James Chartrand is the owner of Men With Pens, a web design and copywriting company.

She's also the creator of "Damn Fine Words," one of the best and most popular writing courses in the business.

Yes, I said "she."

If you're not familiar with James, he's actually a she. The story behind that is pretty interesting. So is the story of how she came clean.

In this episode, James and I talk shop about the latest trends in freelance copywriting... different ways you can improve your craft... practical business tips for introverts...

And a simple, 200-word-a-day exercise that will improve your copywriting muscle.

Are Elance, Upwork and other online job boards a good place to land freelance work?

Yes and no. It really depends on a number of important factors. And it's certainly not for everyone. But there's no denying that some people have figured out a way to launch their freelance business with these platforms.

My guest for this episode is one of these people. Her name is Laura Pennington, and she has a great story about how she used Elance to kickstart her freelance business—despite the fact that she had little work experience, no samples, no ratings or reviews and no clear guidance on how to make it work.