Writing & Money
19 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingI'm Nicole Dieker. I've been a full-time freelance writer since 2012, and I published my first novel, The Biographies of Ordinary People, in 2017.
You might be familiar with my work at The Billfold, The Write Life, or Lifehacker. I've also written for Reviews.com, Popular Science, Wing World Magazine, and more. (So many more.)
I know a lot about earning money as a writer. I earned over $87,000 from my writing in 2016—that's gross, so I didn't get to keep all of it, but we'll talk about taxes and business expenses on the podcast.
We'll also talk about how to pitch, how to build relationships with editors and publications, how to conduct interviews when you're on a tight deadline, how to track (and grow) your income, how to track (and manage) your time—and for those of you who want to be authors as well as freelancers, how to write and self-publish a novel.
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Episodes
How to Move Up
November 09, 2018 20:37 - 10 minutes - 10.1 MBHow do you get better jobs? LET'S DISCUSS. This episode was put together in a hurry because I am doing a huge pile of work right now (including working as Assistant Stage Manager for Revival Theatre Company's production of Sunday in the Park With George, teaching an online class, and getting ready to publish another book) so it's a little more off-the-cuff than usual. But the information is still good! Here's where to find Who Pays Writers. Here's how to learn about Shane Snow's Freelance...
What I've Been Up To
October 01, 2018 21:00 - 5 minutes - 5.5 MBIn which I explain what I've been up to since May, and ask what you'd like to hear in Season 2 of the podcast. If you aren't familiar with The Billfold.com, check us out — and pitch us! (By which I mean "pitch me.")
How to Self-Publish
May 31, 2018 21:25 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBHow do you turn a file saved on your computer into AN ACTUAL BOOK? How do you get that book on Amazon? Or in bookstores? What about libraries? This episode takes you through the process of publishing your book and getting it out into the world. You might also want to listen to the episodes Why Self-Publish? and Talking to Dana Kelly about "Your Book, Your Brand." Here are two more resources I mention in the podcast: The Independent Book Publishers Association's Industry Standards Checkl...
Why Self-Publish?
May 15, 2018 19:01 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBSince my novel The Biographies of Ordinary People: Volume 2 is releasing next week, this month's podcast episodes are both about SELF-PUBLISHING. Today, we're looking at WHY you might choose self-publication; later this month, we'll look at HOW to self-publish.
Talking to Dana Kaye About "Your Book, Your Brand"
April 30, 2018 18:48I got to chat with Dana Kaye of Kaye Publicity about her book Your Book, Your Brand: The Step-By-Step Guide to Launching Your Book and Boosting Your Sales. We discuss how to create an effective brand, how to reach out to media contacts, and when people should do their own publicity vs. when they should hire a publicist.
Let's Talk About Taxes
April 15, 2018 17:50 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBIt's almost Tax Day! But since most of us have already done our 2017 taxes, this episode is all about how freelance taxes will change in 2018. I mention TaxAct a few times, as well as the articles TaxAct sponsored on The Billfold. If you're interested in those articles, here they are: The Easiest Way to Track Your Freelance Receipts 7 Ways to Get Even More Money Out of Your Tax Refund Filing Taxes Last-Minute? Here’s How to Get Organized Fast You should also read this article I wrote fo...
Talking to Paulette Perhach About Taking Your Writing Seriously
April 02, 2018 16:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBI interview special guest Paulette Perhach about how she got started as a writer, how she handles the financial side of writing, and what people will learn from her forthcoming book, Welcome to the Writer's Life. Learn more about Paulette at pauletteperhach.com and fuckofffund.com. Pre-order Welcome to the Writer's Life here.
How to Evaluate Potential Clients
March 15, 2018 16:22 - 6 minutes - 6.3 MBLearn how to decide whether a client is right for you BEFORE you apply for the gig or say yes to the editor.
Everything a Freelance Writer Needs to Know About SEO
March 01, 2018 16:40 - 5 minutes - 5.46 MBA very short episode about SEO! Notice how this episode title is structured to let listeners know exactly what question the episode will answer — which is what it's all about.
The Art of Interviewing: Part 2
February 15, 2018 20:00 - 24 minutes - 22 MBThe second half of our Art of Interviewing discussion! Today we look at how to contact a source, how to prep your interview questions, how to conduct the interview, and what to do after the interview. (The part where I say that Facebook doesn't let you keep track of which messages you've read? I actually mean "Facebook doesn't let you keep track of which messages you still need to respond to." I think that's clear in context, but JUST TO MAKE SURE.)
The Art of Interviewing: Part 1
February 01, 2018 14:27 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBInterviewing is often one of the hardest parts of freelancing — it involves asking people for help, dealing with rejection, and PHONES — so I've broken the interviewing process down into a series of easy-to-manage steps. This episode deals with everything you need to do before you ask someone for an interview; the next episode will be about how to ask, how to do the interview, and what to do after the interview. Show notes! Seattle's Hugo House is a great place to take writing classes, an...
How to Become a Regular Contributor
January 15, 2018 13:23 - 9 minutes - 9.09 MBPitching is great, but knowing that you're going to complete work for a specific client or publication every month is even better. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you turn that initial pitch into a regular contributor relationship — as well as how to determine whether your editor wants you to pitch more often.
How to Set Goals
January 01, 2018 14:18 - 10 minutes - 10.1 MBHappy New Year! Let's talk about how to set writing and money goals for 2018. I mention "Biographies Volume 1" and "Biographies Volume 2" in this podcast; I'm referring to my published novel The Biographies of Ordinary People: Volume 1: 1989–2000 and the forthcoming Volume 2: 2004–2016. I also try to guess whether Vol. 1 has sold 500 copies yet. Turns out it's sold exactly 500 copies, as of my most recent "This Week in Self-Publishing" column. WOO-HOO! (Yes, the numbers look like it's onl...
How to Deal With Change
December 15, 2017 16:55 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBANYTHING CAN CHANGE AT ANY TIME! Publications can shut down! Patreon can announce (and then unannounce) new fees! You can get part of the way into a podcast recording and then have GarageBand tell you it can't record any more because your disk space is full, and then when you clear out some old files and start recording again the sound quality is way better for some reason?! THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT HOW YOU DEAL WITH CONSTANT CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY. You'll hear me mention a paid subscripti...
How to Use My Spreadsheet
December 01, 2017 16:08 - 14 minutes - 13 MBThe audio is a little imperfect on this one because I'm in the process of moving and I didn't have my usual setup. (It turns out throwing a duvet over your head before you record makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE.) However, you know what IS perfect? My spreadsheet. Here's a link to a Google Sheets version that you can copy/paste into your own spreadsheet program. You'll hear me mention a paid subscription in this episode; this podcast was originally released under a freemium/subscription model, but ...
How to Do Your Big Creative Projects (While Still Doing All Your Other Work)
November 19, 2017 20:10 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBThis episode is all about PRIORITIZING YOUR BIG CREATIVE PROJECTS. I wrote two novels in 18 months, and I'll share everything I learned in the process. After you've listened to this episode, I'd love to learn more about the big creative projects you're working on, as well as any successes/frustrations/roadblocks that are coming up as you work. You'll hear me mention a paid subscription in this episode; this podcast was originally released under a freemium/subscription model, but I have sin...
How to Write When You're Busy
November 15, 2017 15:32 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBDecide THAT you're going to do it, then decide WHEN you're going to do it. Also: I have improved my audio CONSIDERABLY since the first episode, but I still need a pop filter. I'll have that by the next podcast and then the audio should be PERFECT. You'll hear me mention a paid subscription in this episode; this podcast was originally released under a freemium/subscription model, but I have since decided to make it free for everybody. ❤️
How to Write Quickly
November 01, 2017 17:23 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBHow do I write 20–30 pieces every week? By drawing from common structural patterns that I've internalized to the point that they've become instinctual. In other words: I know the framework, and all I have to do is put the words in. You'll hear me mention a paid subscription in this episode; this podcast was originally released under a freemium/subscription model, but I have since decided to make it free for everybody. ❤️
How to Pitch
October 26, 2017 04:14 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBThis episode of Writing & Money is all about pitching: which sites to pitch, what types of stories to pitch, and the four elements that should be included in every pitch. You'll hear me mention a paid subscription in this episode; this podcast was originally released under a freemium/subscription model, but I have since decided to make it free for everybody. ❤️