Earning more in less time is not just about getting higher fees for your work. It’s also about being more productive and approaching client projects more efficiently.

And a key part of writing productivity is effective editing.

Editing is one of the key phases of any writing assignment. Yet I find that most of us don’t have a step-by-step process for the editing phase. We tend to approach editing in a somewhat haphazard manner. And don’t always know when we’re truly done making the piece as good as it can be.

My guest today is writing coach Daphne Gray-Grant, author of Your Happy First Draft: A Practical and Painless Guide to Obliterating Writer’s Block. Daphne is no stranger to this podcast. She was one of my first guests on the show over 10 years ago, and she came on again in 2019 to discuss strategies for banishing writer’s block.

In this episode, Daphne shares the 5 biggest editing mistakes she sees writers make—and why avoiding them is so important. She shares some really practical strategies and tips for avoiding those mistakes and making your editing much stronger and effective.

When we’re in a challenging economy, most of us operate from a place of fear.

And fear causes us to either keep our fees the same or to lower them.

But I have a different recommendation for you today. I’m going to challenge you to RAISE your fees—starting today!

Now, before you start thinking I’m crazy and out of touch, hear me out. Because there are many ways to do this wrong ... and only a few ways to do it right.

The way most writers attempt to raise their fees is by going to existing clients and telling them that their fees are about to go up across the board.

And yes, if you do it that way, you probably won’t get very far. I’m not suggesting you completely avoid this approach. But I’m suggesting that this method has the most risk and the most limited upside.

You may get a few clients to agree to the increase. But it’s a very stressful process to go through. And frankly, there are much better ways.

What do I recommend instead? I’ll share my specific recommendations in today’s short episode below.

The real test of the strength of your own positioning, messaging and marketing is when the economy is challenging.

Not when clients are flush with cash and enjoying overinflated marketing budgets — as they were over the past three years.

That’s why it’s so important to continually improve your own marketing skills and habits. And that’s why the topic of marketing your business will be a recurring theme in this podcast and in my newsletter for the next few months.

Because, frankly, the past few years have made us soft. It was too easy to land work.

My guest in this week’s episode is Amy Suto, a freelance memoir ghostwriter and Amazon KDP publishing expert. What I find impressive about Amy’s business is that over the course of a few short years she’s been able to go from earning $30 an hour as a freelance writer to earning a whopping $750 an hour.

Not only that, but she’s continually booked solid at that rate. And she does this while spending a big part of the year traveling and working from beautiful locations all around the world.

It almot sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

In this episode Amy explains where she started, how she got to her current level of success, what she does to continually attract her ideal clients, and how she can command these ultra-high-end rates.

(Hint: narrowing down your focus is a big part of her secret!)

We talk a lot of strategy, but we also get tactical. It’s a great conversation for any writer, regardless of where you are in your journey.

Last month I had the pleasure and honor to keynote The Content Byte Summit in Sydney,
Australia, along with my friend and colleague Jennifer Goforth Gregory.

The conference was top-notch. And by the end of the first day of the two day event, Jennifer
and I knew we had to record a joint episode of this podcast to share our biggest takeaways
from all the information-packed sessions.

How do you know if (or when) you’re pricing yourself beyond what the overall market can
bear?
That’s the question I address in today’s short podcast episode. I talk about this idea of “what the market can bear,” ... and why that shouldn’t be your main factor in pricing decisions.
Instead, I offer 3 other factors to help you arrive at your best fee.

In this episode, I explore this idea further and offer advice for how to be a more effective coach to yourself. And I include examples of what I do in between engagements with my own coach.

In this week’s short podcast episode, I detail 3 ways to raise your fees effectively ... even in a difficult economy.
It’s all about thinking of the challenge differently and in a more creative way.

In this week’s short podcast episode I share some powerful insights from a world-renowned music producer on how to have more breakthroughs in your business and personal life.

In this conversation, Shane details how he and his wife have built and grown a very reliable income stream in the span of a couple of years. He talks openly about all the mistakes they made and how they learned from them. And he details the best model freelancers can use to build a reliable income stream.

In this week’s episode, I discuss this all-too-common scenario. And I share some ideas for how to turn things around... starting with your mindset.

This week’s episode is the next installment in this series on AI. We focus on the impact of this technology is having (and will have) on the business of content marketing and copywriting.

Have you given thought to what weekly and daily rhythm works best for YOU?

That’s what we’re discussing in this week’s podcast episode. I’ll share how I structure my week and how you cand find your own natural flow.

In this week’s podcast episode, I discuss the four different scenarios you might be in right now, and what each of them asks of you. I then lay out three high-level strategies for shoring up your business and becoming stronger, better and more resilient.

The episode is titled “The Resilient Mindset—What It Takes to Thrive in the Face of AI and Economic Uncertainty.”

Working on the business is about anything related to improving the business. It includes everything from thinking about the vision and direction of your business to brainstorming, strategizing, professional development, implementing new strategies, working on new initiatives that will improve the business (e.g., an info product, a new productized service or a new offer), and even marketing yourself.

In this week’s podcast episode, we’re going to get tactical. My guest is my good friend and colleague Jennifer Gregory. Many of you know her as a very successful and accomplished freelance writer and the author of the excellent book The Freelance Content Marketing Writer: Find Your Perfect Clients, Make Tons of Money and Build a Business You Love.

In our conversation, Jennifer lays out five specific areas where writers and copywriters can use AI to become more productive, get unstuck, generate better ideas and produce better writing.

A coaching client recently asked me what she needed to do to start going after and landing well-known clients.

In today's podcast episode, I’ll share the advice and guidance I gave her.

In today’s episode, I talk with someone who’s doing this right now. Her name is Jaclyn Schiff, and she’s the founder of PodReacher — a content agency that’s exclusively focused on helping B2B tech companies repurpose recorded content into articles, blog posts, white papers, ebooks, case studies, lead magnets, and other powerful content formats.

Joining me in today’s podcast episode is my colleague Jonathan Stark, a sought-after coach, and consultant in the software development space.

In this conversation, we dive right into the ChatGPT controversy. Sarah brings in analysis and opinions from a wide range of industry experts on the issue.

In this short podcast episode, I share what the club owner told Steven. Why it was a pivotal moment for him. And how you and I can use this bit of wisdom to reframe our own “failures.”

Here’s a much healthier and authentic way to approach the selling process as a writer or copywriter. You’ll discover how to approach prospect conversations much more effectively and with greater confidence.

My family and I have been buying from White Oak Pastures for a number of years. We’ve been very impressed with how they run their farm and their business. They’re true innovators who are making a hugely positive impact on the way food is produced.

In this latest episode of the podcast, you’ll hear from my friend and colleague Patti DeNucci, an expert in the field of making stronger connections and leading more enjoyable conversations ... and the author of the upcoming book, More Than Just Talk: The Essential Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Enjoy Better Conversations.

What the Appalachian Trail can teach us about overthinking our businesses.

In this latest episode of the podcast, you’ll learn a painless way of (finally!) developing that marketing habit ... and how you can finally put an end to the damaging feast-or-famine cycle.

We’re talking practical stuff you can apply starting today.

How to overcome your resistance to implementing new business strategies.

In this latest episode of the podcast, we discuss the opportunity of growing and selling a writing business or a content website ... what that looks like ... and what it could mean for you.

Why finding the right weekly workflow is essential to your productivity—and happiness.

In today’s podcast, I’m going to be talking about the importance of pushing yourself in your business.

Not because of some desire for greater income or some other external reward.

But because of the person, it makes you when to push yourself to be better ... to take chances ... to try new ideas and approaches ... and to enjoy every last bit of the process—including falling down and scraping your knees.

Why copywriters and content marketers stay stuck in their routines—and what they lose when they don’t question them.

Eight areas of your business that you should evaluate once you’re consistently booked solid.

Three sets of questions that can help you consistently get through your to-do list.

How copywriters can grow and thrive in this competitive and uncertain market, with Kira Hug and Rob Marsh.

Use this criteria to make an objective, strategic decision about which clients to keep and which to let go.

Two clues to help you decide whether an opportunity is worth pursuing—or not.

The dangers of blindly following what others are doing—using investing as an illustrative example. 

Dave Snyder of CopyPress explains how he succeeded in a market filled with content agencies.

Watch out for these two cognitive biases. They can trick us into doing the wrong thing in our business. 

Why we undervalue our client work, and how we can better support each other as we pursue higher fees.

Five different ways to create recurring revenue—and what you need to do today to make more of it.

The problems with perfectionism—and what we should aim for instead.

Adam Kimmel describes how he build his six-figure content writing business on the side while working full-time as an engineer.

In today’s podcast episode, business journalist Elaine Pofeldt returns to the show to offer her ideas and advice for successfully creating a microbusiness—that is, a business with no more than 20 employees (including yourself) and a handful of independent contractors.

Discover the two-part question I ask during every discovery call to qualify prospects—and land those that are a good fit.

Chrissie Zavicar describes how you can use LinkedIn newsletters and other new features to gain exposure and generate targeted leads.

Discover the value of not-yet-ready prospects, and why they’re an important—yet often overlooked—part of any successful business.

Learn why Stoneyfield decided to partner with Walmart—and what it can teach us about our own business decisions.

My thoughts on courage, fear, risk and perfectionism—and why everyone needs to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Learn why you need to stop lowering your fees to get in the door with clients—and how you should approach them instead.

What you should (and shouldn’t) do when your business hits bottom.

Our businesses are as susceptible to single points of failure as any engineering project—unless we take steps to find and mitigate them.

Michele Linn talks about how she got into original research, what the work entails, how she finds clients, and how much these projects command in fees.

Respond thoughtfully—instead of reacting emotionally—to negative client feedback by following these five steps.

What a passage from media mogul Peter Barton’s book can teach us about how we perceive our unobtained goals.

Three pieces of advice that will help you finally solve your most complex and stubborn business problems.

Teresa Huff, a grant-writing coach, and nonprofit strategist, explains how you can add grant writing to your list of services.

Enjoy a free-flowing conversation about you can live a life of abundance with a teacher, coach, and wonderful human being, Peleg Top.

A powerful quote from habit expert James Clear reminds us why saying yes can be a problem—and why saying no can have a big upside.

Freelance writer and mom to six children, Linsey Knerl, describes how she’s hiring her kids in her freelance business.

In today’s podcast episode, I explain why your hesitation to go after bigger clients probably isn’t about a lack of qualifications—and has to do with giving yourself permission.

Discover what the movie Moneyball can teach you about how to succeed as a freelance writer, copywriter, or marketing consultant.

In today’s short podcast episode, I’ll explain why you can’t escape the fundamentals—and where you should put your efforts instead.

In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear how and why Austin transformed his business to make it more profitable by going deeper with his clients.

In today’s podcast episode, I walk you through my process for brainstorming solutions to big, complex problems. 

In this podcast episode, I’ll describe when it does—and doesn’t—make sense to post your fees on your website.

In today’s podcast episode, my guest Will Henshall, CEO, and founder of Focus@Will, explains what we can do to get and stay focused.

In today’s podcast episode, I share how you can open yourself up to transformative ideas, practice detachment, and take inspired action.

In today’s podcast episode, I detail three important ways to set expectations and boundaries with your new clients.

Stefan Georgi, one of the top direct response copywriters in the world, shares his story of landing better clients, raising his fees, and multiplying his options.

In today’s podcast episode, I talk about why—and how— to dig deeper before responding to common requests and questions from clients and prospects.

Ask yourself these three big questions to change the way you think about the problem of how to scale your business.

In today’s podcast episode, I talk about the importance of trusting your gut.  

In today’s podcast episode, I brainstorm ideas to syndicate one of your current services.

In this podcast episode, Gordon Graham (That White Paper Guy) and I discuss the six main reasons why white paper projects fail.

In today’s podcast episode, I explain the difference between a custom and productized service using a surprising metaphor.

In today’s podcast episode, writer Kaleigh Moore gives four concrete reasons why she commands strong fees for her blog posts

Barbara Huson, financial therapist and wealth coach, joins us for today’s podcast episode.

In today’s podcast episode, I make the case for not nickel and diming your clients—and I describe where you should put your energy instead.

In today’s podcast episode, I boil down the thousands of ways you can grow your income into five core factors.

The lessons I’ve learned through my complex relationship with money—lessons you can draw from to improve your own financial health.

In this podcast episode, I delve into how we should think about the year ahead—and whether we can still set goals when the future looks so uncertain.

In this short podcast episode, I relay Josh Groban’s story—and explain what it can teach us about the role preparation plays in “lucky breaks.”

In today’s podcast episode, Karen gives simple tips and ideas we can all implement to reduce stress and anxiety and have more effective video calls.

In today’s short podcast episode, I talk about the dangers of making business decisions based on what your writing colleagues say about the market.

In this podcast episode, legendary marketer Brian Kurtz describes the seven critical success factors used by direct marketing legends — and how those principles still apply today.

In today’s short podcast episode, I talk about the power of exclusivity—and how you can leverage it to attain higher fees and book your schedule as a writer or content marketer.

In this podcast episode, learn how to lead sales conversations with confidence — and land more projects — by following Nikki Rausch’s five-step selling process.

In today’s short podcast episode, I explore why you’re better off improving what you’ve already built than building something entirely new. 

In today’s short podcast episode, I give a different way of making decisions that will help you come up with better, smarter solutions—with a lot less drama.

In today’s short podcast episode, I share how to overcome shyness and fear by taking smart, calculated risks.

In today’s short podcast episode, I explain how to approach projects where the scope of work or solution isn’t immediately evident.

Discover how you can harness the power of video storytelling to differentiate yourself from competitors, with guest filmmaker, Jude Charles.

In today’s short podcast episode, I review four critical success factors you MUST have in place for email prospecting.

In this short podcast episode, a comparison between music producers and content marketers or writers and the lessons it holds for how we perceive the value of our work.

In this short podcast episode, I reveal the dangers of letting preconceived notions about what’s “reasonable” set the parameters for pricing client projects.

In this short podcast episode, I explain how shifting your mindset from working for yourself to working for your clients can get you what want.

In this podcast episode, I walk through an exercise that can help you recognize your value and approach prospects and clients with greater confidence.