

The Content Byte
Lynne Testoni and Rachel Smith
Hosts Rachel Smith (from Rachel's List) and journalist and content writer Lynne Testoni are serving up weekly short bites of advice, tips and strategies, plus special guests, for freelancers who make a living from using their words. We're shooting for 15-minute episodes, but can't promise anything because we can both talk the leg off a chair.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 25, 2019 • 15min
Episode 12: How to boost your productivity (to make more money)
Moving from an in-house role to a freelance one is a MASSIVE change. Suddenly, time is money - and productivity is all important in order to make the income you need to get by. In this episode, Lynne and Rachel share their time-saving tips and tricks and talk about the productivity resources available in the Rachel's List Toolkit (bonus discount code for podcast listeners!)

Nov 18, 2019 • 14min
Episode 11: How to escape the under-charging trap
It's all too easy to undersell yourself when you're freelance. You want the project, and think quoting a little lower is going to do the trick. But sometimes, under-charging can backfire - and actually lose you work. In this episode, we explain how and why you need to price yourself accordingly.

Nov 11, 2019 • 14min
Episode 10: The skills you need as a content writer
Once upon a time, journos simply had to file their copy and that was that. These days, you may be asked to do quite a bit more, especially if you're writing for digital outlets. Find out what editors and clients tend to expect from content writers these days (and where you might need to upskill).

Nov 4, 2019 • 12min
Episode 9: Finding new income streams as a freelancer
Does reinvention scare the pants off you? You're not alone. Most freelancers find their comfort zone, stay there - and hope the work keeps flowing. But what if it doesn't? What if you used to be a magazine writer and it no longer pays the bills like it once did? Should you use your skills to edge into corporate writing, copywriting or content marketing? Should you do an editing course and start picking up clients in that realm? This week, we talk about why you need to embrace new income streams - and how to get started.

Oct 27, 2019 • 13min
Episode 8: How to keep content writing clients coming back
What makes you absolutely indispensable as a freelancer? This week's episode is all about our strategies for adding value, solving your clients' problems and using your knowledge for suggesting other ways to improve their content or their business (and score yourself more work at the same time).

Oct 21, 2019 • 15min
Episode 7: Why networking is essential for freelancers
First up, we just want to say that this episode has a few technical difficulties at the beginning with the sound - but hang in there. Lots of great info about why freelancers should network, how you can network, and the happy knock-on effect: more work coming your way.

Oct 13, 2019 • 11min
Episode 6: How to find experts and case studies
Finding the right experts and case studies for stories - or the right PRs who can get the ball rolling - can be tricky. In this episode, Lynne and Rachel share the websites and resources they turn to when expert quotes or a great case study is required. Our show notes PDF lists all the resources, so don't forget to download it at the end!

Oct 6, 2019 • 12min
Episode 5: Here are a few of our favourite things
Finding the tools, services, websites and apps that save you time and help you work more efficiently is essential when you're a freelancer. Here are a few we've found over the years and use consistently to get the job done.

Sep 29, 2019 • 14min
Episode 4: What do editors and content clients want?
Filing great copy is a must if you want ongoing work as a freelancer - but are there other ways to ensure editors and content clients keep coming back? In this episode, we reveal what works for us and what's generally expected these days in print and digital.

Sep 22, 2019 • 13min
Episode 3: Let's talk money (without freaking out)
Whether you're quoting on a project, thinking about raising your rates with clients or negotiating for a higher word rate with an editor, talking about money with ease is a critical skill for freelancers. In this episode we talk about researching market rates, figuring out YOUR rate and how to become more confident discussing dollars and cents.