Alex Webb – Come Write With Us course

Published Authors Teach You How to Make a Living as a Writer

It’s possible to make it as a freelance writer. I’m living proof. I’m Alex Webb (National Geographic, WIRED, The New York Times) and I co-created this course with my friend Kristin Wong (The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour magazine). We built this freelance writing course to help you break into the writing business — the smart way.

I’ve been through it all: Pitching editors and never hearing from them, writing “opportunities” that are just unpaid gigs, applying for full-time writing jobs and competing with a zillion other writers, ugh. The list goes on.

Here’s what most writers do (and what I did, for years):

• Dream of becoming a writer but never take action because they’re terrified of failure. Writing remains an unpaid hobby.
• Spend hours writing a blog post that no one will ever see. Hope that someday, the right person will stumble upon their blog.
• Send hundreds of random editors pitch after pitch, tell themselves it’s a “numbers game” and eventually, someone will bite.
• Agree to work for free because hey, “exposure” is better than nothing.

Sound familiar? Most writers approach the freelance writing business in a really inefficient way that is a complete waste of time. Next year, you could be doing the exact same thing: telling a friend you want to “break into” writing, then churning out a few words on your laptop before you give up because you have no direction or strategy. Why keep doing the same thing over and over if it’s not working?

Instead, imagine being able to:

• Write for quality, top-tier clients and publications.
• Pitch irresistible story ideas that editors actually want.
• Build a sleek, professional writing portfolio.
• Earn hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars for your writing. Regularly.

Each of the above goals is possible. But if you want to succeed as a writer, you have to change your approach. You have to start treating your career as more than just a hobby. In this course, you have to do the work it takes to launch a freelance writing career – yep, it takes work – but I show you how to get it done in a strategic, effective way.

Learn what the biggest, best publications are looking for

In Come Write With Us, you’ll learn the exact strategies and tools we’ve used to not only make money with our writing, but also write for some of the most well-known publications in the world, like the New York Times and National Geographic. This course isn’t just for people who want to make money writing. It’s for writers who want to write for top publications.

You won’t get the tired, old advice to write ten articles a day for pennies or send fifty cold pitches a week. Instead, we’ll teach you how to strategically position yourself for success. You’ll learn:

• How to take your writing from amateur to professional: I’ll tell you what publications and editors expect when it comes to writing. Even if you write for a startup or smaller publication, this lesson will set your writing apart to ensure you beat the competition and get the gig.
• A formula for an irresistible pitch. No more pitching random editors random ideas. You’ll brainstorm solid story ideas and turn them into irresistible pitches. Even better, you’ll get REAL EXAMPLES of ideas I and other writers have pitched! Make sure your next pitch will be a YES.
• How to establish your credibility. I walk you through building a platform, step-by-step, to establish your credibility as a writer. You’ll see how other writers have positioned themselves so that publications like The New York Times and National Geographic take notice.
• How to set rates (and negotiate better ones): Calculate how much money you can charge for your writing, depending on the outlet. Yes, you get real numbers. You’ll also get access to specific tactics and scripts writers use to negotiate higher rates, even with our current publications.

What You’ll Learn In Come Write With Us course?

• Develop Your Writing Habit: Learn tips and tricks for making time to practice your writing and get better at it.
• Brainstorm Epic Ideas: Learn the strategies I use to come up with fresh ideas to write about. You’ll brainstorm three solid ideas to get your writing noticed by editors, readers, and blogs.
• Write Like a Pro: Learn what the best publications in the world expect from their writers. Take your freelance writing to the next level. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have one polished, professional writing clip to help jumpstart your career.
• Build Your Portfolio: A step-by-step guide to creating a platform and personal brand as a writer, which is a must if you want bylines. By the end of this lesson, you’ll have an online writing portfolio that you can show editors and potential clients.
• Master the Art of the Pitch: A tried-and-true formula for finding and pitching editors, media, and potential clients. I’ve used this formula to pitch the New York Times, National Geographic, and WIRED. Get real examples of pitches that have worked.
• Build a Network: Build a network of writers and mentors to help supercharge your career. Learn how to reach out to established writers and influencers in an authentic, non-sleazy way.
• Find Gigs: Where to find work, beyond the obvious. A list of resources when you’re just starting out and how to leverage small gigs into big publications when you’re already established.
• Decide How Much to Charge: Learn how to set your rates. Learn our strategy for negotiating higher rates.