Tag: flashfit trainer

February 5, 2019

KonMarie Your Copy

Everywhere you look, you can see KonMarie’s influence infiltrating your Instagram feed, your friends’ (and your) closets, and your TV set.

Maybe you’re sick of it.

Maybe you’re inspired by it.

Love it or hate it, the premise behind the KonMarie Method is pretty catchy and effective.

Don’t live an environment or live a life that doesn’t spark joy!

Why waste your time, right?

The same concepts can be applied to copy. Your copy should have a purpose and it should spark joy.

If not, why waste your time, right?

So, in the spirit of the KonMarie frenzy, let’s look at how the concepts can help you be a better copywriter.

KonMarie Your Copy, 5 Ways

#1: The Spark of Joy

One of the most famous concepts from Marie Kondo is the spark of joy. If you’re organizing your closet, you’re supposed to hold each item of clothing in your hand and determine if it sparks joy.

If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, purge it.

Same goes with your copy.

Your copy should spark joy in one way or another:

You feel a sense of delight after writing it
You sense that your readers will feel delight after reading it
The words and sentiments in your piece contain the presence of joy
The piece adds a positive spark to the world
Your writing contributes to a bigger picture of positive change

Okay, I get that some technical writing may not spark joy in the obvious sense. But if you really love what you do as a technical writer and your work sparks joy, then you’ve got it!

Does your copy spark joy?

#2 Declutter

Almost every Style Guide I’ve seen from my clients includes a tip about cutting out unnecessary words. Every single word and phrase must contribute to the piece. No fluff, no “stuff.” Marie Kondo would approve.

With practice, you can condition yourself to notice all those extra words and delete them.

Here’s a simple example of a sentence you can declutter:

Change: “Think about scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed and see what catches your eye and ask ‘Why’ and apply that to adding your own images.”
To: When choosing an image, consider what catches your eye and why when you scroll through your Facebook newsfeed.

See how all those extra words aren’t necessary?

As you edit, go over your words with a fine-tooth comb to refine them.

How to declutter your copy:

Use simple, easy-to-understand sentences
Leave lots of white space to give your words breathing room
Eliminate any words or phrases that aren’t necessary

Strip your copy back, simplify it, and make extra space to allow your reader to absorb the words.

#3 Visualize your ideal destination

Marie Kondo likes to tell people to consider what type of home they’d like to keep: peaceful and clean, open and airy, etc.

You need to keep your desired end goal in mind.

You should do the same with your copy.

Consider the end goal or purpose of each piece you write.

You should never write just to fill web pages or maintain your 3-blogs-per-week, self-issued quote.

Your writing should have a meaningful purpose, such as:

Encouraging readers to make a positive change in their lives
Building a resource library for freelance writers (this is mine!)
Entertaining family with funny kid-isms on social media
Building your email list so you can impact even more people

Every time you sit down to write, you should consider the purpose of the piece and create from that place.

#4 A Place for Everything

One of the principles organizing fanatics always advise is that every item you own must have a designated place.

It’s a great principle to live by.

If a cup doesn’t have a home in the cupboard, don’t bring it home.

Just like writing, every string of words should have a place.

If it doesn’t flow
If it doesn’t add meaning
If it doesn’t have a place

Slash it.

Perhaps you want to include a story in your article that relates to your topic. That’s great! Readers love stories.

But if you’re tempted to tack on an extra paragraph that doesn’t relate, leave it out.

#5 Keep what matters

Contrary to the heaping donation piles you see on TV and this sense of “what else can I get rid of,” Marie Kondo doesn’t make you swear off everything you own in favor of stark minimalism.

She lets you keep the clothing and items that make sense for you and your family.

But you don’t need doubles.
You don’t need to keep things you might “one day” need.
You don’t need the items that serve no purpose in your everyday life.

You should, on the other hand, keep the items that bring you joy, that you use often, that you can continue to use for a long time. Capsule items, if you will.

Now, this principle applies to words, but also to your entire career as a copywriter.

Remove all redundancies
Only work with clients and causes you believe in
Focus on capsule, or evergreen, content
Anchor your business upon what matters

Wouldn’t your writing career look a whole lot clearer if you did it the KonMarie way?

{Still trying to design your own freelance writing career? Check out my free 7-day Freelance Freedom from Corporate series to hit the ground sprinting}

I’d love to hear your KonMarie stories in the comments. Anything you would add to this list?

P.S. Do you ever wonder how the thrift stores the world over are being impacted by the KonMarie method?

May 15, 2018

The Fascinating Science Behind the Tone It Up Bombshell Spell

I’ve always wondered about the Tone It Up Bombshell Spell and Meta D since they first came out a few years ago. They were and continue to be a huge hit. If you search the #TIUNutritionPlan, you’ll probably see that characteristic hazy orange sprinkled all over Instagram.

Once I bought the nutrition plan and looked at the ingredients of the Spell, I wondered what such a little 4-oz drink could do. Was it really worth it, or should I just skip it?

K&K said the drink was based on science, without much explanation.

Now, cutesy little vinegar juice shots are everywhere.

But why?

You hear constant warnings not to drink fruit juice, because it’s basically sugar water empty calories.

You also hear about how bogus apple cider vinegar is.

And honey? Basically just more added sugar. And you know how bad extra sugar is for your body.

And don’t you wonder if the minute benefits you might get from a little shot are even worth it?

So, why drink those little drinks then?

But, then I started drinking the Bombshell Spell. Every year during and after the Bikini Series. Whenever I’m ready to get my body back in gear.

What happens amazes me every time.

Whenever I drink it, the weight budges again.

Whenever I stop drinking it, the weight loss halts.

Not to mention the giddy feeling I get when I drink it. Since the drink has become a staple during the Bikini Series, I now equate that sweet tropical taste with summer! It’s a psychological trigger now.

But I wasn’t satisfied with “not knowing” how this drink works.

Because I love the science behind stuff like this, I did a little digging, and here’s what I found.

The incredible benefits of pineapple juice

This article from Healthline on the benefits of pineapple juice had some really great insights into the potent properties of pineapple juice.

Bromelain, the medicinal enzyme in pineapple juice:

Reduces inflammation, especially post-exercise soreness
Suppresses cancer growth
Speeds up digestion
Improves fat loss

Beta carotene in the juice:

Protects your eyes
Protects against free radicals (that lead to cancer and heart disease)
Helps keep your brain sharp
Protects your lungs

The Vitamin C boost you get:

Bolsters your immune system, especially your defenses against the common cold
Helps prevent cancer
Protects your eyes
Protects against heart disease
Reduces the effects of stress by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels

You also get a bunch of additional benefits from the calcium, magnesium, and manganese content of pineapple juice, like better bones and increased metabolism. The benefits are too long to list!

Then, there’s the apple cider vinegar in the Bombshell Spell…

The fabulous side effects of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, though a highly controversial dietary aid, does carry antioxidants and acetic acid which have been shown to:

Improve blood sugar and insulin levels, fighting diabetes
Help with weight loss by increasing satiety and reducing belly fat
Reduce heart disease risk

The fermentation makes ACV a great prebiotic, which:

Aids in digestion
Promotes healthy gut flora, which has a whole bunch of other benefits

I found this version, which has the cinnamon, honey, and lemon in it already,
so all I have to do is add it to the pineapple juice.

The Unmistakable Benefits of Raw Honey

If you pour raw honey into your concoction, you get the following benefits:

Powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals
Antibacterial and anti-fungal properties
Phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Cough suppressant

The powerful medicinal properties of cinnamon

If you add a dash of cinnamon to your spell, like I do, you get a bunch of extra benefits:

Improves metabolism
Super source of antioxidants to attack cancer-causing free radicals
Potent anti-inflammatory
Reduces heart disease risk (lowers cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure)
Improves sensitivity to insulin and lowers blood sugar, fighting diabetes
Powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal

Lime has some unmistakable benefits too, especially in the vitamin department with its potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium content, not to mention the antioxidants. Lime juice is also really great at kick-starting digestion and boosting metabolism.

Pretty wild, eh? Who knew you could get so much out of a tiny tropical drink?

You can see how pineapple juice is a heckuva lot more than just glorified sugar water and that apple cider vinegar actually does have some research-backed health benefits.

Plus, the Bombshell Spell uses only 4 ounces of pineapple juice, so it’s not like you’re overloading your system with sugar. And the sweetness helps counteract the strong vinegar taste.

If you were thinking about skipping the Bombshell Spell, I hope this information inspires you to reconsider.

To help you swallow that bitter vinegar taste, consider these helpful tips.

Tone it Up Bombshell Spell Tips

The contents of your Bombshell Spell make a big difference in how it tastes and how beneficial it is. To help you get the most out of your Bombshell Spell, remember to:

Drink the Spell in the morning while you’re fasted to ignite your metabolism
Wash your Spell down with water to protect your teeth from the acidity
Use pure pineapple juice, not from concentrate, to get the most benefits
Use organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, like Braggs or White House
Use raw honey, if available, to keep all the benefits intact
If your ingredients are available in an organic version, choose that

Do I think the Bombshell Spell is a miracle drink and the cure for cancer? Pfffff. Heck no!

But I do feel more…powered up, I guess you could say…when I drink it every day.

I do think it’s a great complement to a lean, clean and green diet and active lifestyle.

And it evokes positive summer vibes for me, so why not?

***Like the Bombshell Spell? You might also like this simple Green Tea Elixir. It has some of the same incredible benefits and more!

How about you?

Do you drink the Bombshell Spell every day? Do you notice a difference when you drink it versus when you don’t? Does the smell and taste remind you of summer too now?

March 27, 2018

10 Lessons From My First Year as a Self-Employed Freelance Writer

Holy cow, you guys!

February 17 marked my one year anniversary as a self-employed freelance writer!

I can’t believe it!

Cue the poppers and celebratory sip of wine! (A little late, but better late than never.)

I remember my first day of self-employment when I woke up and didn’t have to get all ready for work and drive a half-hour to start my day.

I simply rolled out of bed and walked five feet to my office. Okay, I worked out first, showered, and had some coffee first, but….then I rolled into my office.

I sat down at my desk like, whoa! This is my life now.

It was weird and exhilarating and against everything I’ve ever been taught about “how careers are supposed to work.”

I followed a rough schedule I’d made for myself and got to work. Since I’d been freelancing on the side for awhile already at this point, I had plenty to work on.

But I was also able to hold my little girl for a few minutes in her adorable “I-just-woke-up” haze before sending her back out to grandma. I was able to have lunch with my family at my own table, grab a few more snuggles, and head back into the office.

A few days in, it snowed. Like, a lot. And I didn’t have to try and attempt the treacherous roads. I just looked outside, shrugged, put my slippers on over my cold feet, grabbed my warm coffee, and snuggled in to work.

It’s a weird experience after spending 12 years in the corporate working world with no more than 15 days off in a year, long morning commutes, early mornings, dress codes, and nearly every summer day spent inside with barely a hint of sun.

It’s still surreal now, writing about it right now!

I can’t believe this is my life now!

So, now that I’ve made it a year, I want to gift some of my insights from my first year of self-employment to any of you that may be jumping off the corporate wagon or simply toying with the idea. These insights will help you make it through the first year with a little more grace.

Find your bearings

When you jump the corporate ship, you feel a little…off. It’s kinda against everything you know or have been taught. But it only took me a week to say, “I don’t think I could ever go back.”

You may feel a little clumsy and out of place at first, but once you settle into a routine, you feel “at home” again. Like I said, I created somewhat of a schedule for myself before I ever left corporate, and it worked pretty seamlessly. I made sure I included time for journaling/Bible time/exercise and enough “working hours.”

Even with the schedule though, some things came up. Friends called, family chatted, Hubster requested a few errands. Which brings me to my next point…

Put boundaries around your time

I had a hard time finding a good work-life balance at first and to an extent, still do. However, I have much more strict rules around my time than I did when I started. Instead of answering friends’ phone calls, I text them that I’m still working, and they’ve gradually stopped calling during normal business hours.

I’ve also heard the ole “Since you work at home now…” line, and I shut that one down immediately. No, I can’t do your taxes for you or watch your kids because I work at home now. This career involves the same amount of commitment and responsibility, if not more, and I’m still not available from 7 to 4.

Expect bad days and bad experiences

When you learn to expect things to go wrong, you can handle them a whole lot easier. If you don’t expect things to go wrong, the wrongs will hit you a whole lot harder. And they may make you want to give up.

Things will go wrong. Most things will go right, but some things go wrong. This doesn’t mean you’re a horrible writer. This doesn’t mean you need to go beg for your job back. This just means you’ve hit an inevitable snafu. Deal with it. Move on.

Every client wants something different. Every personality is different. Here’s a perfectly good article I wrote for a client that got rejected. It happens. Turn tough situations into positive ones by posting articles like this on your own blog or pitching them elsewhere.

Try to make it right

One of the best ways to get past these bad experiences or dissatisfied customers is to do everything you can to make it right. In my experience, this approach changes everything.

After submitting one particular writing assignment, I got the dreaded reply: “This isn’t what I was expecting.”

Don’t ever just walk away at this point and say “I’m sorry.” Always ask what you can do to fix it. Always ask more questions about what they were expecting. Don’t get defensive, simply say you want to get it right for them.

Usually, after you discuss the expectations more clearly and make the requested revisions, your clients come out trusting you even more. That’s the type of relationship you want to come out of bad experiences. A better one!

Keep track of what you accomplish daily

Keep a “to-done list” of what you accomplish each day and keep a running tally of your weekly income. This tactic has been a huge motivator for me. It lets me know if my income is on track for the month and gives me a clear picture of where my time is going.

I just keep a simple Google Doc to track my “to-done list” like pictured below (with client names blocked for privacy) I write the date, what writing projects I worked on that day, and the total income earned from that project. I then tally up the income at the end of the week to come up with my weekly income. It’s really gratifying to me to see what I’ve accomplished each week.

I also use a separate Google Sheet to track all income and expenses as they come and go from my bank account. This document is necessary come tax time, but it also gives a clearer picture of cash received.

Perform regular audits

Speaking of taxes…hire an accountant right away. It’s not worth the time and pain and suffering to try and “figure it out” yourself. Trust me. While you’ve got your financials in front of you, perform a business audit on yourself (or with the help of your accountant).

You have to tally up your income and send out a tax check every quarter anyhow, so use that time as an opportunity to perform a quarterly review. You don’t have to do anything fancy. Just answer a few questions such as:

What’s going well in my business right now?
What’s not going so well?
Where is my best earning potential?
What can I do to make next quarter even better?
What are my big-picture goals?
What are my quarterly goals?

Get even more picky about who you work with

After a few months of freelancing, I started to get overwhelmed. Suddenly, I didn’t have enough time in the day to get all my writing projects done. When this happens to you, your first inclination might be to try to organize your time better, learn how to write faster, start delegating tasks to others…

However, this is actually an amazing opportunity to level up your business. This means you get to start to choose who you want to work with. You can choose the work that lights you up the most! You can choose the work that pays the best.

Don’t dread it. Celebrate it.

Be true to yourself

Once you start to find the work that lights you up? You feel like you’re being truer and truer to who you are as a person. You feel more and more like you’ve found your true calling. There’s no better feeling!

I have never felt more like myself to the core than I have in the past year. I get to write about subjects that I’m passionate about (Related: finding the freelance writing niche of your dreams). I get to work with other amazing passionate business owners doing good in this world. I feel more connected to my work. The work feels more meaningful. I get to work outside, where I feel most energized. I get to be a bonafide introvert. I don’t have to drive around as much.

I feel more at home inside what I spend my energy on every single day.

That being said, make sure you’re taking on work that feels aligned for you, that’s ethical. If it makes you feel icky, skip it. If it makes you feel passionate, run with it!

Journal

Yep, I attribute a ton of my success to my daily journaling habit. Though no actual money comes from my journaling, the power it has over my mind is instrumental in my earnings. I use journaling to refocus on my goals every morning (so I don’t go goal blind), to change damaging thought patterns, and to explore what lights me up and what holds me back so I can harness them.

I might ask myself questions like “Why have I been having such resistance toward finishing this project?” The answer might give me insight into my natural inclination to drag out the last 25% of every project, so I can overcome that next time.

If I’m feeling incompetent one day, I might handwrite some affirmations about confidence to change how I’m feeling. I sometimes write out lists to explore all the ways I could fix a problem. The self-imposed challenge to come up with 20 possible solutions may be the catalyst I need for a breakthrough.

Don’t burn bridges

I never felt like “take this job and shove it” with my last employer. I left on super good terms, with a cupcake and a cute poster to boot. I still teach barre class at my previous employer, meet friends there at lunch, and keep in touch with the content team.

First of all, that job was an important catalyst in my career and the people there still have a valued place in my heart. Secondly, every person I knew there is naturally a part of my network now. People there could potentially refer me to their friends, put in a good reference for me, or come back to me for content work.

Before I left, I even pitched my employer as a potential client. It may seem like a really out-there idea, but pitching your own employer before you leave may lead to lucrative work. I personally know several people who have done it and now do freelance work for their former employer.

What’s next?

I’ve said before that I plan for 2018 to be the year of “explosion.” Now that I have my bearings, I have compiled a ton of work experience, and I know where to find work, I can start building my business upward. I can leverage what I’ve already built this year to increase my prices, handpick my clients, and expand my network. I can start working more on projects I believe in and my own personal passions, like my forest bathing site.

I want to explode my business more by:

Going to a big business-related conference
Learning everything I can about online business and setting up more passive income streams
Building my connections with other freelance writers
Helping other freelance writers build their careers
Reading everything I can get my hands on about being better at freelance writing

These goals are all part of my quarterly review, by the way. I’d love to hear about your business goals…

How about you?

Where do you hope to be one year from today? What are your business goals for 2018? For quarter 2?

February 12, 2018

The Complete Guide to Choosing a Freelance Writing Niche

Why do I need to choose a freelance writing niche?

Choosing a freelance writing niche:

Makes you stand out from other candidates
Allows you to charge more for your services
Sets you apart as having specialized skills
Allows you to create a career around your passions

I’m about to go over, in careful detail, what the benefits of choosing a freelance writing niche are. If you’re not convinced by the end of this article, please let me know in the comment and we can chat;)

First, let’s take a look at my own freelance writing niche for a second.

So, I chose fitness copywriting as my writing niche.

What does that mean?

*clears voice all professional-like*

Fitness copywriting, in a nutshell, is the occupation of writing content for fitness businesses that persuades readers to take a particular action.

That’s great Jessica, but I don’t want to limit myself to a niche. I want to write on a broad range of topics.

Okay, I get that…

But let’s look at this from your prospect’s point of view for a moment, shall we?

Why choose a niche?

I’d heard over and over from other successful writers that to be a successful writer, you need to choose a niche. At the time, I just figured I’d follow in the footsteps of those who know best. But now I intimately understand why everyone says to niche, niche, niche!

Consider this…

You work at a running shoe store and you want to hire a writer for your store’s blog. You put out the word that you’re looking for a writer and you get approached by two prospects.

The first is a three-time marathoner, running coach, and fitness writer with no college degree or special certifications.

The second is a writer with an English degree who sells you on all the platforms they write for and journals they’ve been published in and contests they’ve won. They’re not a runner or exerciser in any form, but they assure you they can write about any subject.

Who will you hire?

I’d be hiring me the runner. Wouldn’t you?

Our marathoner knows all the lingo, all the subtle nuances of running, all the struggles that runners face. He can probably explain it in a fresh way too. He obviously has a passion for fitness, and it shows in his writing.

Our writing generalist doesn’t know anything about running from experience but can “research” it. They’ll probably do a “fine” job on the project, but they have no personal interest in exercise, so they probably won’t be able to convey your message with the enthusiasm and underlying knowledge it deserves.

Consider…

Consider the energy your readers will find behind the words too. One candidate has enthusiasm about running, the other has the opposite.

Consider their personal understanding of the subject. One lives it, while the other has to learn about it through other runners.

Consider the time it will take for each candidate to master the subject. One already has. One has a long way to go.

Consider how the two candidates accumulate information. One from their own experience, the other from what they read online.

Consider the conversations you’ll have with each candidate. One is on the exact same page as you. You’ll have to do a lot of explaining for the other.

Maybe you even start to wonder what made the generalist apply for this project at this point, if they have no personal interest in running.

You’re starting to sense a hint of desperation, because now you assume they’re just applying for any and every job they see. Meanwhile, it totally makes sense why the runner expressed interest, because this project is perfectly aligned for both you and him.

Think about how doctors and surgeons specialize and how it affects their services and their income. A general practitioner usually gets paid less than, say, a podiatrist. Why? Because of the specialty, the specific expertise.

A doctor might choose which body part and which type of patient they’d like to work with. Pregnant women, kids, geriatrics. Feet, brain, gastrointestinal system.

You get to do the same thing. You get to choose which subjects you get to work on and who you get to work with. That’s empowering and exciting!

I know for a fact that I landed one of my first lucrative clients because they were looking for a specific niche writer with specific qualifications. Read more about that here.

You see how niching benefits you now, right?

It’s obvious that a writer with an established niche, as opposed to a generalist, has a huge advantage.

How do I know which freelance writing niche is right for me?

I speak to why I chose health and fitness in depth in this post on Horkey Handbook.

Simply put: it’s in my DNA. I love health and fitness topics so I naturally love writing and researching about them.

I’m already personally immersed in and have a sense of what’s happening in that world.

I already have passion for that subject.

I WANT to write about it every day.

I have major background in it.

So, what subject do you feel this way about? Or what do you have intense interest in? Or at least, what you don’t hate? What do you already know a lot about?

[If you need help choosing a niche, I’ve got you! My freelance niching mini course helps you choose the niche of your dreams.]

Now, write down your potential job title as though you’re creating a business card or email signature, like so…

Jessica Collins,

Health and fitness copywriter

Did that make you tingle a little inside? Good, you’ve found the right niche.

Did it make you feel like you just got roped into signing a two-year contract to a dingy apartment you despise? Chuck it. Start over.

Mindset moment: Don’t think that choosing a niche is a huge life-defining decision that you’re married to till death do you part. If you choose one and don’t find it particularly fulfilling or profitable, you can simply change it.

Okay, so now that we have that set…

What do you need to call yourself a [insert niche here] writer?

Why, just you and your own coronation crown, actually.

You just say “I am a {fill in the blank} writer. And, by the power vested in you, you are one.

Alright, I happen to have several certifications that do me well in the industry. I’m a certified personal trainer, sports nutrition specialist, and barre instructor. I’ve also run a half marathon and a handful of 5ks.

But you certainly don’t have to have these extra credentials to write in the fitness niche. Or any niche.

You don’t need anything except an interest in the subject and a willingness to learn more about it. Even though I know a lot about fitness, I still learn new things every single day about the subject.

You see, one of the perks of being a freelance writer is the mental stimulation!

So anyhow, it really is as simple as this. You don’t need to make it any more complicated than simply claiming your niche as your own.

Mindset Moment: Now, even if you don’t have an expansive background in the subject you want to write about, don’t let that stop you. If you want it bad enough, you’ll figure it out as you go. Spend time perusing relevant industry websites and publications to start absorbing the lingo and culture.

Decide on a niche

So now, let’s consider what niche you might be interested in claiming.

First, you can niche by subject!

Perhaps you already know exactly what your niche should be. But in case you don’t, take a little minute here to do some self-examination.

What do you love to do already in your own daily life?
What are you really good at?
What sections magnetize you at Barnes and Noble?
What could you talk someone’s ear off about?
What are you obsessed with or have been obsessed with in the past?
What types of magazines do you subscribe to?

For me, I’m always drawn to the health and wellness, nature, and self-development sections at Barnes and Noble. I’ve always been really good at coming up with ideas, connecting ideas, listening to people’s deepest desires, and writing. I’ve always been obsessed with strong women leaders, poetry, and psychology.

Now, some of these subjects aren’t really suited for long-term career growth. For example, I don’t think I have it in me to make a full-time living writing poetry, and it’s pretty difficult to break into for most people. I still write and study poetry, but it’s not meant to be my career.

Other subjects stick out for me and have a really lucrative place in our current society. Health and fitness is one of them. I’ve already discussed how much background and passion I have for the subject, so it’s a no-brainer.

Some of my other strong subjects feed into my health and fitness niche. For example, psychology mixes really well with fitness when you’re writing an article about workout motivation or willpower. The fact that I can come up with ideas like water certainly helps when I need to come up with clever product names or blog post ideas for clients.

So, what stands out the most to you?

How can your other areas of interest feed your niche?

[Check out my freelance niching mini course for a list of over 200 HOT freelance niches]

You can also niche by content type!

You can niche yourself as a blog writer, white paper writer, website copywriter, ebook ghostwriter, Etsy product copywriter, etc.

You can also combine subject and content type niches. For example, you can be a healthcare white paper writer or a manufacturing industry blog writer.

You don’t have to niche down this far, but you certainly can if blog posts or white papers are your jam. Or you can choose two types of content and put packages together. For example, you could sell a package that includes 5 B2B blog posts and 1 B2B white paper for $xxxxx.

Do you have a particular type of content that you’d prefer to write?

Third, you can niche yourself by your clientele

Consider the types of people or businesses you’d like to write for. Often, large corporations have a lot of marketing spend for content. However, startups tend to be a little more progressive and open-minded than corporations.

Consider some of the people/businesses you could write for:

B2B businesses
B2C companies
App developers
Startups
6-figure+ entrepreneurs
Amazon sellers

Again, you don’t have to choose specific clientele, but if you’re sure you only want to work with a certain type of client, you can add it to your niche, i.e. “I’m a safety blog writer for insurance companies.”

Now, another point I should mention is this: you don’t have to exclude any of your interests or audiences once you choose a niche either. You’re a well-rounded, multifaceted person. You should never have to narrow yourself down to one single subject!

While you might market yourself as a health and fitness writer, you can also add a comma and say you’re a health, fitness, and family writer.

You can have multiple niches! Or you can combine them!

Don’t limit yourself to just one subject if you’re just as passionate about one as you are of another.

I myself have several strong passions, none of which I’m willing to sacrifice: Writing, Fitness, Family, and Nature.

I fuse these subjects all the time with articles about workouts in nature and physical activities to do as a family. I even run two sites so I can nurture both passions. Flashfit Trainer combines fitness, writing, and family while Forest Bathing Central allows me to explore nature with more depth and breadth.

I’ve seen other freelance writers create two separate “work with me” pages on their websites. They send prospects from one niche to one page and prospects from another niche to the second page. It works!

The point is, you need to niche down, but not so far that you feel restricted.

You get to make this venture look however you want it to!

Allow your mind to wander over all the possibilities before you back yourself into a self-imposed corner.

Mindset moment: Niching, by definition, means placing all your focus on one subject. However, you can also infuse your other interests into your niche or, by golly, choose two to three niches. Who says you can’t? You little Creative, you!

Figure out if your niche is lucrative

When people say you need to “qualify your niche,” they’re just using fancy marketing-speak that means “check to make sure your niche can make you money.”

As much as I value volunteer work, I don’t want to put in the hours I do for pennies. And I’m sure you don’t either.

I left corporate to remove the glass ceiling over my head, and I don’t intend to erect my own either.

So, you just need to take a few steps here to make sure your chosen niche is lucrative.

Part of your niche’s profitability lies in your dedication to not settling for anything less than lucrative. Any niche you choose can be high paying or low paying, depending on where you’re looking for projects.

Content mill? Not going to pay your bills. Referrals from current clients? Totally bomb!

Some subjects really aren’t profitable either, unless you happen to find a gem of a gig.

But anything to do with money, health, and technology, for example, tend to be pretty lucrative.

So, how do you qualify your freelance niche?

Well, here are a few ways to do it:

Look at what types of projects repeatedly come up on freelance sites like Problogger. Repetition signals a solid niche.
Click on a few of those projects and see if they have a payment value posted. Like what you see? (Just remember, if you don’t like what you see, it doesn’t necessarily mean the niche is unprofitable. Keep researching).
Join and hit up a few of your freelance writing Facebook groups. Scroll through to check out what people are saying about pricing. You could also put out a post asking what niches other people write for and how profitable they are.
Google “[your niche] + content marketing agency.” Scroll through to get a sense of the quality of the niche and what types of businesses the agencies work with. Pitch a few while you’re at it.
If you notice a freelance writer online or in a group that makes a good profit, research or ask what their niche is.
Check your prospective company’s website or LinkedIn stats to see if they have a lucrative marketing department. You should get a sense that the company values marketing, particularly content marketing, and that they have a marketing budget to accommodate it.

If you’ve made it this far, you deserve a medal of honor. It means you’re serious about your freelance writing venture.

It means you know the value of information-gathering.

With that said, I sincerely hope this guide has given you valuable insight into freelance writing niches. I’ve shared so much of what I know and everything I’ve been told about choosing a freelance writing niche from other people, so you know what to do. Hopefully this pulled away some of the smoke and mirrors so you can make out the clear view.

~To help you even further, I put together a list of over 200 up-to-the-minute profitable freelance writing niches and a workbook to help you discover your golden niche, so you don’t have to spend any more time researching. I also go more into depth about how to qualify your niche, how to market your niche, and how to change niches. Check out the Freelance Niche Mini Course and Workbook.

How about you?

How did you choose your freelance writing niche? What other questions do you have about niching?

Leave a comment or pick up the conversation in our Freelance Freedom Facebook group.

July 8, 2017

3 Tricks To Skyrocket Your Freelance Pitch Conversion Rate

Hey #flashers,

If you’ve been sending out cold pitches to freelance prospects like crazy and getting crickets…

Today, I’m going to share the three things I’ve noticed help massively convert pitches I send out to clients.

You have two choices when you send out freelance writing pitches:

Send them out, cross your fingers, and wait for people to get back to you.
Be proactive about making your freelance pitches convert for you.

You’re going with Door #2, right?

Good, let’s see what’s behind that door than, shall we?

By the way, if you don’t want to read all of this, you can skip to the bottom and watch the video version;)

3 Ways to Skyrocket Your Freelance Pitch Conversion Rate

#1: The Follow-Up

So, I always write down the date I contact prospects on my pitch tracker (get it free here). Then, sometime between two weeks and a month later, I make sure I follow up with each and every one of them. I just send them a quick “Hey, I was wondering if you had a chance to consider my offer” email with the original email below it to jog their memory.

If I don’t hear from them on the second try, I follow up again. I follow up at least three times before moving on. And even then, I still leave the client “open” on my pitch tracker. Unless I hear a firm “no,” which never happens, I leave them open. You just never know.

You never know when a prospect might need you down the line, and they’re going to think “Hey, I remember a freelance writer approaching me awhile ago. Let me see if I can track them down.”

Remember, no reply doesn’t mean no. It could mean the prospect is busy, they’re considering your offer, your offer went to their spam box, or a million other scenarios. Following up doesn’t mean you’re bugging them either.

Following up increases the chances of hearing back.

It puts you back on your prospects’ radars.

It shows prospects you’re not a spammer. Spammers don’t follow up.

Following up is one of the ways I get major traction from my freelance pitches. If you want to learn from a successful freelance writer, it would serve you well to follow up;)

#2: Be Quicker

What the heck do I mean by being quicker? You already try to whip words together at the speed of light.

What I mean by being quicker is to respond to people’s requests or inquiries immediately.

If people inquire about your freelance services, make sure you get back to them within 24 hours. They have likely reached out to multiple people and will show favoritism toward those who get back to them first.

Now, I’ve had some major learning experiences with this. Learn from my mistakes!

One lady was referred to me through a big-name freelance writer. I got back to her right away and she said “let me know a good time to chat.” Well, I let it go for a few days and by the time I got back to her, she had already found someone else. I could kick myself!

Whenever you apply for a project on sites like Problogger [LINK] or Freelance Writing Gigs [LINK], you need to send your pitch immediately. These hunters get hundreds of replies. One of the ways to stand out is to be one of the first. After a day or two, you might as well not even apply.

Be responsive to your prospects and your pitches. This strategy should be a personal rule of yours.

#3: Add Personality to Your Pitches

People are so sick of salesy, boring, unpersonalized, or templated pitches.

They make your prospects’ eyes glaze over. They make your prospects wonder if you’re really even a good writer if you can’t even make your pitches a little bit interesting.

You’re a writer. Your pitches are one of the best places to showcase that writing talent, for crying out loud!

Give your pitches some personality!

What I mean by that is, put some energy and passion into your pitches. One recent example I can use is a pitch in which I admitted the “fire in my belly” for the clients’ subject matter and spoke to him like a human. He was impressed with the pitch and chose me over myriads of others because of the personality I allowed to shine through.

People can hear excitement in your pitches. Let them know you resonate with their subject matter. You don’t need to be unprofessional to exude that energy either.

Learn the 3 best ways to convert more of your #freelancewriting pitches into leads

Click To Tweet

Well, that’s it for today’s post on getting your freelance pitches to convert!

Let me tell you, if you use even ONE of these tactics for your next batch of freelance pitches, you’re going to notice way more replies. Use all three, and you’ll notice major changes in the way your pitches convert.

At least, that’s been my experience…

I just posted a video about this subject on my Youtube Channel. Make sure you subscribe to my channel to make sure you catch all my videos when they go live.

Want to learn more about pitching clients and building your freelance portfolio? Check out my free 7-day series, Freelance Freedom From Corporate.

How about you?

Are you going to give these strategies a shot? If you do, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
If you already use these strategies, what are some other ways you use to land more freelance writing clients? I’ll meet you in the comments!

April 4, 2017

Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable

The Tone It Up Bikini Series always gives me butterflies in my stomach. To me, it means the countdown to summer is on! My body gets a “refresh.” Social media explodes with TIU motivation. The prospect of making fitness fun with friends as we all prepare for summer always gets to me!

Because I love you, I put together a Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable pack for you. Fo’ free.

If you’re a Type-A binder-keeping personality like me, you’ll have these three-hole punched and organized into a binder along with your Starter Pack and any other delicious printables you might have. Enjoy.

Also, come over and find me on Instagram @Jess_Flashfit so we can be Bikini Series buds. I’ll follow back;)

What the Tone It Up Bikini Series Printable includes:

8-Week Workout Planner for the series. The workouts are written in the meal plan. Just write them on the calendar and hang the on your fridge to see what’s next!
Daily TIU checklist. If you’re a nutrition plan member, you’ll know what the Bombshell Spell and Bootycall mean;)
150 and 100 By Summer Checklists. Track your mileage for the Bikini Series. You can shoot for either 100 or 150 miles by the first day of summer. I made a tracker for both!
Bikini Series goal and reward sheet. Make sure you list SMART goals, ladies!
Summer Bucket List: list all the things you’re looking forward to doing this summer. Dream away!
Meal planning sheet with accompanying grocery list: I like to plan out all meals for the week (because I tend to tweak the plan a bit). As I’m writing the meals out, I put the ingredients I’ll need to get on the shopping list right away.
Measurement tracker: take your measurements on Day One and then watch in bewilderment what your measurements are on the last day. Weight isn’t the only story. You’ll see progress in inches lost, even when the scale doesn’t budge.

*After entering your name and email address in the form, the second page will give you a link to the printable. Copy that link and paste it into a new browser to access the PDF.
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P.S. Didya know I’m a certified personal trainer and fitness writer? You’ll want to make sure you come back here for more motivation and fitness insight. You might like my Budget Fitness ebook if you’re tight on funds.

Just another way to be…

~Better Every Day

How about you…

What are you looking forward to the most with the 2017 TIU Bikini Series?

March 17, 2017

5 Little-Known Facts About Pilates

Today I am happy to introduce you to my friend and fellow writer Becky Kay. She is a long-time Pilates instructor, so she has a deep appreciation for the intricacies of the practice. In this article, she discusses a few of these intricacies so you can appreciate them too!

Over to you, Becky!

Pilates is not new on the exercise scene—not by any means. It’s been around much longer than most people are aware (we’ll get into that later). But a lot of people still don’t really understand what it is or what it does for the body.

I have been instructing Pilates for over eight years and I still get questions like “does Pilates work your abs at all?”. If I’m feeling feisty, I say “no, not at all”.

If I’m being honest, I say that it is one of the most ab intensive exercise methods out there because the focus is on the core of the body which is defined as your rib cage down to your mid thigh—top to bottom and front to back.

Despite its long history Pilates is a new and daunting idea to a lot of people. The lack of Pilates knowledge and know-how prevents a lot of folks from reaping the many benefits Pilates has to offer.

Allow me to shed some light on the amazing exercise discipline called Pilates!

1. Pilates Originated in Germany during World War I

The inventor of Pilates, Joseph Pilates, was quite an interesting character! He spent his childhood in a sick, frail body. As a young man he became passionate about physical fitness as a means to strengthen his body and transform it into a strong machine.

Source

Pilates became a student of many physical fitness disciplines to strengthen his body and build up his health. He was hugely successful! He boasted skills in gymnastics, karate and boxing. He even was a circus performer at one point!

Around the time of WWI, he had developed such an effective method of exercise that he began to make a name for himself. His help was even sought to train soldiers. He declined because he was a pacifist and wished to stay out of wartime activity.

Eventually Pilates found himself in a war prisoner camp but, instead of wasting away, he became stronger and healthier. He began training his fellow prisoners and they, too, became strong and resistant to disease that was claiming lives all around them. He gained much attention due to this phenomenon and actually ended up training prison guards. Pretty crazy, huh?

2. Pilates Is Not Just for Women

So often I hear people complain about various aches and pains. From my experience as a former hip and back pain sufferer, I know that Pilates can be instrumental in relieving chronic pain so I often suggest trying Pilates as a method of pain relief.

Many of these conversations are with guys.

Sometimes it’s my brothers. Sometimes it’s my husband’s friends. But the response is almost always the same: they poo poo the idea of Pilates claiming that it’s ”for girls”. Oh, the insanity! Actually, in my class, we have a pretty even mix of men and women. Sometimes the guys even outnumber the gals!

Men and women alike can reap amazing benefits from Pilates because, let’s face it, most of us live a more sedentary life than is ideal. We all get a little stiff or even notice muscular weakness as we get older. The great news is that there is a lot we can do to combat this. Pilates is a great choice!

Source: An article about why men should do Pilates

Even though men and women are put together a little differently, all the main parts are there—arms, legs, abs, back…you get the picture. Because Pilates primarily stretches and strengthens the muscles of the core, both genders can experience significant changes in strength, tone and flexibility. These physical changes can be dramatic and rapid if Pilates is practiced regularly.

While women love the aesthetic benefits of Pilates, men often take the class to improve in other sports. Some of the regular attenders of my class are avid runners, bikers, golfers and weight-lifters. They range in age from mid-twenties all the way up to one very fit gentleman who just turned 70. He can put many younger newcomers to the class to shame!

3. Pilates Supports the Back in Ways Other Exercises Cannot

One of my absolute favorite aspects of Pilates is how it builds and supports a strong back. There are several ways this is accomplished. First, we already talked about how Pilates works to strengthen the abdominal muscles. This, in itself, helps to support the back and keep the spine aligned and healthy.

Add to that the fact that a good class will also focus almost equally on the back side of the body and you now have a nice, strong girdle of protection surrounding your spine. How great is that?

But, that’s not where the good news ends. There is a series within Pilates called the side kick series. Each instructor does it slightly differently and may even call it by a different name but it is always present in a classic mat Pilates class. Each leg is worked, one at a time, in a series of movements designed to strengthen and stretch the small muscles in the hip joint.

Source

The sidekick series also promotes flexibility and strength in the muscles of the upper leg—the hamstrings and the quadriceps. What’s so great about that? Studies show that a good deal of back pain actually originates in the hips.

Yep, weak hip muscles can either be strained or too tight from sitting too much or from improperly balanced exercise routines. This imbalance causes a pulling on the spine which knocks the back out of whack. This is when people experience back pain and injury.

If the imbalance is allowed to continue unchecked for long enough, it can even create enough pain and physical change in the spine to necessitate back surgery. No fun! And as far as the quadriceps and hamstrings go, you may have already guessed that if they are either too tight or grossly unbalanced in strength, they can pull the hips out of alignment which then affects the back. It’s my guess that, barring specific injury, most back issues don’t start in the back but in another part of the lower body.

Regularly practicing Pilates can naturally help your body combat these effects of overworking or underworking the muscles and help to ensure a healthy back and hips late into life.

4. Pilates Is Not the Same as Yoga

There is a misconception out there that Pilates and yoga are interchangeable. That’s understandable because they do have a lot in common. Both disciplines create flexibility and long, lean muscles. Both disciplines tend to be lower key in terms of the atmosphere in the room and the music played during a formal class. However, while yoga is primarily stretching, Pilates is stretching and strengthening at the same time.

Source

While there certainly are elements of yoga that also can boast this benefit, Pilates is specifically geared to both stretch and strengthen the muscles at once. Also, yoga often incorporates meditation and other spiritual practices and, in some ways, tends to be almost a lifestyle to some.

While living healthy and eating clean is certainly part of a “Pilates lifestyle”, Pilates generally does not go beyond the workout session. There is no spiritual component to Pilates. It is simply an amazing workout done in a similar setting as yoga but when you leave, you leave Pilates there.

If you choose to meditate or focus on a “higher being”, that is done aside from Pilates. This is often a confusing aspect of the yoga versus Pilates debate for religiously spiritual individuals who feel that prayer is preferable over meditation.

5. Pilates Supports the Movement of Lymph Fluid Throughout the Body

What?

What on earth does that mean and why should you care?

What a lot of people don’t understand is that the body is constantly in a state of detoxification. Every day you are regenerating cells. In fact, within a year’s time, you have regenerated nearly all your cells so that you have, in effect, a whole new body. Pretty cool, right?

Well, a huge part of that process is detoxification. Your body has an amazing support and transport system called the lymph system. The lymph system is responsible for transporting lymph fluid throughout the body to deliver necessary nutrients.

Source

It also is involved in collecting waste and getting it on the fast route out of the body. Many factors in our busy lives such as poor diet, dehydration (a state in which many people unknowingly live!) and stress cause congestion of the lymph system. This can lead to fatigue or disease.

One great way to keep the system running smoothly and performing it’s job as designed is Pilates! Any movement is good because the lymph system does not have a pump—it relies on your body movement to circulate fluid. Pilates has been shown to be particularly beneficial with this movement of fluid.

Source

To sum it all up, Pilates has a lot of benefits that are not well-known to the general population. If you’re like me, the more you learn about it the more you will love it.

If you decide to give it a try you will experience that firsthand. I know I have! I was able to teach Pilates well into the six month of my last pregnancy and I had a very easy, fast childbirth and recovery. I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight in record time and back to teaching within a matter of months.

Even during times of illness or periods of being too busy to dedicate as much time as I’d like to a regular workout regimen including cardio and weight training, I have consistently been very pleased with how even one Pilates session per week can maintain muscle strength and tone.

While Pilates is great as a stand-alone fitness program, it’s a fantastic complement to any other regimen. I highly recommend it and don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you give it a try!

Over to you…

What is your favorite thing about practicing Pilates?

December 16, 2016

Change Your Life On Your Lunch Break: The 30 Day Push

Hey #flashers,

Welcome to my second installment of Change Your Life On Your Lunch Break. This series is about small steps you can take every day to change your life. Big changes come from making small incremental changes over time, and your lunch break just happens to be the ideal length of time to make those changes!

If you normally scarf lunch at your desk while trolling Facebook, might I suggest using that chunk of time to reinvent your life instead?

Yes 30 minutes is enough time for a reinvention!

Today, we’ll be talking about a program that I recommend to soooo many people because it’s free and it’s a game-changer and it applies to absolutely everyone (unless your goal is to live a mediocre life, then click away).

The 30 Day Push, by Chalene Johnson

Chalene Johnson is the same woman that started the TurboJam/TurboFire empire and who is a personal development personality extraordinaire. Click on over to 30daypush.com and sign up for the free 30-day series.

What this program is about is to-do lists. And before you start snoring, let me tell you that this is no ordinary to-do list-making. It’s about finding your purpose in life, using your values as your compass, and reverse engineering your big goals into small things you can do every day to reach them.

Sounds familiar right? Kinda like the premise of this ENTIRE Change Your Life on Your Lunch Break series! Changing your life in 30 minute increments is absolutely possible. You just have to be more intentional about how you use your bits of pieces of time.

Now listen, you can actually do this entire program on your lunch breaks over the course of 30 days. The entire thing. Each day for 30 days, you’re given a very short video. Some days there’s a worksheet or a small action step you can take to implement the concepts from the video. When I am fully using this system, I get sooooooooo much more done in a day than if I just leave my days to chance.

Let me tell you, this program is completely worth it. It changed my entire thinking around big goals that I was too afraid to go after. And I refer back to this program often. Once you’ve gone through the 30-day program, you have full access to all the videos so you can repeat it as many times as you want or revisit parts that you want to give more thought to.

Click over there and get started today. There’s no reason to wait until Monday or the New Year or some other arbitrary date.

BTW, I have no affiliation whatsoever with Chalene or this program. I just love it so much and it gave me such great insight that I can’t help but share it.

Did you sign up? What are your thoughts about Day One?

November 27, 2016

Backyard Nature Notes v.2

Last weekend was a doozy of an active weekend compared to our normal ones. We were barely home. We took a trip to the mall on Saturday for some Christmas shopping and on Sunday, we took a family trip to the Horicon Marsh.

We took a walk on what was left of the trails. They’re doing some trail renovations over the marsh, so our hike was a bit disjointed, but we weren’t ruffled in the least.

Oh the things you can see there.

Like birds of all kinds, including wild swans and many different species of ducks.

And of course your standard woolly bears, squirrels, bunnies and chipmunks. Along with a little possum that was much too fast for pictures. (There is a chipmunk somewhere in this picture, I swear!)

If there’s one thing in this entire world that I can teach my children, it’s to love, protect and take in all the blessings of nature.

I always find myself saying, “Kayne, do you smell that? That’s what fall smells like” or “Whoa, look at that cool-looking fungus!” I’m teaching them to observe, to appreciate, to really take it all in. I don’t know the names of everything (yet!), but we can still appreciate them.

And this girl, my little fairy nymph. Stopping to touch, point out, collect (and sometimes taste) everything. She loves looking at all the pretties that her momma points out.

Afterward, we stopped at the McDonald’s nearby because it has toys inside. As though the trails weren’t enough to absorb all their energy, McD’s Playland did! Next door is an adorable little candy shop that we finally visited and got a little box of all.the.dark.chocolates. It was kinda symbolic of the sweet sweet day we had together, out in nature.

It’s still warm in November here in WI. We’re happily hanging onto every minute of warmth offered.

How are you getting up and out into nature this week?

November 1, 2016

Freelance Income Report October 2016

I always love when freelancers or bloggers share their income reports. The transparency and raw insight is so refreshing.

And although it’s a little nerve-racking to put it out there, I figured I would be transparent about my very own freelance writing income for this month since Oct was my first official month of freelance writing.

As of yesterday, I made…

drumroll please…

$1,385 on my freelance side hustle

This is in addition to my corporate job and the product of working after the kids go to bed, on weekends and on my days “off.” (If you want it bad enough, you’ll find the time!)

So, now that you have the numbers,

Let me show you how I got there:

I hustled my butt off in September. The efforts that you put in the month before show up in dividends the month after. You can get the exact pitch tracker I use for keeping track of all of them here.
I sent cold pitches and I applied for Problogger and projects.
I tended to my social media profiles, optimizing them for my freelance writing business. Just by updating my Twitter profile alone, I landed one of my sweetest gigs in which the client found me (and I have a full article about how I did it coming out soon, keep watch!)
I stayed active in my entrepreneur Facebook groups and did a little bit of free work there to get some lucrative testimonials.
I was firm on pricing. I was offered many more jobs than I actually took because I refused $0.04/word offers and $20 blog post offers. With my credentials and experience, I wouldn’t settle for those “content mill” prices.

So, that’s sort of an overview of all the work that went into getting the income streams going this month. There is soooo much more I could say about pitching and pricing and networking, but for the purposes of this article, I’ll leave it at that. Feel free to comment with questions if there’s more you want to know.

So, what have I been working on?

Exercise copy for a new major fitness app
Coffee table book about New Mexico
Copy about snowboard equipment
Small business blogs for a website design business

I love the work I’ve been commissioned with. I’ve been learning so much and writing about my passions, so things are aligning just the way I believe they were meant to.

I can’t wait to delve more and more into my health and fitness, travel and mental health niches.

The fun part?

To reward myself for all the hard work, I went on a little bit of a shopping spree on Amazon. I found the pineapple chamomile tea I can’t find anywhere anymore. I bought some more writing books, one about writing white papers and the best freelance writing resource ever. I bought two barre workout videos to improve my teaching craft. And I bought a new journaling Bible that was soooo “me” that I can’t wait to dig in to. There might have been a few other things, but they escape me right now;)

What’s next?

I put in quite a few pitches in October alongside the work I did. I’ve already turned a few offers down, but I hope that a few more amazing opportunities come out of the work I put into October.

I’m also working on a swap offer for writing in return for some web design, so there could be some website changes coming. It’s exciting to think about where this all leads.

Not bad for my first month, eh?

If you’d like, I’ll keep you posted! Let me know in the comments.

Do you like seeing freelance income reports like this? What parts of the freelance journey would you like to know more about?