Working for yourself often means that you're working BY yourself.

If you're tired of long commutes, office politics and cubicle hell, that may be a blessing.

At least at first.

But for many freelancers, this can often lead to a feeling of isolation — of being disconnected from the rest of the world.

Fortunately, there are many creative ways to combat isolation when you work at home. And in this podcast, you'll hear from Hannah Braime, a freelance writer and self-emplyed professional who has learned how to cope with this common challenge.

Hannah shares 10 very practical and effective ideas for dealing with isolation. And she explains why each idea can work so well, even if you consider yourself an introvert.

Freelancing is booming. And the competition has never been fiercer.

But while tens of thousands of independent professionals fight over $5 gigs, many others are thriving.

The reasons for their success vary. But most of these solos have one thing in common...

They're positioning themselves differently.

You see, what's really being commoditized in today's gig economy is the words, the design, the software code, the photography.

In other words, the work itself.

If all you do is talk about your writing — how great it is, how clear and compelling — you'll do what everyone else is doing: focusing on the features of your product.

But what if you talked about your unique perspective? Your experience writing in a certain field. Or your background in the accounting industry.

Or maybe it's your 12 years of bedside nursing. Your 15 years' experience as a high school teacher. The2 years you spent backpacking and working odd jobs in Spain and the South of France.

That's hard to duplicate. Because you've just added your DNA to the discussion.

You've added your unique story.

My guest for this week's show is Pam Slim, author of the new book, Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together and Escape from Cubicle Nation. And in this discussion, Pam expands on this important idea.

She explains the importance of searching deep within your background to find the golden nuggets that will help you attract better clients. And she'll give you some ideas on how you can look beyond just the work stuff and find and communicate your gifts, passions and purpose more effectively.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

One of the many things I love about being an entrepreneur (yes, even if you're a solo business owner you ARE an entrepreneur!!) is the magic that often happens along the journey.

I love how challenges often turn into great opportunities. And how ideas that originally seemed insignificant (even silly) will often end up saving our business!

Great companies such as Apple, Starbucks Zappos are filled with this kind of folklore. Most of us have heard the stories.

But I recently came across one such story that is not as well known yet has a strong parallel to successful freelancing.

It's the story of Chipotle Mexican Grill. And in this episode I explain what we can all learn from the company's founder as we launch and grow our own solo businesses.

I'm NOT a fan of websites like Elance or oDesk.

But occasionally I'll meet a writer who has launched a successful freelance business using these services.

Nathan Collier is a perfect example. Nathan launched his freelance writing business on the side last summer. And in just a few months he's been able to land a handful of decent-paying clients using Elance.

Here's the really impressive part. He's done this by "Grouponizing" his services. In other words, rather than subscribing to the notion that every project must be at least somewhat profitable, Nathan is willing to work at a loss in order to prove himself to the client.

Once the client sees the quality of the work, he then proposes other projects at higher margins.

In this interview, Nathan details his strategy and how it works. He explains how to pick the right prospects to work with. And how he builds the value and makes it almost irresistible to hire him at higher rates.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I come across a lot of writers who love the idea of developing passive income streams.

Problem is, they just don't know where to start!

It's not surprising. The world of Internet marketing is filled with hucksters promising overnight riches.

Then there's the multitude of technology and product options. The "you gotta do this" and "you HAVE to do that."

It's overwhelming!

That's why I recently reached out to one of the truly great guys in this business of internet marketing: Mark Mason of the Late Night Internet Marketing podcast.

And in this episode, Mark talks about the best opportunities to develop realistic and viable passive income streams ... how "passive" is passive ... where to look for opportunities ... how to better determine if there's a strong demand for your idea ... and much more!

If you're going after small businesses, entrepreneurs or solo business owners (such as consultants), there's a very lucrative opportunity many writers don't even know exists:

Writing "lead magnet" books or eBooks.

Lead magnet books are informational tools used for marketing purposes. They typically outline the methodology, approach or formula the business uses to produce results for their clients or customers.

Many businesses and entrepreneurs have found that sharing their insights and systems through a book is a great way to build credibility and turn many cold prospects into hot leads and customers.

Fortunately (for us!), most of these business owners aren't writers. They know what they want to say, but they're not skilled at putting these ideas down on paper.

That's where you come in.

In this episode, I interview Susan Anderson, president of Triumph Communications and the author of Working Writer, Happy Writer. Susan has created a thriving writing business that's focused on writing and producing lead magnet books.

She explains what these projects are all about, what types of clients to go after, how to approach the work, how much you can charge — and much more!

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Happy New Year!

In this episode I discuss seven simple and proven strategies to put more money in your pocket and to make your writing business more enjoyable in 2014.

Here's to having your best year ever!

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

NOTE: This is part 2 of a two-part episode on the spiritual aspects of freelance success. If you haven't yet listened to part 1, make sure to do that first.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

To listen to part one of this conversation, please go to Episode #033.

Question #4: Am I letting my outer circumstances, and not my vision, influence my thoughts and feelings on the subject?

If you don’t have a strong vision of the outcome you want, you’ll always be in reaction mode. If you have a vision, it will guide you in your thoughts and actions.

Example: Joseph Murphy, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.

See if this sounds familiar...

You try your hardest to launch your business. Or to get to a certain income level. Or to land that high-profile client you've been chasing for months.

But no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to get there. You've followed the formulas. You've toiled day and night. You've given it all you've got ... to no avail.

What's going on here? You've played by the rules. You've worked your tail off.

In part one of this two-part episode, my good friend Pete Savage (from ExpandYourself.com) and I explore this issue. And we talk about the missing link in this complex puzzle: the spiritual side of freelance success.

I'm not a fan of going after small local businesses for writing work. Most of them don't understand the value of great copy and content. Or if they do, they can't afford professional-level fees.

But I recently came across a writer who proved me wrong. Her name is Shawndra Russell, and she's earning a six-figure income writing for small clients in her hometown of Savannah, GA.

Oh, and get this -- she just started freelancing a couple of years ago!

In this episode she explains how she does it and how she keeps the work coming in.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the coaches and mentors I've worked with over the years.

These individuals have enabled me to accelerate my progress, avoid costly mistakes and grow both personally and professionally.

In today's episode, I share some of the most valuable lessons I've learned from these coaching relationships. And I'll tell you how you can get the most value from a business coach, if you ever explore that option.

I also share my thoughts on gratitude and how making thanksgiving a daily practice helps attract wonderful things, people and circumstances into your business and personal life.

SEO is one of those topics that I have a love/hate relationship with.

It can be fun to optimize a website for the search engines. But the constantly changing rules drive me nuts! What worked yesterday will get you in trouble with Google today.

It's a maddening cycle!

Yet I have to admit that there is great value in knowing how to optimize your OWN freelancer website. And fortunately, the time to do that has never been better, thanks to the big fundamental changes Google has made over the last couple of years.

To explain these changes and how you can use them to your advantage, I've brought in my good friend Dianna Huff to the show. Dianna is a seasoned SEO pro who works with small business owners and midsize companies drive more traffic to their websites, generate more leads and get more business.

If you're already an SEO expert, this may not be for you. But if you want to better understand what's going on with SEO and how it will impact you as a freelance business writer, then I think you'll find this interview interesting, practical and helpful.

Impatience has been a recurring theme in my life. Once I decide to pursue a big goal, I can't WAIT to make it a reality.

This goal-centered mindset has served me well. But it has also caused me to miss many of the little moments that make up that exciting journey.

Moments I can't ever get back. They're gone forever.

In this episode, Jeff Goins, author of The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing explains why moments of breakthrough are NOT where life's greatest transformations happen. Instead, they happen in the "in-between" moments.

Waiting in the checkout line, waiting for our first big client, waiting for that big trip to Europe...

This is an important discussion for all freelancers, regardless of where you are in your journey. I hope it's as helpful to you as it was for me.

Why do so many writers avoid networking as a marketing strategy?

Some will tell you that they just can't find the time. Others claim that there are no good networking opportunities where they live. And many will admit that they put it off because they're shy and introverted.

These might be true to a certain extent. But I've found that you can overcome any of these challenges when you follow a simple, proven framework.

Without a framework or roadmap, it's very difficult to navigate the networking waters — especially if networking is something you're afraid to do.

My guest this week is John Corcoran, a writer turned solo attorney who developed a simple framework for networking more effectively. His approached has worked so well that it landed him a staff writer position at the Clinton White House and a speechwriting gig in the California Governor’s office during the Davis Administration.

He attributes these achievements to his methodical yet authentic approach to networking. And in this episode, he details this approach and how you can use it to network with greater confidence.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

It's easy to talk about achieving a healthy work/life balance. But it's much harder to put it into practice.

And that's true no matter where you are in your freelance journey.

In this week's episode, freelance writer Rachel Foster explains why she's decided to set clear boundaries in her business. She talks about her daily routine, her experience outsourcing some of her tasks, and the expectations she's learned to set with clients.

Rachel is a Toronto-based freelancer who helps B2B marketers improve their response rates, clearly communicate complex messages and generate high-quality leads. She shares her insights on B2B marketing in her articles for the Content Marketing Institute, Business 2 Community and her Fresh Marketing Blog.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Peter Bowerman -- the author of The Well-Fed Writer and other "Well-Fed" books -- is one of the most influential mentors in the world of commercial writing.

One of the many things Peter does very well is generating strategic partnerships with freelance designers.

Through these arrangements, Peter gets a well-paid writing gig, the designer lands work she may not have won otherwise, and the client benefits from a turnkey service solution.

In this episode, Peter reveals how this strategy has added tens of thousands of dollars to his income over the years. He explains how to contact designers ... how to find them ... how to structure these opportunities ... how to price your work ... and much more!

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

One of the biggest, untapped prospecting opportunities is our own personal and professional networks.

But many of us are reluctant to do it. Why? Most common reasons are because you:

1.      Have a fear of rejection

2.      Don’t want to sound stupid

3.      Don’t want to mix business and friendship

4.      Don’t want to feel awkward

5.      Believe there's no value in it

6.      Don’t know how to explain what you do to a lay person

None of these have to be true. They’re only true if you believe them — or if you’re not prepared to address them.

Let's analyze each of these reasons...

Do you have professional liability insurance? Do you even need it?

I mean ... do freelance writers really get sued?

In this episode of The High-Income Business Writing Podcast I interview Jared Kaplan, CFO at insureon, a national online insurance company for freelancers and other self-employed professionals.

Jared explains the types of insurance policies available, what they cover, when they're worth considering, and what they'll cost.

This may not be the most exciting topic in the world ... but it's a hugely important one. So try to carve out some time today to listen to this discussion.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I firmly believe that establishing yourself as a content writer is the surest way to freelance writing success. It's the most realistic opportunity in the world of writing. Especially if you go after the corporate market.

That's because the fundamentals of content writing are stronger than ever. Content marketing has gone mainstream — and is not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

In this episode, I interview Joe Pulizzi, founder of The Content Marketing Institute, Content Marketing World and Chief Content Officer magazine. Joe is also the author of the newly released book Epic Content Marketing[EG1] : How to Tell a Different Story, Break through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less.

Joe explains why content marketing is hot and getting hotter ... why businesses need writers desperately ... and how to get hired at top rates.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Lack of self-confidence is one of the biggest silent killers of freelance writing careers. As an independent professional, you have to believe in what you’re doing and what you’re going after.

But when things go wrong, how can you take yourself from self-doubt to self-confidence? How can you manufacture that experience? How can you turn things around quickly?

Even with his success, Ed still struggles with self-doubt at times. And in this podcast, he shares his own tips and ideas for getting out of a funk and developing stronger self-confidence.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Most freelance writers I talk to never want to go back to a regular job.

But many of them do miss the steady paycheck. (Usually that's the only thing they miss!) Which begs the question: How can you add more predictability to your freelance income?

I'll be showing you several ways to do that over the next couple of months. Because, frankly, there's no single way to ensure predictability. It requires smart strategy and hard work.

But let's get started on that discussion by addressing one potential solution to the income variability dilemma: adding email newsletters to your list of services.

My colleague Michael Katz has made a great living over the last 13 years writing, producing and managing email newsletters for clients. He's also taught many freelance writers how to do the same. And in this lively interview he details the opportunity — including what it entails, what you can charge, how to lock yourself in with great clients who can pay you $700 to $2,000 every month.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of our interview. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. And you can also subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

If you've followed me for a while, you already know that I'm NOT a fan of quoting hourly rates.

At least not when you're a freelance writer.

There are many disadvantages to the hourly rate model, and I still believe that in most cases it's much better to quote flat project fees.

However, there ARE some situations where it makes more sense to quote project work by the hour. And if you do it right, you can still earn a great living and keep your client happy.

I recently corresponded with web content writer and SEO specialist Katherine Andes. Katherine quotes most of her work by the hour. And one of the many things I admire about her is how successful she's been with this model.

In this episode, Katherine explains why she's chosen the hourly rate model. How she makes it work for both her and the client. And how she handles pricing objections and pushback.

Many freelance writers get to a point where they want to scale their business in some way. Or they want to diversify their income stream by launching a new side venture or project.

Mike Stelzner is a classic example. From 1996 until just a few years ago he was a freelance writer. Today he is the founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner (SME), an online magazine for business owners and marketers who are trying to figure out social media.

In less than 4 years, SME has attracted 222,000 email subscribers and 800,000 website hits per month. And Mike's podcast, The Social Media Marketing Podcast, has 21,000 listeners! As if that weren't enough, Mike recently launched a new website: My Kids Adventures.com -- a site for parents looking for fun things to do with their kids. We’ll come back to this one later.

It's great to have a formal prospecting system in place. But sometimes the best opportunities come to us through unconventional means.

In this episode of The High-Income Business Writing podcast you'll hear from Angus Stocking, a successful business writer who specializes in the infrastructure industry.

Angus has had great success landing good-paying writing clients using low-cost "guerilla-style" methods.

The notes that follow are a basic, unedited summary of our interview. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. And you can also subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Over the past few years, LinkedIn has evolved into one of the most important social media platforms. The site boasts more than 225 million users as of this recording.

Even though much of the conversation about LinkedIn revolves around drumming up business leads or new jobs, there's an opportunity for business writers that's not often discussed: writing profiles for LinkedIn members.

Who in the world would pay a writer to write their profile? Turns out that many business professionals do! Not only do they pay handsome fees for this work, but it can also become a great way to build trust and land additional projects.

To learn more about this opportunity, I interviewed Victoria Ipri. Victoria started as a copywriter in 2006, and her business has evolved over the years into Ipri International, a Linkedin training consultancy providing telephone coaching and on-site group training.

What follows are some notes summarizing the information in this week's show. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. And you can also subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

One of the biggest factors that holds back new and aspiring freelance writers is the idea that they have to find their niche before they launch.

This "niche quest" tends to do more damage than good. It creates confusion, stalls progress and kills momentum.

Don't get me wrong. Having a niche or a specific target market is a good idea. But it's not a prerequisite for launching your commercial writing business.

In this episode I give you a simple framework and a series of questions to determine if you should define a niche ... how to find one that makes sense ... and what to do if you can't come up with anything viable.

Blog posts, articles, white papers, case studies, marketing collateral.

These are some of the most common pieces business writers come across. The bread-and-butter projects that pay the bills.

But occasionally you may come across a project that's so massive, it requires a different set of skills to execute. Your writing chops alone won't save you.

My friend and colleague Denise Kiernan knows this firsthand. Not only has she written dozens of books and large-format pieces, she recently finished the largest and most complex writing project of her career: The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II Touchstone/Simon & Shuster), now a New York Times bestseller.

(Side note: This week marks the 68th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.)

To tell this true story of the women who helped build the first atomic bomb, Denise spent years conducing intense research all across the U.S., doing live interviews, writing and rewriting. It was the kind of assignment that required flawless project management, excellent organization skills ... and unshakable faith in a story that had to be told.

I recently sat down with Denise to learn more about how she approached this massive project. She shared some excellent tips, insights and advice that apply to ANY writer facing a large-scale project.

If you've ever bought a product online, at a store or through a catalog (OK … if you've ever bough anything!), chances are you read the product's descriptive copy before making your final buying decision.

 And guess what? That copy didn't just write itself. The manufacturer or distributor hired a copywriter to put it together.

 What's involved in this type of writing? How well does it pay? How do you land projects? And are there any opportunities in the B2B arena for this type of work?

Did you know that entrepreneurs are willing to pay writers $3,000 - $6,000 (and even more!) to write a business plan for them?

There are many reasons why. But one of the most important is that most banks and investors need to see a well-written business plan before they even consider investing in a business. 

My guest for this episode is Jessica Oman, founder of Write Ahead and an expert on writing business plans. In this interview, Jessica explains the opportunity in writing business plans for clients.

One of the fastest ways to propel your writing business to the six-figure level is to become a MUCH more efficient writer. And in this week's show, you'll learn 8 simple steps to boosting your writing speed by 30% or more.

My guest is Daphne Gray-Grant — an authority on writing faster. Daphne's strategies are a big reason why I earn $200++ per hour when I write for clients.

According to the comprehensive 2012 Freelance Industry Report, the biggest challenge facing freelancers is landing clients: 37% named that as their top challenge.

Other surveys we've conducted at International Freelancers Academy show similar results. One of them revealed that attracting more, better, and higher-paying clients was by far the top challenge for 53% of freelancers.

I wanted to address this pressing issue in this episode, because I believe that the common view and attitudes about attracting and landing quality clients are simply misguided. They're based on a limited view of reality, and they're destroying freelance businesses every day.

In this episode I will:

• Explain why the common view and attitudes about attracting and landing quality clients are completely warped.

• Discuss why a new view or paradigm about client attraction is desperately needed.

• Show you what this new view and model are all about and why you need to adopt the mindset that comes with it.

Today I'm continuing my story of how I went from corporate sales professional to freelance writer — and to a combination of freelance writer and coach/trainer.

This is a departure from the type shows that I've been publishing. But I'm constantly asked about my business, how I spend my time, where my income comes from and how I got to where I am today.

I've addressed these questions individually and in different training episodes I've published. But I've never told my full business-launch story in detail. And I thought this podcast format would be the ideal way to do that.

If you haven't listened to part one of this story, you probably want to check that out first.

Today, I'm taking a departure from the types of shows I've been doing since I launched this podcast. Instead of doing an interview, I'm going to share my story with you.

The story of how I stumbled into freelance writing and how I've turned it into a six-figure business.

I've shared parts of my journey in articles and video trainings. But I've never shared the whole thing in one place.

I'm going to do this over two episodes. I'll share both the successes AND the struggles. I'll show you why I truly believe that any writer with solid skills can do this. And I hope to satisfy much of the curiosity out there about what I do day to day, how I spend my time and where my income comes from.

Have you every written a short article for a magazine, newspaper or trade journal?

Not the most profitable work these days, is it?

If you're looking for a better way to leverage your storytelling skills, case studies are a great way to do that.

To learn more about the opportunity in case studies — and how to approach these projects — I interview Casey Hibbard for this episode of The High-Income Business Writing podcast.

About This Show

The High-Income Business Writing podcast is a production of B2B Biz Launcher. It's designed for business writer and copywriters who want to propel their writing business to the six-figure level (or the part-time equivalent).

In this week's episode I interview Casey Hibbard, a successful freelance writer who specializes in writing customer case studies (also known as "customer success stories"), and author of the excellent book, Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales and Marketing Asset.

Casey explains what case studies are and how they're used by clients. She gives us a primer on the basic components of case studies, including what elements you should include in order to make them more effective. And she explains why they continue to be so popular in the marketing communications arena.

Casey also talks at length about:

• How she manages these projects
• What key deliverables you should include
• Guidelines for pricing case studies
• Different types and formats of case studies
• What makes a great case study writer
• What to do if you have no samples but want to get started