Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle

In this episode, Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki speak with Minda Zetlin. Minda is the author of her new book Career Self-Care and writes the highly popular "Laid-Back Leader" column for Inc.

Her articles and workshops offer research-backed advice to help ambitious people get the most out of their careers and their lives. She is the author or coauthor of several books, most recently The Geek Gap. A former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), she lives in Snohomish, Washington.

In this episode:

• How Minda found her path from freelancing to becoming a columnist.
• Finding a mentor and the power of asking for help.
• The benefit of writers' organizations, such as ASJA.

Connect with Minda:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindazetlin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindaZetlin

Website: https://mindazetlin.wordpress.com

Minda's Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Career-Self-Care-Increase-Happiness-Fulfillment/dp/1608687325/

Minda's column on Inc.com: https://www.inc.com/author/minda-zetlin

And, as a bonus for our listeners, get three months of my daily Career Self-Care texts for free (usually $4.95 a month): https://joinsubtext.com/career-self-care?promo=NEWSLETTER90

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

Book: www.freelancefancy.com

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In today's episode, Sherry Paprocki and Estelle Erasmus speak with Jennifer L.W. Fink. Jennifer is a registered nurse turned writer, podcaster, and "boy expert" - yes, you read that right!

Jennifer is the founder of Building Boys and the author of "Building Boys: raising great guys in a world that misunderstands males" which will be released in spring. She also co-hosts the Building Boys podcast and publishes Building Boys Bulletin, a weekly newsletter on parenting and educating boys.

Her byline can be found in Parents, American Baby, Pregnancy, Boys' Life, Ladies' Home Journal, MyMidwest, Scholastic Instructor, Home Education Magazine, Proto, RN, Advance for Nurses, and other regional and national publications. She's written for a variety of websites, including iVillage, scrubsmag.com and bestnursingdegree.com, and creates print and online content for a variety of healthcare organizations. She's also the mother of four boys—who maintains her nursing license, just in case.

In this episode:

• Jennifer transitioned from RN to becoming a writer.
• How Jennifer used her experience as a parent to fuel her writing.
• Tips on building your writing expertise in the community.

Connect with Jennifer:

Website: https://jenniferlwfink.com

Building Boys: http://buildingboys.net

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

Book: www.freelancefancy.com

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Sherry Paprocki and Estelle Erasmus speak with Polly Campbell. Polly started out as a freelance writer, and evolved her career into one that involves podcasting, writing books, and a lot of other things.

Polly is the author of You, Recharged: How to Beat Fatigue (Mostly), Amp Up Your Energy (Usually), and Enjoy Life Again, (Always) and other books. She has written hundreds of articles for online and print publications and is the host of the podcast Polly Campbell, Simply Said: How to Live Well, Do Good, Be Happy.

In this episode:

• How Polly evolved her career from free writing to freelance
• The importance of treating your freelance writing career as a business
• How to structure your day as a freelance writer
• Polly's journey into podcasting
• Polly's best 3 tips for new freelance writers.

Articles referenced: When Your Teen is Bored https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/well/family/tweens-boredom-summer.html

Connect with Polly:

Books: www.pollycampbell.substack.com

Website: www.pollycampbell.com

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

Book: www.freelancefancy.com

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In today's episode, Sherry Paprocki interviews Estelle Erasmus on crafting powerful personal essays.

Estelle teaches writing at NYU, Writer's Digest, in one on one coaching, and in writers' conferences nationwide, including at the ASJA Conference, Writer's Digest Conference, Hippocamp, and more. She is the special judge for the Writer's Digest personal essay contest for 2022.

Her writing and coaching students publish well and widely, including in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Your Teen, LA Times, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, and many more.

Estelle not only coaches people on how to craft their essays, she also provides advice on publication opportunities.

In this episode:

• What writers should know before even starting to write an essay
• Details on the necessary narrative arc
• Starting your essay in the middle
• The power of sharing your story

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Estelle's Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes

Essays referenced: Singing My Dad Back to Me, New York Times

Giving Up the Ghost Baby, Purple Clover

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

Book: www.freelancefancy.com

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode Estelle Erasmas and Sherry Paprocki speak with Tess Clarkson, a death doula.

Tess practiced financial regulation law in New York, danced in Riverdance on Broadway, and performed in Michael Flatley's productions across North America and in London. She holds a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago, earned a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and attended the City University of New York Writers' Institute for creative nonfiction.

Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, HuffPost, The Independent, Next Avenue, Insider, Motherwell, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and AARP's The Ethel and The Girlfriend. Currently, she lives in Missouri with her husband and dogs. She's a writer, yoga teacher, astrologer (I.S.A.R.), and certified end-of-life doula, and she is querying her first memoir.

In this episode:

• Insights on writing about topics many people avoid writing about
• Tips for writing about deep emotional topics
• What writers need to know when deciding to write about death
• The benefits of taking classes on writing and joining a writing group
• The process of becoming a death doula and why Tess recommends more people do it

Connect with Tess:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessclarkson7/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tess_clarkson

Website: https://tessclarkson.com

Stories mentioned in today's episode:

I helped a stranger at the end of his life. It taught me how to live my own. The Washington Post

What a Death Doula wants you to know, AARP's The Ethel

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Classes: https://estelleserasmus.com/classes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In today's episode Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki discuss the topic of writing about people.

This is a topic that Estelle and Sherry really know a lot about since both of them have written stories about people in their life. They discuss their best tips for do and don'ts when it comes to writing about others.

A famous writer once said "If people wanted you to write well about them they should have treated you better."

In this episode:

• Tips for writers about being authentic but still concealing privacy.
• Writing personal stories involving others.
• Why writers should not write for vengeance regardless of the situation.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

Singing My Dad Back to Me

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki speak with Andrea King Collier.

Andrea is an award-winning author, journalist and photographer based in Lansing, Michigan.

Much of Andrea's work focuses on health equity and health policy. She is an award-winning essayist and memorist. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Essence, O the Opera Magazine, AARP magazine, Next Avenue and many others.

She is the mother of two adult children and her favorite title is "GoGo" to two sweet grandsons.

In this episode:

• How Andrea arranges her writing schedule to take off memorial day to labor day.
• Pitching and gridding your stories.
• The power of networking with other writers.
• Tips for freelance writers to propel them forward in their careers

Connect with Andrea King Collier:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.collier

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki speak with Richard Eisenberg.

In January of 2022, Rich "Unretired".

Rich is a freelance personal finance writer and editor and co-host of the "Friends Talk Money" podcast. Most recently, he was managing editor of Next Avenue site, and editor of its Money & Policy and Work and Purpose channels. He is author of How to Avoid a Mid-Life Financial Crisis and The Money Book of Personal Finance and lives in New Jersey.

Before working at Next Avenue, Rich was Front-Page Finance Editor at Yahoo!, Special Projects Director/Money Editor at Good Housekeeping, and Executive Editor at Money Magazine.

He is the author of "How to Avoid a Midlife Financial Crisis" and "The Money Book of Personal Finance" and lives in New Jersey.

He spends his newfound free time mentoring, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.

In this episode:

• The definition of "Unretirement"
• How to freelance after retirement, and available writing and writing related gigs
• The skillsets writers need writing for online publications
• Tips for having open conversations with an editor about expectations, from both sides of the publishing wall
• Richard's experience writing a viral article
• Connecting podcasts with other work as a multi-passionate writer

Connect with Richard:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/richeis315

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardeisenberg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reisenberg1

Email: [email protected]

Friends Talk Money Podcast: https://friendstalkmoney.org

His viral article: Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents' Stuff

https://www.nextavenue.org/nobody-wants-parents-stuff/

What You Said About 'Nobody Wants Your Parents' Stuff

https://www.nextavenue.org/told-us-nobody-wants-parents-stuff/

Think Nobody Wants Your Parents' Art? Think Again

https://www.nextavenue.org/think-nobody-wants-your-parents-art-think-again/

His MarketWatch column: https://www.marketwatch.com/author/richard-eisenberg

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode Estelle Erasmus and Sherry Paprocki speak with Jeanette Hurt, an award-winning author, culinary historian and TEDx speaker. She has written 15 books, including The Unofficial Aldi Cookbook, Drink Like A Woman, Cauliflower Comfort, and Wisconsin Cocktails. Jeanette also regularly contributes stories and recipes to dozens of magazines, websites and content companies.

When she's not writing her own books, she works as a skilled ghostwriter, who helps coax stories, garner inspiration and hone the words of would-be authors and experts.

As a recipe developer, Jeanette loves delighting family and friends with her latest experiments in the woodland retreat that she shares with her architect husband and their son. When not testing whiskey sour recipes or walking around the aisles at Aldi's, you can find her hiking the Wisconsin woods with her rescue chihuahua great pyrenees mix.

In this episode:

• Pivoting your writing throughout your career.
• Becoming a TEDx Speaker
• Working with Co-Authors with different backgrounds
• Creating boundaries and feeling valued with co-authors and partnerships
• How to stay on track with your projects

Watch Jeanette's TEDx here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEgD5wJJKkM

Here's a link to her recent books: Dehydrating

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/709767/dehydrating-by-jeanette-hurt/

Wisconsin Cocktails, https://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-Cocktails-Jeanette-Hurt/dp/0299328805

Join ASJA: https://www.asja.org

Connect with Jeanette:

Website: http://www.jeanettehurt.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByJeanetteHurt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byjeanettehurt/

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki

If you've enjoyed our podcast, please leave us a review. Reviews help bring our podcast in front of more people.

We want to hear from you. For questions, ideas for future episodes, and thoughts on our episodes, email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Sherry Paprocki and Estelle Erasmus speak with Jack El-Hai, the author of 14 books. Jack writes nonfiction books, longform narratives, podcasts, and the free monthly Damn History newsletter for writers and readers of popular history. He covers history, medicine, science, crime, and anything else that hooks him and he thinks will also hook his audience.

Jack also helps physicians learn how to use creative writing to avoid stress and burnout, connect with their patients, enjoy the pleasure of creation, and enjoy the satisfaction of publishing their work.

In addition to his newest book The Lost Brothers, he has written The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, Non-Stop: A Turbulent History of Northwest Airlines, and The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness. His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, The Atlantic, GQ, Wired, Scientific American Mind, Topic, Longreads, The Washington Post Magazine, and many other publications.

Several of Jack's nonfiction stories have been optioned for the screen and stage. He frequently gives talks and leads workshops on the topics of his books as well as on the craft of nonfiction writing and the benefits of creative writing for physicians.

This episode covers:

• How Jack went from writing freelance articles to tackling writing books.
• How Jack has sold his stories for adaptation.
• Signing options and understanding option fees.
• 4 tips for how a writer can get involved in options and movies

Website: https://www.el-hai.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jack_ElHai

Send us an email: [email protected]

Connect with Estelle:

Website: https://estelleserasmus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EstelleSErasmus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EstelleSErasmus

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@estelleserasmus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/estelle.sobel.erasmus/

Connect with Sherry:

Website: https://sherrybeckpaprocki.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paprockisherry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.paprocki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrypaprocki