Writers' Rough Drafts: Recent Episodes
Elisa Doucette
What's the only thing that keeps a rough draft from becoming a published piece? Publishing it! We're here to help you get your rough drafts published (after you've done a lot of revision work to make them fantastic, obviously!) on some of your favorite websites, publications, and journals. Every Monday morning tune in to your podcast player of choice to get a new interview with an editor or content manager on exactly how they like to be pitched so you can land your next big byline.Even better? You can download a special How to Pitch Cheat Sheet for each episode with extra details and information to get your writing published in the places you've always dreamed of.
Róisín Lanigan shares the inside scoop on how to write for i-D (a VICE magazine). Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode78 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to i-D.
On this week’s bonus episode, we share Sola Kehinde’s story of how she landed her dream byline on Funnel Overload, now Startup Bonsai. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode77 for links, resources, and more.
Richard Lau and Kari Amarnani go behind the scenes on how to write for Logo.com. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode76 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to Logo.com.
On this week’s bonus episode, we share Dana Sitar’s story of how she landed her dream byline and column on Inc. Magazine. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode75 for links, resources, and more.
Miranda Miller shares all the details on how to write for Search Engine Journal. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode74 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to Search Engine Journal.
On this week’s bonus episode, we share Amber Van Karsen’s story of how she landed her dream byline on Pure Michigan. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode73 for links, resources, and more.
Michelle Weber shares all the details on how to pitch and write for Pipe Wrench. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode72 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to Pipe Wrench magazine.
Vahe Habeshian shares the inside tips on how to pitch and write for MarketingProfs. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode71 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to MarketingProfs.
On this week’s bonus episode, we share Megan Wildhood’s story of how she landed her dream byline on The Atlantic. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode70 for links, resources, and more.
Courtney Craven shares their expertise on writing and editing about accessibility in games and media, and how to write a great pitch for Can I Play That? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode69 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to Can I Play That?
Bud Hennekes gives us an inside look at how to write a strong pitch for CXL’s blog, along with great advice for folks new to the content marketing world. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode68 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to CXL!
On this week’s bonus episode, we share Masooma Memon’s story of how she landed her dream byline on Trello. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode67 for links, resources, and more.
Elisa Doucette shares the secrets to writing a strong pitch for the Craft Your Content site along with best practices for pitching and working with an editorial team. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode66 for links, resources, and a free downloadable sheet with all the info you need to send a pitch to Craft Your Content!
Dorie Clark is a best-selling author, professional speaker, professor, and jazz music and documentary film producer. She shares her path to entrepreneurship from an impressive background in writing and politics. You can find Dorie on her website at DorieClark.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode65 for links and resources.
Mandy Wallace is a writer, content strategist, writing coach, and course creator. She shares her expert advice on how to land your first publication and the value of sharing your ideas openly with others. You can find Mandy on her website at MandyWallace.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode64 for links and resources.
Audley Puglisi is a playwright and poet who is currently working on his Master’s of Fine Arts at Yale School of Drama. He shares the value of mentors and community when building your writing career. You can find Audley on the New Play Exchange. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode63 for links and resources.
Anne Janzer is an author and writing coach who studies the creative process and a writer’s place in it. She has written multiple books on the topic and consults with some of the top tech and SaaS companies on the web, offering content and copy that brings their message to readers. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode62 for links and resources.
Award-winning food writer and radio host Cathy Erway has built a writing platform around being a self-taught home cook with a vast network of connections and interests. Her content shows how you write articles that end up winning awards, because it is obvious how much she puts into each project. Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode61 for links and resources.
Jeff Trammell is an animation staff writer, story editor, and voiceover actor. He shares his journey to becoming a television writer in Los Angeles for Cartoon Network’s Craig of the Creek. You can find Jeff on Twitter @MrJeffTrammell. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode60 for links and resources.
Brittany Berger is a content marketing consultant, mental health advocate, and productivity unicorn. She shares how to not let your hustling get in the way of your mental health and cause burnout. You can find Brittany on Twitter @thatbberg or on her website, BrittanyBerger.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode59 for links and resources.
Rohit Bhargava is a trend curator, innovation and marketing expert, and author of six best-selling books. He shares tips on how to make the non-obvious choice, as well as making your side hustle work for you. You can find Rohit on Twitter @RohitBhargava or on his website, RohitBhargava.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode58 for links and resources.
Tallie Gabriel is a freelance writer, young adult author, musician, podcast producer, and occasional podcast host. She shares how she dove into the world of content marketing and what she’s writing these days. You can find Tallie on Twitter @talligator_ or on her website, TallieGabriel.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode57 for links and resources.
Charlie Gilkey is an entrepreneur, philosopher, former Army officer, author, and Creative Giant. He shares how to do your best work and move from academic writing to public writing. You can find Charlie on Twitter @CharlieGilkey or on his website, ProductiveFlourishing.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode56 for links and resources.
Victoria MacDonald is a writer, public relations expert, and social media influencer. She shares her personal journey of becoming a travel blogger and coping with depression by diving into the content creation world. You can find Victoria on Twitter @TheAyeLife or on her website. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode55 for links and resources.
Tucker Max is a New York Times best-selling author, producer and screenwriter, and entrepreneur and publisher for Scribe Writing. He shares how he got started as a writer and his path to success with Scribe Writing. You can find Tucker on Twitter @TuckerMax or on his website. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode54 for links and resources.
New music, longer conversations, deeper questions, and lots of laughs as we talk to even more writers and creators on Season 5 of Writers’ Rough Drafts... Coming Soon!
Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist interested in the development of intelligence, creativity, and personality. He shares his thoughts on psychology, science communication, and nonfiction writing. You can find Scott on Twitter @sbkaufman or on his website scottbarrykaufman.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode53 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Shakira Pressley is a screenwriter, producer, and actress with a specialty in and love for all things animated. She shares her experience from the writers’ room of animated TV shows and her advice on how to do your best work. You can find Shakira on Twitter @shakirapressley. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode52 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Heidi Gardner is a scientist, researcher, blogger, entrepreneur, and activist. She shares her experience with finding the intersection of science and creativity through her own explorations and writing projects. You can find Heidi on Twitter @heidirgardner. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode51 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Carrie McKeegan is an energetic business leader, a mom, and a global citizen who has her own column on Inc. She shares how she returned to writing to help other remote entrepreneurs successfully run their business. You can find Carrie on her website GreenbackTaxServices.com, or on Twitter @cpmckeegan. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode50 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Alex Proaps is a design psychologist, consultant, entrepreneur, professor, and speaker. She shares her insight on human factors psychology along with how she finds creativity even in academic subjects. You can find Alex on her website at AlexProaps.com or on Twitter @AlexProaps. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode49 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Jay Acunzo is a public speaker, podcaster, and author. He shares how he found himself in content marketing and why it matters to find your aspirational anchor in your career and life. You can find Jay on his website jayacunzo.com or on Twitter @jayacunzo. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode48 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Laura Gale is an author, ghostwriter, and developmental editor, with a background in publishing and marketing. She shares her expert advice on how to write a book, and why it’s especially important to outline your ideas before you dive into writing. You can find Laura on her website lauraiswriting.com or on Twitter @laurasgale. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode47 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Dr. Sherry Walling is a licensed clinical psychologist, lecturer and professor, yoga teacher, author, and entrepreneur. She shares her experience with helping other entrepreneurs and creatives with their mental health, along with her own personal writing journey. You can find Sherry on her website SherryWalling.com or on Twitter @ZenFounder. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode46 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Simran Sethi is a writer, speaker, and educator focused on food, sustainability, and social change. She shares her method for writing about serious subjects she cares deeply about, like the global environment, in a way that personally connects with her readers. You can find Simran on her website at SimranSethi.com or on Twitter and Instagram @simransethi. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode45 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Victor Yang is a queer writer and organizer for immigrant rights. He shares why it matters to be selfish about your writing and how to make the shift from being a hobbyist writer to a professional writer. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode44 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Stephanie Lee is a writer, nutritionist, video gamer, and digital nomad who has been published in The New York Times, Lifehacker, GQ, IGN, and many more. She shares her thoughts on persevering through mental blocks and communicating great story ideas to editors. You can find Stephanie on Twitter @superLEE7 and on her website, StephanieLee.me. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode43 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Mason Currey is a writer, editor, and author living in Los Angeles, most notably known for his book, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. He shares how he’s learned what works best for him, inspired by both his research and his own experiences. You can find Mason on Twitter @masoncurrey and on his website, MasonCurrey.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode42 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Sol Orwell is an entrepreneur, author, writer, and public speaker who is the Director of Strategy at Examine.com. He shares how building relationships with others and his audience has helped him grow his business and his reach. You can find Sol on his website SJO.com or on Facebook @sorwell. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode41 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Susan Shain is a freelance writer who specializes in travel, food, and personal finance and also runs WheretoPitch.com. She shares immensely helpful inside tips on how to land a pitch at your dream publication, along with lessons for listeners on how to become a full-time freelance writer. You can find Susan on her website SusanShain.com or on Twitter @susan_shain. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode40 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Debbie Greig is a blogger, contracts lawyer, and professional triathlete in Scotland. She shares why it’s important to be brutally honest when blogging and how writing after major events can help you decompress, reflect, and learn. You can find Debbie on her website WeTriAndRun.wordpress.com or on Facebook @WeTriAndRun. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode39 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Abdi Nor Iftin is a journalist, translator, and author living in Maine. But his writing journey didn’t start there. Abdi’s recent book, Call Me American, chronicles his life growing up in the African country of Somalia, and the transition from the peaceful pastoral place it was to the war-torn area it became. One of the escapes he found early on was learning English through American movies, which eventually led him to master the language well enough to become a legit secret war correspondent for outlets like National Public Radio and others.
After fleeing to Kenya to further escape the violence and military recruitment, he earned a green card to the U.S. through the Diversity Visa Lottery. Here, he was interviewed on This American Life about the program and his life as a refugee, and the conversation touched so many people that he eventually came to write about it in his memoir, which debuted earlier this year. When he isn’t touring parts of the U.S. as a respected and published author, Abdi works with the Somali refugee program in Maine, serving as a translator, to help others find similar opportunities to what he’s been able to find through his own storytelling and writing career.
Rand Fishkin is the former co-founder and CEO of Moz.com and is currently the founder of SparkToro. In this episode, Rand shares his best practices on writing for your audience and creating content with better searchability without “keyword stuffing.” You can find Rand on his website, Sparktoro.com, or on Twitter @randfish. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode37 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Amy Clover is a writer, fitness personality, motivational speaker, and mental health advocate who runs Strong Inside Out. In this episode, she shares her journey to being vulnerable with her readers, creating a brand that’s true to herself, and why it’s okay to not write when you don’t feel inspired. You can find Amy on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @stronginsideout or on her website, StrongInsideOut.com. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode36 for links and resources. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Yi Shun Lai is an author, a copy and content writer, an editor, and a writing coach and teacher based out of Southern California. In this episode, she shares the details on crafting her own creative space, coming up with witty product copy, and working with first-time writers as an editor. For more of Yi Shun’s writing, visit her website, TheGoodDirt.org, or check out her Twitter account on @gooddirt. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode35 for links and resources mentioned in this episode. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
In this week’s episode, Elisa interviews Sara De Lille, a freelance and content writer based in Mexico City who is also a regular improv comedy performer. Sara tells her story about how she got started in the comedy world, and Elisa and Sara talk about the parallels between improv and writing, and how writers can apply these tips to their career. Find Sara on her website at LetsRiot.tv, follow her @SDeLille on Instagram, and check out @SaraDeLille for her Medium page. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode34 for links and resources mentioned in this episode. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
In this week’s episode, Elisa interviews Hillary Weiss, a brand voice strategist, copywriter, and all-around word badass. Hillary shares how she got started as a copywriter, why writing fan fiction was so influential for her, and the best way to develop your brand voice. Find Hillary on her website at HillaryWeiss.com, follow her @HCWeiss on Twitter, Instagram, and Medium, or @HillaryWeissWriting on Facebook. Want more? Visit craftyourcontent.com/episode33 for links and resources mentioned in this episode. Sponsored by Coworker.com.
Jesse Lawler is a self-experimental, jack of all trades. He is a location independent entrepreneur who runs an entire software developing company from his offices in Los Angeles and Saigon. Jesse worked for years at the Hollywood Grind as a screenwriter and producer on a half dozen movies. He spends much of his spare time writing and hosting a podcast over on his passion project site, Smart Drug Smarts. Jesse has built a fiercely engaged fan base of bio-hackers and personal optimization themes.
Poornima Vijayashanker is the founder of Femgineer.com, an education tech startup focused on helping professionals in tech level up in their careers, and tech entrepreneurs build products and companies.
From a young age, Poornima was interested in many fields, not only on computers, software, and programming. She took apart her first computer at age of 14, and was writing histories and speaking since she tried her mother's typewriter at age of 10. She has found a fantastic way to combine all of her skills and interests to create unique products and messages. She graduated with dual degrees in electrical engineer and computer science, but she is also a writer and and active YouTuber, to communicate her experiences and motivate others to pursue tech, learning and entrepreneurship.
This week's episode is a little different. I have masterminded with my close friend Jenny Blake since 2009 on all things life, business, writing, creativity, systems, and more. Our calls, usually at least an hour long, sometimes two, are absolutely a pivotal piece to the success of both our businesses and writing careers. This weekend, we decided we should turn on the mic and talk about our systems and processes, since we are constantly sharing tips, tools, and tricks we've found to make things easier.
This is a long one!
But worth it. :)
Dave Chesson is passionate about books and writing stories, and he's a best-selling writer as well. He started creating niche websites and generating income from Adsense and Amazon-affiliated programs, but quickly found the solution for making money andintegrating his passion for writing and storytelling by publishing four books and establishing 34 websites! He wakes up every day at 3:30 AM while everyone in his family is sleeping, gets a cup of coffee, writes for his websites -- including Kindlepreneur, where he shares multiple writing tips to help writers bring their books to the next level.
Guy Vincent is the founder of publishizer.com, a webpage that can launch a campaign of your book, starting from the proposal to gathering funds through crowdfunding and connecting you with literary agents to help get your book published.
He published an e-book about how to wake up early by himself and then, while working as an e-publisher, conceived the idea of applying the crowdfunding concept with self-publishing.
Linda Nguyen is a Texas native in hot pursuit of good food, adventure, and laughter.
She is a consummate content creator, with a few different blogs, an active Instagram feed, and her own sketch notes and #DoodlesAboutFeelings series. Previously, she ran a multi-contributor YouTube vlogging channel called Totes Awesome.
Linda has really hit the scene in recent years with her hugely popular Girl Eats World food blog, where she shares her favorite sports and eats in Austin, Texas, and as she travels around the world.
A never-ending source of kindness and inspiration, she also co-wrote the book 3 Things, with Kim Arenas, a gratitude journal that encourages readers to take a few minutes each day to stop and give thanks for three things.
Dan Norris is a serial entrepreneur, award winning content marketer, international speaker and the author of the top 10 Amazon bestselling Small Business book The 7 Day Startup and Content Machine.
In June 2013 after failing at entrepreneurship for 7 years, he founded wpcurve.com, a worldwide team of wordpress developers, providing unlimited small fixes and support, 24 / 7 for a low monthly fee. After becoming profitable in 23 days, WP Curve grew to a team of 40, servicing thousands of customers and passed an annual run rate of over $1m AUD using Content Marketing alone.
Dan's second book, Content Machine documents how to create a 7 figure content strategy and scale it with automation, delegation and a content team.
The 7 Day Startup which became a top 10 bestseller in 3 Amazon categories has been translated into 5 languages and inspired thousands of entrepreneurs around the world to launch their business.
Jess Ostroff is the Founder and Director of Calm at Don’t Panic Management, a virtual social media assistant agency which helps companies outsource administrative, bookkeeping, social media, and content marketing tasks so they can focus on growing their business. She is also the Managing Editor for Convince & Convert, a digital media and consulting company that provides high-impact counsel to many of the world's largest brands, and specializes in strategic planning for digital, content marketing, and social media.
Glen Allsopp is a successful online entrepreneur who started his career at the young age of 16. He is the creator and voice behind the insanely popular internet marketing blog, ViperChill, which offers free marketing advice and strategies as well as a host of invaluable information, all geared towards making money online. He has done some substantial social media research as well as consulting work for international brands, and his articles have been featured on front page of top sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, SEOmoz, and Copyblogger. Having founded and sold a few businesses, Glen now travels the globe, runs his own SEO company, and shares his love for tech and marketing with his dedicated followers.
Emily Straubel is a certified holistic health coach, columnist, writer and speaker in what many would call a taboo niche. Her site, Red Lipstick Project carries tags like mind blowing sex and turn-ons for smart girls, and explores topics from sex and love, relationship, entrepreneurship, femininity and more. She also blogs on some slightly tamer, but still spicy things on her column for MaineToday called The Sex Files. Coming off her recent TEDx success asking the audience “What turns you on?” and starting her newest project Ten Thousand Turn Ons, Emily is determined to understand the inner workings of people's mind, talk about what others are scared to talk about and share it all through her witty and intelligent writing.
Tom Morkes is a graduate of West Point, a former Army Officer, and an Iraq war veteran. Since leaving the military in 2013, he has been traveling the world and has gone on to write 3 books. He is currently the CEO of insurgent publishing, a boutique publishing company that makes books for the creative outliers of the world. He, along with two other veterans, just launched HighSpeedLowDrag.org, a transition resource for aspiring veteran entrepreneurs.
Alexis is an entrepreneurial writer and digital strategist who transitioned from a thriving journalistic career, writing for publications like the Houston Chronicle and US News and World report, she decided she needed more freedom and creativity in her life. Having spent time as a solo traveler through Africa, she started making money for her site The Traveling Writer. Quickly, she expanded her offerings to digital products, courses and eBooks, in addition to the freelance writing and social media consulting she was doing.
In 2010, she transitioned from the solopreneurial life to working with a team and built her first business, Socialexis, a blog management and content marketing agency that puts out over a hundred and twenty pieces of content for various clients every month -- not including daily social media posts.
In 2013, she founded the site The Write Life, for writers and authors looking for resources and advice to create, connect and earn money. She also manages to carve out her own little corner of the internet on her site, AlexisGrant.com where she shares her personal journey and the behind scenes details of life as a creative entrepreneur.
Taylor Pearson is an entrepreneur, marketer, and philosopher. After finishing his undergraduate studies and promptly abandoning his lifelong plan to become a lawyer, he made a life for himself traveling the world teaching English, playing some semi-pro football, and building multiple businesses for himself and others using savvy marketing knowledge and disposition towards being able to see systems, where none previously existed. His site, TaylorPearson.me is a favorite among the location-independent entrepreneurial essay crowd for his long as his thoughtful pieces about the current state of things such as education, business culture, personal frameworks, and mental models.
Geraldine DeRuiter is the hand and mind behind Everywhereist.com, listed as one of TIME Magazine's Top 25 blogs of 2011, and Forbes Magazine's Top 10 Lifestyle blogs. She describes her enterprise as "a travel blog for the accidentally adventurous" and is known for her self-deprecating and hilarious stories and impeccable tourist attraction and restaurant reviews. A former freelance editor and copywriter, Geraldine now spends most of her time straddling across the globe with her husband, Rand Fishkin. She has explored and written about several destinations across Americas, Europe and Asia and pens down her experiences in various forms like blogs, infographics, photographs, tips, advices, and open letters.
Ann Handley is a veteran of creating and managing digital content to build relationships for organizations and individuals. Ann is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content (September 2014, Wiley) and co-author of the best-selling book on content marketing, Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (2011, Wiley). She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs; a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine; a LinkedIn Influencer; a keynote speaker, mom, and writer. - See more at: http://www.annhandley.com/about/#sthash.5o64NlwH.dpuf
Maisie Smith is the gritty Audrey Hepburn of the creative freelance writers, a merging of pure grace and total badassery. She runs the shop at her writing studio, Audacious Muse where she works with businesses to be fearless in their weirdness. In other words, she helps you put into words why you’re standing out is a good thing. A woman with a mind for business and a heart for inspiring and connecting, she previously worked as a promotional advertising exec helping businesses build their advertising creatively through promotional products and placement. She owned a personal fitness studio where she works with women to find the best versions of themselves and love rockin’ the results. Most recently, she is working to launch the site, The Beer Muse in 2015, where you can find lots of eloquent writing about delicious craft beer. And that my friends, right there, should tell you why I most wanted to get her on the show today.
Abby Kerr is a creative and freelance writer who owns and serves as the Creative Director of The Voice Bureau, a boutique copywriting and branding agency that specializes in small, sensitive, subtle businesses. Through The Voice Bureau, she created the Voice Values Self-Assessment which asks content creators and business owners to make a series of statement that most represent their values and brand foundation. The result does not only break down their most prominent Voice Values, but also how to apply them to writing and marketing.
An ever-evolving business woman, she began offering online courses through her agency. The most recent ones focusing on email marketing and crafting your most authentic about page. She's constantly on the lookout for the next brilliant writing or business opportunity, all while managing writing masterminds and encouraging her peers to pursue their writing passions while working away at her own.
Sam Davidson is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, writer and all-around massive proponent of changing the world by being a leader and standing up for the things you believe in. He started his first company, Cool People Care in 2006 after a short stint in the nonprofit world taught him he loves helping others but hates working for them. He's gone on to found three companies since -- most recently, Batch and Onward -- and often consults with companies and organizations to get their start and reach out to younger generations.
The author of the books New Day Revolution, 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need and Simplify Your Life, Sam is an authority on focusing on what matters and doing something big with it. A frequent speaker at non-profit events, business conferences and college campuses across the nation, he loves inspiring the thoughts of today through the generations of tomorrow. Speaking of inspiration, in addition to his own blogging and article work, you can subscribe to his short Daily Dose emails, a quick and thought provoking way to start each and every day.
Jamie Varon is an entrepreneur, graphic and web designer, writer, app developer, author, traveler, curator, course creator – seriously, she’s a woman of so many talents, one feels intimidated just trying to read her bio, let alone keep up. In 2009, when personal branding is at the height of being personal branding, she launched the website, Twitter Should Hire Me to make a big splash on the scene. She's been splashing all over the place since then: starting the hugely popular and successful Shatterboxx web design boutique, traveling to and then living in Paris and Rome, being bold enough to try her hand at any pursuit or passion she’d wanted. She moved to LA last year to become a Hollywood screenwriting superstar, only to discover she really just wanted to be a writer who was able to state her own truth. Wrangling a fabulous position as the West Coast Producer of Thought Catalog, writing and publishing two books in 2014 filled with personal essays and hilarious stories -- all while rocking the characteristic sass and wit that garnered an audience that has followed her around the world and back again.
Paul Jarvis is a freelancer, entrepreneur, web designer, bestselling author, course creator, podcaster and all around jack of creative trades. With a library of books on his virtual and physical bookshelves including The Good Creative and Write Your Damn Book, he has garnered an audience of writers and artists who devour anything he has to say about all things innovative, as evidenced by his popular weekly Sunday Dispatches Newsletter which are exclusive letters about freelancing, creativity and life delivered direct to your inbox, or his weekly podcast Invisible Office Hours with Jason SurfrApp specifically for unconventional thinkers who don't spend their time confined to an office. His most recent offering, The Creative Class is an online course designed specifically to help thoughtful freelancers master the pragmatic details of running a one-person business.
Lise Cartwright is a freelance writer, blogger and social media consulant. In June 2012, she decided to quit her administration job and started her own company, Outsourced Freelancing Business where she helps make a difference in the way small businesses brands are represented to the world through engaging copy, great blog articles and shareable social media content. She has also written and self-published three bestselling eBooks on Amazon including the how-to guide,Side Hustle Blueprint: How to Make an Extra $1000 in 30 Days Without Leaving Your Day Job!
Sean Platt is a bestselling author with over 60 titles to his name on Amazon. Primarily a fiction writer, Sean’s world of words has a very entrepreneurial arm. As the founder of multiple imprints and publishing projects including Collective Inkwell, Realm of Sands, and his newest Sterling and Stone, he works with business partners Johnny B. Truant and David Wright to create and put out multiple series of stories in a plethora of genres, from children’s books, through to fantasy and full out dark horror.
The voice behind the popular Sterling and Stone Podcast that used to be called The Self Publishing Podcast and website, he offers advice and insights to folks interested in self-publishing to help them set up their own entrepreneurial adventures. He has also penned the go-to guide for self-publishing success, Write. Publish. Repeat. In 2013, which continues to shine with over 400 five-star reviews on Amazon.
In 2014 with Johnny B. Truant, he completed and published an entire fiction book in just 30 days with their Fiction Unboxed Kickstarter project. And went for it again in November for NaNoWriMo with their Fiction Unboxed 1.5.
Sarah Peck is a writer, storyteller and a designer with a background in communications and publishing for various urban landscaping businesses. In other words, she works to share narratives about how to make concrete jungles beautiful. She's able to transition that ability to perfectly pinpoint the important things we should take from our worlds, and apply to our writing and businesses.
Her popular courses on writing and content strategy for thought leaders are a massive draw to her website, ItStartsWith.com, which is filled with such profound personal essays, you'll be stuck there for hours. She has also appeared on stages around the world, and facilitates storytelling and writing workshops to help people find their own unique stories.
A woman never shy away from a good challenge, she raised over $29,000 for Charity Water on her 29th birthday by pledging to and then actually swimming naked to Alcatraz at the end of October -- brave woman right there.
Colin Wright is a published author with a whopping 30+ book titles under his belt in just a few years, and constant plans to put out so many more. A graphic designer and brand guru by original trade, Colin swapped the office and client meeting lifestyle to a life of travel, curiosity and exploration. He lives around the world, often no more than four months in locations determined by his readers; runs the popular online publishing company, Asymmetrical Press, with his business partners, Josh and Ryan from The Minimalist; puts out daily and weekly newsletters on a plethora of topics and interests, and still finds time for speaking gigs and various online courses.
Monica McCarthy is a content creator who thrives in words and language in many various forms -- whether it's manifestos and engaging conversations over dinner with brilliant people through her brand Cheshire Parlour, scripting and filming video stories for her Show and Tell Stories, or teaching and encouraging others to explore their curiosity and passions as the Experience Impresario at Holstee’s headquarters in New York City. A former professional actress in Los Angeles, and later the Broadway stage, Monica positively exudes presence and personality while also having an insanely philosophic and strategic mind to guide the creative process for herself and her clients.
Mark Manson is an author, entrepreneur, and sometimes relationship coach to the millions of people around the world who read his site. More importantly, he is a thinker who writes articles and essays that push the boundaries of social convention and personal psychologies, whether it's easy and comfortable or not.
He made his first six figures in ecommerce sales and sites in the product space, and eventually branched out to focus his business on struggles he saw so many men having in their lives as they grew to become the best versions of themselves.
His former site, PostMasculine was dubbed “a rational self-help site for men,” and primarily studied the impact of mentalities and culture on the traditions of dating and relationships. As his writing has grown and changed, so has his audience. And he launched is newest site, markmanson.net in 2013 to serve the needs of both genders and examine life more fully, rather than just the relationships we have in it.
His eBooks, courses, and now membership site are wildly popular with people looking to improve and change, or even just think about these things a little more carefully. He's currently hard at work on his newest book as he travels the world.
Kate Erickson is the content creating and blog writing powerhouse behind the wildly successful Entrepreneur on Fire podcast and empire which she runs with her partner, John Dumas. With a Master’s degree in English, and a decade-long background in Marketing and Advertising, her copy, email marketing, community management and other content creation skills have propelled her business to regular six-figure returns.
Dan Andrews is one half the team behind the Tropical MBA podcast and blog, and the Online Dynamite Circle Community for location independent entrepreneurs. Dan’s business success started with e-commerce sales in cat furniture and valet stands. He's made a reputation for himself as a conversationalist and a thinker with his blog and podcast scripting.
Jenny Blake is a bestselling author, international speaker, entrepreneur and strategy pro, who likes to help people organize their brains to build their careers, businesses, and lifestyle they love -- all while managing to find the time to fit in daily yoga practices to keep her own body and mind happy and healthy.
Her first site, Life After College is considered by various sources and readers alike to be the quintessential guide to navigating your twenties. Her first book, Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want is an internationally-published bestseller that have been featured in Target’s graduation must-have displays.
Before that, Jenny spent five years working at Google (you may have heard of them) on the training and development team. Since then, Jenny has managed to launch a handful more businesses, start work on her second book, write regularly for her own sites and multi-million dollar publications, and speak at events around the world about her work at the intersection of mind, body, and business.
A best-selling author, speaker, and serial entrepreneur, Peter is best known for founding Help A Reporter Out (HARO), the social media website that redefined how journalism and PR works by connecting millions of sources with hundreds of thousands of journalists around the world each day, for free. Peter is also the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a boutique Social Media, Marketing and PR Strategy firm located in New York City, with clients worldwide. Peter sits on the advisory board of NASA, is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Dell, and is a successful angel investor with multiple start-up companies in his portfolio.
Chris is the New York Times bestselling author of ‘The Happiness of Pursuit’, ‘The $100 Startup’, ‘The Art of Non-Conformity’. His e-guides and manifestos, 'A Brief Guide to World Domination' and '279 Days of Overnight Success', have been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of people. He has also written guides for travel and small business topics under the brand Unconventional Guides. Chris hosts the ‘World Domination Summit’ in Portland, Oregon every summer, which is a gathering of creative, remarkable people.
Writer and Editor Elisa Doucette has built a word empire on the humble beginnings of voracious book reading and creative writing studies. Now featured in publications like The New York Times and Huffington Post, with her own online column on Forbes.com, and a guest on shows such as Frommer's Radio and Entrepreneur on Fire, she shares the background and story of how she trained herself to write well, create compelling content, make words sexy, and start this podcast to learn how others have done the same.