The Content Byte

Procrastination is an age-old problem - particularly when you work for yourself. This week, Rachel & Lynne share their tips on how to get work done. Links to apps and ideas mentioned in this episode: Brene Brown talking with James Clear on her podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FCDXnrrXo9d7VTTX7bi4E Atomic Habits https://www.booktopia.com.au/atomic-habits-james-clear/book/9781847941831.html Forest App https://www.forestapp.cc/ Focus tool on Macs https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/mac-help/mchl613dc43f/mac# TeauxDeux https://teuxdeux.com/  

Imagine spending your days coming up with recipes, baking and taste-testing and photographing your creations for your blog. Sound good? How about making a living out of doing that? Well, that's just what Jess Holmes from SweetestMenu.com does with her days - after a career as a copywriter and content designer for brands such as Flight Centre, Intuit and News Corp. In this episode, Jess talks to us about: + her journey from in-house writer to recipe tester and food blogger + how the pandemic helped her blog grow + balancing the need for SEO and also doing posts she wants to do + how she makes a living from food blogging + how advertising works on blogs and the numbers you need to get started + the social platforms that have been the most helpful in growing her blog and traffic + what she outsources, and much more. More about Jess Find recipes on her website  Check out Jess's Pinterest Follow her on Instagram

Are you a print journalist considering making the leap into government communications? In this episode, we chat to Lisa Thomas, who worked on a number of glossy mags (including Vogue Living) before jumping ship to work in a number of leadership roles in the private and public sector. Lisa is currently the Director of Communications, Engagement and Education at the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services, and talks to us about her journey into government comms, the transferrable skills journalists have, how to get work in government departments, her advice for journalists considering a career in a senior government role and much more.

Do you get a horrid feeling in the pit of your stomach when your clients aren't happy - or when they come back with multiple changes? This week Rachel and Lynne talk about dealing with negative feedback and criticism. It is something that happens to all of us! We talk about learning from mistakes, repairing relationships and how to not take everything personally. 

This week on the podcast Lynne and Rachel talk to Sue Bell, who is organising a festival for freelancers in her home town - Launceston, Tasmania. Rachel is a keynote speaker at the event and it's got some great speakers and events as part of the 3-day event in June 2022. Sue talks about why she thinks having a community is important for freelancers, how to put together an engaging conference program and how to do her day job at the same time. She also shares her amazing career journey (and a few laughs). Find out about the Launceston Freelance Festival here: https://launcestonfreelancefestival.com.au/  

We continue our successful freelancer series with guest Rashida Tayabali, a copywriter and indie author who started her career in marketing but found her passion in writing copy. Rashida shares the ins and outs of her business journey, including: + Why she decided to niche into working with women business owners + What choosing a niche has done for her business and her growth + Learning SEO and why it's so valuable + How she finds clients and prices her work + Her favourite tools of the trade + Her tips for freelancers just starting out And much more! Find out more about Rashida Visit her website Find her on Instagram Connect with her on LinkedIn  Read her book, Life After Ali Other resources Read her blog on writing great marketing copy Check out her masterclass, A starter guide to keywords and SEO for content writers 

Life's too short to work for clients who pay you peanuts, make you miserable, refuse to respect your boundaries - or give you work that's just not a good fit for you. If you're getting that 'pit of dread' in your stomach when you see the client's email pop up in your inbox (or their name come in on your phone), it's time to assess whether you should take them off your roster - and open the door to better clients. Because they always DO come along! This episode is with Lynne and Rachel and features stories from the Rachel's List Facebook Gold community - about freelancers who said buh-bye to clients and were much happier for it.

Successful freelance writer Campbell Mattinson talks about how he secured the perfect gig - wine writing. In his chat with host Lynne Testoni, he also shared: How he copes with the delivery of 30 bottles of wine a day The changes in wine writing over the years How he finally published the novel that had been in his bottom drawer for 30 years How photography has made him a better writer Get in touch with Campbell via his website: https://www.campbellmattinson.com/  

This week, Rachel & Lynne chat with successful freelancer Emma McMillan about creating quality website content that brings results. We chat about: What is different about writing for websites Whether it's a good niche to be in What key elements that people forget to include in their websites How to price website content Emma's website is https://www.emmamcmillancopy.com/ Emma's podcast is Not Just About Copy LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mcmillan-copywriter/    

Does everyone have a book in them? It's just one of the questions we put to editor and publisher Rebecca Kaiser from Allen and Unwin, who joins us on the podcast to talk about ... so much! Including: + How book publishing has changed in 30 years + Her biggest publishing successes, what 'success' in book publishing actually means + The books that have gone gangbusters and what it's like when you think a book will do well and it doesn't + Tips on finding an agent for your book + Do you need a public profile to get published via traditional channels? + How has the marketing and promotional requirements changed for authors in recent years and what are you expected to do to sell your book? + Can you make a living from non-fiction books in Australia? + Does Allen and Unwin use freelancers and if so, how can you get work in book publishing? + Tips for wannabe authors  And much more! More resourcesAllen and Unwin The Friday Pitch