Episode 8: Jacy Topps
Hi everyone,
Welcome to 2021! I’m just getting back from two weeks offline and I feel really ready to tackle this next year. It’s amazing how much of a difference vacation makes for my mental health -- and I mean a true log off, without email on my phone or social media notifications popping up every other second.
I have some big goals for 2021, and ironically they mostly involve... working less. This is something that’s incredibly hard for me! I love the feeling of being sought out, of winning a new contract, of starting something new. Saying yes is almost compulsory for me, but every time I say yes to something I’m not excited about, I’ve realized I’m saying no to something else. For me, most often, new work means saying no to time with my family, and saying no to working on personal essay projects I’m passionate about. I’m saying no to calm mornings and peaceful afternoon walks.
I’ve started evaluating each project by asking myself what it’s costing me. Is a $150 project really worth losing three hours of work time on an essay I’m passionate about? Maybe it is, from a financial perspective. But most often, for me, it’s not.
This week’s episode features an interview with Jacy Topps, and we spent a good chunk of time talking about how to choose different projects. What matters most -- is it passion, pay, prestige, stability, or something else? You can listen wherever you podcast.
Jacy is an award-nominated journalist, essayist and ghostwriter. You can find her bylines in various publications including, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Slate, and Business Insider. She has built her career as a journalist covering everything from wine and travel to race and mental health, LGBTQ culture and relationships. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Jacy and I spent most of our time talking about ghostwriting as a means to stabilize your business financially and build confidence. She shares how she got into this work, the things to watch for on a contract, and talks explicitly about how much she’s making. Ghostwriting can be really, really secretive, so we think you’ll dig this behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to write under a celebrity’s byline!
This week, TWC members will get access to Jacy’s contract tip sheet, which details the things to watch for on a ghostwriting contract!
In other news, we just launched our January event, on pricing projects. We’ll be joined by Melanie Padgett Powers, who runs the Deliberate Freelancer podcast, and Jennifer Duann Fultz. More details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-price-freelance-writing-projects-tickets-135359318365
If you’re a Patreon member, there’s a 50% off code waiting for you.
We have some exciting projects on the horizon for 2021, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
More soon,
Jenni