write for. I set a goal of sending out 10 pitches/intros per day, and while I haven’t actually reached it yet, I’m going to keep working towards it. On the way, I’ll definitely send out more than I would if I didn’t have a ridiculous goal.

I want to know all of your over coffee things. You can copy and past the list in the comments and add what you’re:

📖Reading

💻Working on

🤍Loving

🧠 Thinking

Leave a comment

Ways to support The Simple Freelancer

If you’ve been following my Substack, especially over the last few weeks, you know I’ve debated about whether or not to do paid content. After a lot of thought and some very welcome reader feedback, I decided that paywalling content just didn’t feel right for me or The Simple Freelancer. I’m exploring other ways to monetize (if you want to sponsor a post to share your product or service, message me or check out my Passionfroot page!), but in the meantime, if you want to send some support, here are a few options:

• Share what you enjoy about The Simple Freelancer here. I’ll share testimonials on LinkedIn and on Substack Notes to get the word out for other freelancers who could benefit from simple tips for freelance success.

  Share a testimonial

• Restack this post or share it on your social media of choice (and come say hi on LinkedIn. I love the LinkedIn x Substack vibe).

• Ask Me Anything about freelancing, work-life balance, mindset, and whatever else. This will give me ideas for future posts!

• Buy Me a Coffee or download a resource from my Buy Me a Coffee shop.

• Check out the resources I have available on Gumroad (some are free and some have an associated cost).

• Buy this mug using the link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. I literally just signed up, so we’ll see how it goes. Ideally, I’ll link to a list of stuff that makes freelance life better (blankets, coffee mugs, notebooks, you get the idea).

• Follow me on Pinterest.

• Share this post so others can find it!

Share

How much do you post?

What do you post?

Where do you post?

Who are you writing to?

Why are you writing to them?

Should you connect or follow?

Is a DM ok?

AHHHHHH!

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Ok, I’m not a master marketer by any means, but I do have a few tips to make marketing and putting yourself out there feel more fun and less like a necessary evil of being self-employed.

I’ve never really posted on IG, but in the old days, I was pretty active on Twitter. It seems like that was the place for editors and freelancers to connect. Now, I would recommend LinkedIn. It’s not as stuffy as it once was, and there’s a lot of room for expression. I also find that engagement is also fairly easy to get.

If you’re not sure where to start and don’t want to feel like you’re marketing marketing yourself, here are a few marketing tasks that don’t feel like marketing. You might be surprised at the doors it opens.

1. Do an intro post

I just saw that Alexis Benveniste () did a great intro post that included the type of editorial and brand work she’s looking for as well as her recent bylines and clients. People won’t know who you are unless you tell them!

It might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but the more you get comfortable being uncomfortable the better off you’ll be. An intro post doesn’t have to be complicated, and you can include as much (or as little) info as you want. Maybe you focus on your work or maybe you focus on the things you love to do outside of work. Either way, it gives people the opportunity to interact with you, get to know you better, and understand the type of work you do.

2. Post about your weekend (or anything else)

This might not seem like marketing in the traditional sense, but if you’re a writer, any chance to get your writing out there counts as marketing (I think so, anyway). Sharing bits and pieces of your life builds trust and connection with people. This is especially helpful if you write about your life as part of your job. Editors can get a feel for your style and may be more inclined to respond to you when they see your name in their inbox.

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3. Comment on other people’s posts

Comments are where the magic can really happen. It doesn’t come with the pressure of posting your own content, but it’s a great place to strike up a conversation. Once, I tagged an editor that I wanted to work with in a comment on a friend’s post and then she picked up a pitch that I had just sent!

Plus (secret tip): The comments are where you can find people to connect with that you never would have known about. Info for editors can be hard to find, but you might see them pop up in someone’s comments and can start to build a relationship or at least make a connection. For instance, on a post from a USA TODAY writer, there were comments from PR reps, an editor at Vox, an editor at USA TODAY, and an editor at CBSNews.com

4. Share other people’s work

You can share an article that you loved, and make sure to tag the writer and editor if you know who it is! You can also repost someone else’s good news. It’s an easy way to be active without having to think too much. Plus, supporting others feels good!

5. Jump into the DMs

Some of my best clients have come from just chatting with another freelancer on LinkedIn. Most of the time, it’s just to say hello or to send a compliment or congratulations. If they write for a publication or outlet that I want to pitch, I’ll ask them about their experience writing for it. Sometimes, I’ve just come right out and asked if they’re comfortable sharing editor contact info. Everyone has always been incredibly kind. Even if they’re not comfortable giving out editor info, they’ll often offer to pass my info along.

6. Set up a coffee chat

Setting up a coffee chat with a fellow freelancer doesn’t feel like marketing — it just feels fun! But it can form a real connection and lead them to recommend you to an editor or share opportunities with you when they see something that’s a fit. And you can do the same for them!

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The Simple Freelancer updates!

I spent time over the holidays reorganizing The Simple Freelancer into five sections to help navigate and find the info you need! Each section has a Start Here post with a preview of what you’ll see there and a few posts to get you started. I’m still working on getting everything in!

Check out the new look here:

Check it out!

Ways to support The Simple Freelancer

If you’ve been following my Substack, especially over the last few weeks, you know I’ve debated about whether or not to do paid content. After a lot of thought and some very welcome reader feedback, I decided that paywalling content just didn’t feel right for me or The Simple Freelancer. I’m exploring other ways to monetize (if you want to sponsor a post to share your product or service, message me or check out my Passionfroot page!), but in the meantime, if you want to send some support, here are a few options:

• Share what you enjoy about The Simple Freelancer here. I’ll share testimonials on LinkedIn and on Substack Notes to get the word out for other freelancers who could benefit from simple tips for freelance success.

• Restack this post or share it on your social media of choice (and come say hi on LinkedIn. I love the LinkedIn x Substack vibe).

• Ask Me Anything about freelancing, work-life balance, mindset, and whatever else. This will give me ideas for future posts!

• Buy Me a Coffee or download a resource from my Buy Me a Coffee shop.

• Check out the resources I have available on Gumroad (some are free and some have an associated cost).

• Buy this mug (or anything else) using the link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. I literally just signed up, so we’ll see how it goes. Ideally, I’ll link to a list of stuff that makes freelance life better (blankets, coffee mugs, notebooks, you get the idea).

• Share this post so others can find it!

  Share

Honestly, when I started freelancing, visibility and relationships didn’t enter my mind. I was submitting proposals to potential clients through Upwork and just trying to make a little bit of money.

The further I’ve gotten into freelancing, the more I’ve realized how important these to elements are to a successful business.

First, people can’t hire you if they don’t know who you are. Hence, visibility. And people are more likely to hire you when they know you and you’ve built trust and a good reputation within the freelancing/media/publishing community. Hence, relationships.

This section is dedicated to increasing your visibility and building relationships within the industry.

I thought about labeling this section Networking & Relationships, but really, it isn’t so much about networking as it is building relationships and getting yourself out there in a way that feels comfortable and natural and not at all forced.

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Here are a few articles to get you started!

Have questions?

Freelancing can be a lonely endeavor, especially if you have questions. There’s a ton of information out there, but sometimes it’s nice to ask a real person. If you have any questions about freelancing, work-life balance, morning routines, or anything else, drop them in the form linked below. I’ll either answer them in a post, or if there’s a lot of info, it might end up being an entire post!

Ask a question

I've spent most of my active social media time on Twitter over the last few years of freelancing, and because I'm a word person, it makes more sense for me to use that over Instagram or TikTok. I've made some amazing connections and have even gotten some work and PR connections through it. But what about LinkedIn?

When I started freelancing about five years ago, LinkedIn didn't really seem to be in the conversation much. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. Either way, LinkedIn seems to be seeing a resurgence.

Two things happened recently that got me thinking about how I use the platform and how I could be using it to my advantage.

First, I attended a webinar put on by Kat Boogaard, Brooklin Nash, and Mike Keenan about whether or not LinkedIn is a hot platform for finding clients. I didn't take notes, but some of my takeaways included:

• Interact with people you want to work with now AND people you want to work with someday.

• Don't jump right into "I want to write for you."

• Work to foster relationships with other freelancers and editors.

• Post your work, so others can see the type of work you do.

This is definitely not a comprehensive list of what they covered, but it got me thinking about how I can better use LinkedIn to my advantage.

The second thing that happened is that I had a client reach out to *ME* through a LinkedIn connection, and now I'm writing for them. The editor didn't give any info about how she found me, but the assignment is in my niche, so I have a good idea, but I was still pleasantly surprised to have someone reach out!

One of my goals this year was to spend more time on LinkedIn, so getting a new client with the minimal of effort I've put into meeting that goal was pretty encouraging. But I realize that just scrolling through posts and expecting work to come my way and connections to form probably isn't the move.

To make my time as valuable as possible, I decided I need more focus. So I'm making a list of a few editors, publications, and other freelancers I want to engage with and then I'm going to test out a 3-2-1 strategy:

• Set a 15 minute timer

• Comment on the first three posts in my timeline no matter what they are.

• Look at two of the editors/publications/freelancers from my list and comment on their latest post.

• Send one connection request with a note.

• Check and respond to any notifications.

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In addition to the first list, I'm going to have a second that lists the editors I come across while I'm reading articles throughout the week. Some will be in my niche but others will be outside of it, and that's who I'll send connection requests to as well as a note that just says that I enjoy their work or the publications. All of this is just to build the habit of using LinkedIn, and I'll adjust or spend more time on it as needed.

If you have any LinkedIn strategies, I'd love to hear them!!!

Don’t forget, if you have any questions about freelancing, finding clients, morning routines, work-life balance, or anything else, you can…

Another thing I’ve been paying really close attention to is where people are. In some industries and communities, people are really active posting and commenting. In others, people might post an announcement every now and then but generally aren’t as active. But just because they’re not posting regularly doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Full disclosure: I haven’t gotten a client through LinkedIn yet, but I realized that I’m sort of starting from scratch within the industry that I want to work with. I’m establishing myself and getting my name out there in the hopes that I’m swamped in a few months!

Ok, here’s where potential clients are hiding on LinkedIn.

1. Your comments and reactions

Not everyone will leave a comment, but if you can get a prospective client to comment on your post, that’s a great opening to start a conversation. Here’s the thing though, even if someone doesn’t leave a comment doesn’t mean they’re not reading your posts.

Reactions are quick, low stakes ways for people engage with your content. Pay attention to who’s reacting to your posts and then react to theirs in return, then you can send a connection request or a message.

2. Your profile views

You’ve head this before, I’m sure, but when people are checking our your profile, it indicates interest in you and/or your content. I still haven’t found a non-creepy way to say “hey I noticed you noticing me,” so if you have a suggestion for how to send a message that isn’t weird, please let me know.

Unfortunately, when you use this strategy, it can veer into overthinking real fast — especially when someone you sent a connection requests to has looked at your profile multiple times and not accepted the request. Why don’t you want to be friends, man?

3. Company page comments and reactions

This is the one I’ve been paying the most attention to and the one I find the most interesting. The people I want to connect with aren’t posting a lot on their own accounts, but what I’ve found is that they do engage with industry company pages.

I started checking out the comments and reactions for company posts, and typically end up with a few more names to add to my connection list. I also try to comment on these types of posts regularly because the more my name is out there, the more likely people will be to recognize me when I show up in their DMs.

4. People you may know sections

LinkedIn knows what they’re doing in trying to get you to connect with more people. These sections pop up in various places, like in the sidebar of profiles and at the bottom of the My Network tab. Paying attention to these areas can reveal potential clients that you can introduce yourself to.

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Grab your coffee, and let’s chat!

📖Reading

I’m currently reading The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Fink. It’s about Stephane Breitweiser and his girlfriend Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus and their brazen art thefts. It’s along the lines of A Gentleman and a Thief.

🎧Listening

I listened to The Marketing Mentor Podcast episode with Melody Wilding about trusting yourself. It was fantastic, and I actually listened to it one and a half times because I realized I wasn’t paying enough attention the first time. I actually want to do a whole post about it!

🤍Loving

All of the coffee things. I just love coffee so much.

Brumate Muv in Rose Taupe - I got this mug to test and I love it! The silicone sleeve on the bottom makes it nonslip, and frankly, I love any travel mug with a handle. It’s leak proof and the lid has MagFlip, so it doesn’t flap back in your face when you’re drinking. All around delightful.

Vashon Island Coffee Dust - These blends of spices really add a kick to your coffee!

Yeti Rambler Mug - I’ve been using this style mug for a few years, and it’s the best. It has the cozy feel of a regular mug, but the lid keeps it hot and makes it harder for me to spill it all over.

Everyday Dose - I just got some of this this week, and I already love it. The Coffee+ has 45g of caffeine, so it’s great if you're trying to cut back on caffeine or if you need an afternoon pick me up. It’s also packed with functional mushrooms, collagen protein, and nootropics.

🧠 Thinking

I had an ideal client revelation today! I know that I want to work with building material and construction companies, but the outreach that I’ve been doing hasn’t been as effective as I’d like. My goal is to create case studies for these companies, but I’ve struggled to figure out how to approach them.

Today, I realized that if I find companies that already have testimonials or smaller project spotlights on their website, I can offer the case studies as an extension of what they’re already doing rather than coming out of the blue. I feel like this will set a foundation and then I can build on it with them.

Also, I’d love to answer some of your questions in the Tuesday newsletter, so if you want to ask anything about freelancing, work-life balance, morning routines, resources, LinkedIn outreach strategies, or anything else, you can leave a comment or fill out the AMA Form linked below!

Ask Me Anything!

This question has been on my mind a lot recently. When I started freelancing, I was mainly focused on real estate and building materials. This was during the pandemic, so real estate content was in high demand. Since then, I've worked mostly in the home improvement and design space. I know that I want to pivot into more personal finance content and will eventually spend more time on The Simple Girl's Guide blog and resources.

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But - I also want to write about cool things people are doing and science stuff (what specifically, I'm not sure). I want to do more deeply reported piece. I've had some PR people reach out with samples that I'd love to write about, so I'd like to do some commerce stuff. There's also home security, organization, wellness, and, well, so much more.

In the midst of these thoughts, I received Rae Witte's Approved Pitches newsletter (which I love, by the way). In this edition, she featured an interview with Jen A. Miller that was originally featured in Freelancing with Tim's newsletter (also a great one). This bit stuck out to me:

"I’ve been a full-time freelance writer for 19 years as of January, and while I’d like to say what I write about, the answer is a lot — and my focus changes as my interests do. For example, when I started out, I wrote a lot of travel stories about New Jersey, and then for a while, I wrote about running. Now I’m more focused on specialized science work."

I know that some freelancers make a career as a generalist, but I also know there's a lot to be said about focusing on a niche. You have more experience and expertise, and pieces typically go a little faster because you have a lot of the background knowledge. My interests are wide ranging and always changing, so it was nice to hear the other side of things, that you can change what you're writing about and still be successful.

Just some food for thought.

But now I'm curious, if you're a freelancer and you're reading this, what is your niche? Has it changed? And how do you decide what to focus on?

I'm not a freelancer, but it's becoming more and more appealing to me. Plus, I have an English degree, so I know I am capable. (Still working on believing I can succeed, but I refuse to give up) Do you have any tips for how to get started? Thank you!

First of all, you can succeed! And I firmly believe that continually telling yourself that you can do it make it much more likely that you actually will. Here are my tips for getting started:

1. Decide on a focus area. You don’t necessarily need to “niche down” right away, but deciding whether you want to write about birds or write about cars can go a long way towards moving you in the right direction.

2. I haven’t used Upwork in a long time, but I did browse through it the other day, and I still think it’s a viable way to get started. Search for keywords related to your focus and type of freelancing you’re doing (blog content, case studies, web copy, etc). Send proposals to jobs that you think would be a good fit, and go from there. I think this is a good way to get a bit of experience, build your confidence, and get some samples built up.

3. Either at the same time or instead of Upwork, be on the lookout for calls for freelancers and/or pitches. You can reply to these and explain who you are and what you do. If you have samples, send them. If you don’t…

4. Create some samples. Write about the things that you want to get paid to write about. For instance, if you want to write about gardening, write mock article about the best plants to attract wildlife or 5 unexpected places to use mulch (I’m not a gardener, so these might not make sense!).

5. Start building relationships with other freelancers and people in adjacent spaces, including in your desired focus area or niche. This could include editors, content managers, founders, etc. I cannot say enough good things about the community on LinkedIn and through Groove (an coworking app). Not only will you get to know amazing people, but you’ll have a network of support and people you can ask if you need input on something. I regularly help some freelance friends with proofreading and feedback, and I’ve reached out to friends about Notion and Placed.

6. Keep going. Freelancing is honestly not for the feint of heart. It’s amazing, and I love it, but it can be hard. A lot of emails and outreach will go unanswered. A lot of pitches are going to get turned down. You’ll get feedback that’s not great. But keep going.

7. And finally, if something doesn’t feel like it’s working, really evaluate why you’re doing it and decide if you need to double down on it or if you need to pivot. Freelancing is all about flexibility, but not just when it comes to your schedule. You also have to be flexible in your approach and adjust when necessary.

Freelancers, chime in! How would you recommend getting started?

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If you're a freelancer, the idea of letting go of a client can be panic-inducing, especially if you're just starting out. Over the last few years, I've said no to a few opportunities because of low pay or bad vibes, but I had only had to stop work with one because it was a bad fit, and that was a few years ago. But this week, I was faced with an assignment that I realized quickly that I shouldn't have taken on.

I wanted to share what I did because I'm sure others have found themselves in this situation and haven't been sure what to do.

The situation was actually very simple: I shouldn't have said yes.

I had worked with this particular client last year and they offer low rates for (what I think is) an extraordinary amount of work. I stopped getting work from them after a few months, and I was totally fine with it. But when they reached out last week with more assignments, I said yes. Against my better judgement, I might add.

When I opened up the assignment on Saturday to start working on it, I nearly broke out in a cold sweat. There was a scoring system, a lengthy template, a spreadsheet to go through, and more. I had already been working ahead on a few assignments because I knew I had a lot due Tuesday (today as I write this), and I ended up with a cold Saturday night that's still hanging around. Pair that with my husband working all weekend and a day with the kids fighting nonstop with each other, me, and probably the walls, and I was spent.

So, I decided to email and let my contact know I wasn't going to be able to do the assignments. Now, as someone who wants to do everything and be everything and never let anyone down, this was a tough choice. I had committed to it, that means that I have to do it, right? Wrong!

I wrote the email and hit send. Here's what I wrote:

Hi [Name],

After taking a closer look at the template and the rate, I won't actually be able to take these assignments on. I'm sorry for the short notice, but it's not a good fit for me at the moment. Thanks again for reaching out!
Thanks,

Steph

After waiting for two days a little nervously, I received this response:

No problem, thank you for letting me know!

Whew!

Here are a few takeaways that I hope are helpful:

• Unless you have an ironclad contract with consequences, you can say no to something at any point (and even if you have a contract, there's usually a way out).

• I don't want to work with this client anymore, so I wasn't worried about maintaining a relationship. If I did and the assignment just wasn't a good fit, I would have worded the email differently or added that I would take on future assignments.

• While I worried a little about the response, I didn't worry too much. Worrying about things you have zero control over is rarely helpful, so even though it nagged at me and I felt a sense of relief when she responded, it didn't ruin my weekend.

• You don't have to explain yourself. I put in a little in the way of an explanation so there was some context, but I didn't go into much detail. In my experience, less is more when it comes to explanations.

• Consider the time and stress commitment when you're taking on work (duh, right?). Together, the assignments would have been worth $500 which is a significant amount of money, but the amount of time and stress that I would have put into it wasn't worth the money.

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The moral of the story is to listen to your gut and your brain, but don't let your brain talk your gut into doing something that isn't right. I knew I shouldn't have taken it on to begin with, but I talked myself into it. That rarely works in my favor!

How are you dealing with the way AI is shaking up the freelance writing world? Have you lost any work because of it? What advice would you give to a new freelancer?

As of right now, I don’t think I’ve lost any work to AI specifically. The Google algorithm, yet. AI, no.

I have lots of thoughts about AI, but I think Liz Heflin said it really well on The Marketing Mentor Podcast:

It may eliminate a subset of people, but it’s not the people who would have ever worked with me anyway…I do think AI is taking jobs, but I think it’s taking the most base level. Those clients who weren’t really going to invest significantly in their content anyway. People, hair on fire, think “we’re losing jobs,” but those were jobs we didn’t want…You want the people who value content, who value expertise, who will treat you like an equal.

Yes, there will be companies that shift to using AI over freelancers, and maybe that method works for them, but I think there will be more who realize the need for a human hand in content creation.

It also doesn’t scare me because I think of all of the innovations that came before AI. Can you imagine what candle makers were thinking when Edison was like “check out this magic waxless light I made”? Or how milkmen felt when people started to get refrigerators? (Weird reference, but I just wrote an article about milk doors.) People pivot and adjust and innovate, so they can stay relevant. And we have to do the same!

My advice to new freelancers who are negotiating an already crazy business made crazier by AI is to keep it in mind when you’re building your offerings. For instance, some companies want to generate AI content and then have a freelancer edit it. Other content, like case studies, almost require a human because it takes more than just writing. It also requires interviews, formatting, and research that AI won’t necessarily be able to do.

Also, figure out how AI fits into your processes. I use it for brainstorming and sometimes doing drafts of LinkedIn posts. I’ve also been using it to refine my outreach messages and help with my web copy, but I have to do a lot of back-and-forth and then put my own stamp on it.

Another thing that came up in a recent edition of ’s interview with Sharon Wu is that AI used human generated content, particularly for AI summaries.

While AI Overviews might seem convenient to digest, they're not always accurate. And what's often overlooked is that these AI summaries are built from content human writers create. As companies cut content budgets, we're facing a concerning trend: less valuable human-created content means less quality material for AI to work with in the long term.

I genuinely think that the initial push to use AI because it’s new and cool and convenient will give way to a more balanced approach.

What is everyone else thinking about AI and freelancing? Are you scared? Super chill?

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Honestly, I’m still on the fence.

Here’s what I liked:

• Longer notes for connection requests

• Unlimited connection requests (I think)

• 15 InMail messages to send to people you’re not connected with

• I can see who viewed my profile and potentially use that as a warm connection

That was really it. And despite lots of outreach and using all of the InMail credits, I didn’t generate any work, so it definitely didn’t pay for itself in those two months.

In March, I actually got approved for one of the LinkedIn for Journalist scholarships and now have LinkedIn Premium for 12 months, which is really cool, and I want to make the most of it.

I have a plan moving forward that has already generated some engagement and warmed up some leads for the content marketing services I’m offering. (I’ll talk about this after I actually onboard a client, so I can say “see! It works!).

Initially, I was pretty disappointed that it only comes with 15 InMail messages, but now that I’ve been working with a different strategy, I haven’t been using them as frequently.

I also created a business page for Practical Pen Content Marketing which I like because there’s now a logo attached to the company that shows up on my profile. However, I don’t see myself posting through the company page much given that I have a hard enough time keeping up with regular posts!

Overall, I’m not totally convinced that it’s worth what it costs, and I think that if you work strategically, the free version may be just fine!

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This is the place where I share things that I think we’d discuss over coffee ☕

📖Reading

I’m currently reading Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I know I started reading it back in 2020, but I can’t remember if I finished it or not. Either way, it’s the inspiration I need right now!

🎧Listening

I just finished The Skinny Confidential Him & Her episode with Dean Graziosi on money, mindset, and success. Highly recommend!

🤍Loving

I’m trying something new for this, and I made a collage! I love looking at collage/roundups, so I wanted to try my hand at one. These are things that I use a lot when I’m on-the-go — and with three little kids, I’m on the go a lot. Everything is listed and linked below in case you want to check anything out!

• Knockaround Rose Latte Songbird Sunglasses

• K’lani Climb Hair Tie Bracelets Rise

• The Only Bean Edamame Beans

• OHME! Freeze Dried Raspberries

• 1st Phorm Protein Sticks

• CargoIT Crossbody Bag

• Kavu Paxton Pack

• Adventurist Backpack Co. Nomad Sling Bag

🧠 Thinking

All of my thinking is going into how to position my business to generate leads on LinkedIn, write for The Simple Freelancer, and how to build Placed into the go-to pitching platform for writers and editors! - Still this…again!

Also, I’d love to answer some of your questions, so if you want to ask anything about freelancing, work-life balance, morning routines, resources, or anything else, you can leave a comment or fill out the AMA Form linked below!

Ask Me Anything!

But how? I always wondered. How are you forming a connection with someone through your phone or computer that is actually meaningful with someone you now consider a friend?

Well, I can honestly say that in the last few months, I have made some genuine online friends, and I wanted to share how I did it in case you’re in the same boat!

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Show up and share

Friendship is never (or at least shouldn’t be) one-sided. So even though I was lurking around the internet and posting the occasional comment, I wasn’t sharing anything about myself. Posting doesn’t have to be about engagement or likes or clicks. It can be about sharing something that could resonate with others.

You also don’t have to share something groundbreaking or thought-leadership-y every time. Sharing something you’re going through, an idea you have, a funny thought, or a resource can be enough to connect with someone who relates.

Find the right platform

I am not a pictures girl. My ability to create an aesthetic is minimal. I’ve literally farmed out photography to my daughter because I’m just not a fan - that means Instagram has always been a challenge for me. One day, I realized that Twitter (I keep trying to call it X, and I just can’t) was all about words and figured I could handle that. I started posting there a few years ago and got a glimpse of how beneficial it could be. I connected with a few PR reps and other freelancers and formed a few genuine relationships.

Lately, I’ve been hanging out on LinkedIn and in Groove (a virtual co-working app), and there’s been a lot of overlap between the people that I meet with in Groove and the connections I make on LinkedIn. Honestly, it feels a little magical. There’s a lot of support and encouragement and getting to talk to people through the app makes the connections online feel more real. There’s also been a lot of overlap between LinkedIn and Substack, and that’s been really fun, too!

Notice who you gravitate towards

Just like in real life, there are certain people you just gravitate towards. Think about who those people are for you and then seek them out online. For me, I like a lot of energy, snappy conversation, and a big laugh. Though I don’t know them in person, I suspect a lot of people that I’ve connected with would say they have at least one of these things.

Set up a coffee chat

Taking things from social media or LinkedIn to an actual face-to-face, either in-person or online can solidify the connection and move things into friendship. I’ve had some wonderful conversations with people that I’ve met through Groove and LinkedIn and even Twitter. I love a good coffee chat, so if you want to set one up let me know!

And if you have any tips to add, I’d love to hear them!

Speaking of coffee, I’m adding this section to my weekly posts to share the things we would talk about over coffee if we could actually sit down together!

Reading

Confronting the Presidents by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard: One of my life goals is to read a book about every president, and I’ll sort of be able to meet it with this book! Though I still want to read deeper dives into each one, this one offers “no spin assessments from Washington to Biden.”

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio: I liked this one immediately, but I haven’t been able to read more than a paragraph at a time before I’m interrupted! Basically, Lauren comes home from a night out with friends to find a husband that she didn’t have when she left and her home slightly changed. Turns out, every time one husband goes up to the attic, a new one comes down. Like I said, I’m not that far in, but so far it’s really good and an interesting look at how the people in our lives can affect who we are. I’m keeping it in the living room, so I’ll pick it up instead of my phone when the kids are watching TV.

Watching

I just finished the new season of Love Is Blind, and as usual, I was all in. I only have Netflix during the season, but I might keep it a little longer to watch Man on the Inside. Ted Danson plays a retiree who goes under cover at a nursing home as a private detective. I love an over 60 detective! I’m also watching With Love, Meghan and getting inspired to add a bit of sweetness to our daily routines (I also have lots of article ideas about it, so if you’re an editor and want to chat, let me know!).

Loving

My nighttime routine. I got some products from Nakery Beauty, and their Relax + Repair Body Balm is amazing. I rub it on my neck at night, and that paired with mouth tape and a sleep mask is giving me the best sleep. I also just bought a sunrise alarm clock, and the morning feels so much calmer.

Thinking

All I’ve been thinking about lately is the rebrand for The Pitch Place. If you didn’t see Tuesday’s post, it is now Placed! As before though, I’m working on getting editors in there, so we can actually start getting pitches placed in publications! I know there have been a few connections, but I haven’t gotten confirmation on any official placements yet. Stay tuned!

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The first time I was offered a PR sample, I was very confused. I didn’t know what the expectations were, whether I was implying coverage by accepting the samples, or if I was supposed to send them back.

I couldn’t really find the answers I was looking for, so I started asking. This Twitter (sorry, X) thread has a lot of good responses from PR reps explaining their views on sending out product samples to writers.

Basically, my question was what their expectations were when they send samples to a writer. What do writers do if we can’t find coverage and what about if we don’t like the product?

The takeaway was that they don’t send samples out with any expectations attached. Do they want coverage for the product? Absolutely. But is it something they expect? No. Here are some of my takeaways from the thread:

Coverage isn’t expected

This was my favorite analogy: “I like to say it’s called seeding a product for a reason - you’re planting a seed. As such, you shouldn’t expect it to bloom a) right away or b) at all. Like gardening, PR isn’t guaranteed.”

Other comments included:

• “Coverage is awesome, but never expected.”

• “My expectation is simply introducing you to the product.”

• “I never expect coverage when sending out product, but I do appreciate ANY type of feedback on the product.”

• “It’s part of building or maintaining relationships. Feedback, coverage , or a story on IG is great, but a plus.”

Accept in good faith

I struggled with this one in the beginning because I wasn’t sure what to accept and what not to accept. At first, I wanted to accept EVERYTHING. I mean, FREE STUFF. But then I pulled back and sent a bunch of “no thank you” emails. I really gave it a lot of thought and started to think about not just what I’m covering now, but also things that I want to cover.

I’m not one to buy a lot of things, so there are products out there that I just would never try on my own. So, I finally settled on a way to respond that gives them an out and feels comfortable on my end (you can use it if you want!):

Hey [name]! I’m not working on anything that’s a fit at the moment, so I totally understand if you want to hold off on sending samples, but I’ll leave my address below just in case. Either way, I’ll keep it in mind and reach out if something relevant comes up!

What I like about this is that it cuts out a step if they decide they do want to send it because I’ve given my address, and it also gives the PR rep the opportunity to wait to send until I have something more concrete. I’d say responses have been about half and half. Some send it anyway and some say they’ll hold off. Either way, I feel good about being transparent, and it keeps the relationship in a good spot.

If you do receive a sample, another thing that is appreciated and that can help maintain the relationship is simply acknowledging that you received the sample. One comment was that “there’s no expectation but acknowledging receipt is nice!”

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Send feedback

One thing that surprised me is how many said they really want feedback about the product. One PR rep even said they “appreciate feedback ESPECIALLY if they don’t like the product. Have had that happen where journo said they didn’t like the product but also didn’t want to write about it and appreciated that greatly.”

Another said, “The client knows we’re sending out product, so it’s always nice to be able to share feedback…good or bad!”

And this is one of my favorites - “Feedback is truly a gift, regardless of the outcome. Understanding why something isn’t a fit for you (either overall or just right now) can help PR pros have constructive conversations with clients or business partners.”

The bottom line

PR reps send samples to writers for consideration for stories and to get the product into more hands. They appreciate feedback, good or bad, on the products, and keeping the lines of communication open can help to maintain a relationship in which they can provide support and ideas and writers can provide coverage.

To decide which samples to accept and which to decline, think about what you may actually be able to cover or something that you genuinely want to try and give feedback about. Simply acknowledging receipt and letting the PR rep know what you think is much appreciated on their end.

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.

Pitch me? Pitch me what? I’m not an editor, I thought.

We continued to message and she introduced me to her client as well as sent over some samples from another client for me to consider for coverage.

The box arrived, and I was stunned. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. Was this a secret trade? Did I owe her anything? (I sent her a package at one point with some local goodies).

Since then, I’ve built relationships with other PR reps and received a variety of samples and help with sources. I’ve had the best experience working with them, and they are always incredibly helpful and insightful.

The ecosystem that exists between PR reps, freelancers, and editors can seem complex, and it’s taken me quite a while to figure out exactly how it works and how to work together, what’s expected, and how I can help. I was explaining this system to a friend the other day, and I realized that it can seem (and maybe is) pretty complicated. To hopefully demystify the process a bit, I’m going to try the “explain it like I’m 5” strategy and really keep it simple.

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The goal of PR reps is to get their clients coverage in media outlets. The type of coverage depends on their client and what they’re offering. If the client offers services, coverage is often in the form of using them as subject matter experts (SMEs) to offer insights for articles. If the client offers products, coverage can be in the form of including the product in a round up or gift guide, highlighting it in a standalone article, or using someone from the company as an SME. PR clients can include brands, individuals, companies, restaurants, and even cities, among others.

The goal of freelance writers and journalists is to write content (either pitched or assigned) and share information and products that reaches their (or their client’s) intended audience or purpose (conversion, engagement, etc).

The goal of editors is to assign and create content that their audience wants to see and engage with.

So how does this all work together? In a perfect world, it can be a very simple process:

PR rep pitches idea to writer. Writer pitches idea to editor. Editor says yes. Good to go!

Or:

Writer pitches editor. Editor says yes. Writer reaches out to PR reps for samples or SMEs.

Or:

Editor assigns writer. Writer reaches out to PR rep.

But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes it takes a long time to get a story idea picked up. Or the right opportunity hasn’t presented itself. So what then?

Here’s what I’ve figured out. PR is all about relationships. And really, so is freelancing. Building a network can be mutually beneficial because as opportunities come up, you’ll be more likely to have the right person in place to pitch an idea to or pass an assignment to.

Stay tuned next week when I’ll dig into how to approach PR samples!

I’ve seen how LinkedIn can be a great place to network with editors and other freelancers as well as find jobs, so I want to make sure I’m spending enough time there to get the benefits. I wrote awhile ago about how I was spending 15 minutes a day on LinkedIn, and since then I’ve refined my strategy to give me a little more direction.

To avoid getting overwhelmed, I put a 3-2-1 strategy in place that lets me show up on LinkedIn without getting sucked into hours of scrolling or overthinking. Here it is:

When I first get on LinkedIn, I comment on the first 3 posts I see. It doesn’t matter if I’m connected with the person or if it’s a post that shows up because a connection liked it or commented on it.

Next, I connect with 2 people. Who those people are depends on my goals at the moment. Currently, I want to connect with more commerce editors, so I’m searching for them and then sending a connection request. I typically send one without a note, only because I don’t mind when I get requests without a note. If there’s something I want to add, I would definitely add a note with it.

Finally, I create 1 post. What I actually post depends on the day because I don’t have a content strategy at the moment. I want to make sure I’m also creating content rather than just consuming it.

I really love this strategy because it takes a lot of the pressure off of figuring out what to do and what to say and who to interact with.

It’s still in its beginning stages, so I’ll be sure to update as I continue using it and fill you all in on how it’s going.

Tell me - how do you show up on LinkedIn? What about other social media platforms?