The Professional Writer Podcast

70 – 5 Quick, Easy, and Free Ways to Gain Visibility as a Writer

How can frugal, penny-pinching entrepreneurs creatively build a business without forking out a ton of money?

In episode 70, I’ll show you five basic, FREE things you can do right now to:
• find great deals on tools for your business
• gain visibility
• interact with prospective readers and book buyers
• earn bonus income

Shareable infographic included!

69 – Bookkeeping Tips for Your Biz, with Vanessa Butler

When I hear the phrase, “business finances,” I shudder.

I’m not a numbers person; I’m a word person. That’s why I invited bookkeeping expert, Vanessa Butler, to guest on The Professional Writer podcast. Vanessa will help us word nerds take a serious look at:

• The financial health of our business
• The most efficient ways to do accounting
• Why “business” and “pleasure” bank accounts shouldn’t get married
• Why it’s important to create a realistic monthly budget, and to look at it daily

68 – Why You Need Contracts

A contract that clearly and specifically spells out expectations is a must-have for every entrepreneur, whether you’re hiring someone to work for you, or someone is hiring you to work for them.

In Episode 68, I’ll share contract horror stories, suggest items to include in a legal agreement, and recommend easily customizable contract templates.

67 – The Problem with Vanity Numbers, Half-Truths, and Swollen Egos

We’re exploring five problematic platform-building practices:

1. The “swollen ego” bio
2. Inflated follower counts
3. Platform plugins
4. Bestseller lists
5. “Award-winning author” taglines

I believe these vanity metrics give authors permission to bend the truth as a means of proving their worth. And that concerns me. Let’s talk about it!

66 – Debunking 7 Email Marketing Myths

Misinformation and horrible advice about email marketing abounds. In episode 66, I’m going to give you some tough love. I’ll bust 7 myths about email marketing.

65 – 13 Tips for Crafting Stellar Social Posts That Link to Your Blog or Podcast

When crafted thoughtfully, promotional social media posts that link to your blog or podcast really do work.

Learn 3 things not to do under any circumstances, plus get 10 tips to help you write stellar social posts that’ll get clickthroughs.

64 – Writing Books for a Big 5 Publisher, with Susan Meissner

What’s it like to migrate from writing for the Christian market to writing for a Big 5 general market publisher?

Susan Meissner penned 9 novels for the Christian market before moving to the general market, where she has had 7 historical novels published by a major New York publishing house. In episode 64, Susan, a USA Today bestselling author, shares her evolution as a writer and reveals how she “raises the bar” for each new story she writes.

63 – Create and Achieve Growth Goals, with Kyrsti Snyder

Let’s flip the script on “playing small!” During my frank conversation with mindset coach, Kyrsti Snyder, we discuss (1) why we don’t accomplish our goals, (2) three types of goals we can set for our business, and (3) five tips for achieving our goals.

62 – How to Submit Stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul Anthologies, with Tracy Crump

Do you like to write true, inspirational stories? Consider shopping your stories to an anthology such as Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Tracy Crump, author of 22+ Chicken Soup for the Soul stories, shares insider tips for shaping a story to submit to the world’s most popular anthology series.

61 – Intentional Business, with Britney Gardner

When many others offer the same types of services, products, and programs as you, how can you make a name for yourself? Brand strategist, Britney Gardner, and I discuss several core principles for doing business intentionally: finding your best client, selecting brand photos, developing marketing messages, and filtering the wrong subscribers off your email list.