Don’t Wait for the World to Return to Normal [PODCAST]

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed how the world works. Some people are still waiting to return to normal, but if you want to thrive, you need to prepare for the world we are living in.

In this podcast episode, we’re talking about permanent changes and how to adapt so you can continue to break through the noise.

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How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job as a Freelancer (11 Pro Tips)

Want to use LinkedIn to find a job?

You’re not alone.

With over 300 million monthly LinkedIn users and over 20 million job postings open at any given time, LinkedIn is a virtual gold mine for freelancers (or anyone, really) looking to find their dream job.

Of course, where there’s gold, there’s competition. To stand out from the crowd and land any of those great jobs on LinkedIn, you need a plan.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide. It will give you a step-by-step walkthrough of the most effective tips to leverage LinkedIn’s massive job platform — tips that’ll help you find, and land, a new job.

And we’ll start with arguably the most important one…

1. Create a Standout LinkedIn Profile

Optimizing your LinkedIn profile should be your number one priority if you want to land a freelance gig.

First impressions are integral in your job search. It’s essential to ensure that your LinkedIn profile offers a testament to your writing career, expertise, and experience level.

Try these top tips to enhance your LinkedIn profile to attract more freelance clients:

• Create a succinct LinkedIn headline that captures your expertise in three key phrases
• Fill your bio with relevant words and phrases so it’ll rank higher in LinkedIn job searches
• Specify details of past freelance work experience
• Offer an industry-specific writing sample
• Link to examples of published content writing
• Include a digital portfolio of your best freelance work
• Use a professional, approachable headshot for your profile photo
• Post an up-to-date, well-presented resume
• Demonstrate your expertise and technical ability using Skills & Endorsements
• Offer social proof with recommendations from your past freelance client base

Remember to make sure your profile is visible to everyone — especially your profile picture as professionals are less trusting of candidates without professional photos. You can do this by going to LinkedIn’s homepage (or any page, really), clicking “Me” in the top-navigation menu, and going to “Settings and Privacy”.

In addition to pictures, I highly recommend creating a video resume or animated explainer video that details your writing process, your style, your quality, social proof, and more.

Editor’s Note: If creating a video resume sounds daunting, check out this great guide from Madeline Mann. It’ll show you how to create a video CV even if you don’t have any editing skills (or enjoy speaking on camera):

Finally, make sure your profile is grammatically correct before applying for any jobs. According to Talent Inc., 79% of employers will ignore LinkedIn profiles, resumes, and job applications that have spelling or grammar mistakes in them.

If you’re prone to mishaps, use spelling and grammar tools like Grammarly and Hemingway to ensure your LinkedIn profile is free of errors and easy to read.

2. Fill Out the “Open to Work” Section

If you want to land freelance clients, you need your LinkedIn profile to be visible to potential recruiters, writing clients and LinkedIn connections.

Just under your profile picture, you’ll find a small box that invites you to show that you’re job hunting. By switching on this feature, your next potential employer can see you’re ready to take on a new job.

If you haven’t changed the settings, simply:

1. Click on the box that says “Show recruiters you’re open to work”
2. Fill out the pop-up with your relevant writing skills and geographical availability
3. Save the changes

To make sure it’s changed, check back to the box under your profile picture.

If you’ve done this correctly, this box should state that you’re #OpenToWork.

3. Personalize Your Job Applications

Gone are the days when you could print a hundred resumes for your services and send them to “Dear Sir/Madam.” No, you need to personalize each job application.

By customizing your resume and cover letter for each specific job posting, prospective employer, and related industry; you’ll find potential employers to be more responsive.

A whopping 1/3 of employers say that a non-customized resume is a deal-breaker. If a job seeker turns in a generalized resume with no connection to the job posting, employers will simply ignore them.

With this in mind, you should be tailoring your resume and cover letter to speak to each individual job.

My advice?

Craft templates using a document collaboration tool such as Google Docs or Microsoft 365 that you can then customize for each prospective employer or client.

Try these tactics:

• Find out the name of the hiring manager and address your job application to this person directly
• Document relevant industry-related work experience
• Research the prospective employers business and figure out a problem that you specialize in solving
• Offer previous client testimonials as social proof of your best work
• Include points about why you like the job posting and how it suits your skill set
• If applicable, link to a portfolio of your work or to published works from previous jobs
• Only present up-to-date work
• Avoid rambling on about irrelevant achievements

4. Research the Companies You’d Like to Work With

The first step to finding companies you’d like to work with is figuring out which niches or industries most appeal to you.

For example, if you were a writer, ask yourself questions like these to find your ideal niche/industry:

1. What style of writing do you excel most at?
2. In which industry-areas do you enjoy writing?
3. What values would I like the companies I work for to uphold?
4. What types of projects are a no-go for you?

Next, take your top industries, and find companies within those sectors that implement your values and excite your passions.

Follow these accounts to add them to your LinkedIn connections so you can stay up-to-date with their progress.

Now, search within those organizations for job roles that suit your expertise.

So, if you’re a writer, you might search for roles like:

• Content Writer
• Content Marketer
• Social Media Manager
• Content Marketing Manager
• Content Strategist
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Content Manager

You can search for such openings in the “Jobs” section on the left-hand side of the target company’s LinkedIn page:

Source: Contentsquare

The “Jobs” page will showcase the company’s top available job postings right now. These are usually ordered by how recently they’ve been posted.

Hopefully, a job posting will jump off the page.

But if not, use the advanced search function to search for relevant job titles.

When you search for a job posting, LinkedIn will lead you to a list view of each job opportunity.

Click on each job opening to see a full job description of the job opportunity. You can save jobs that catch your eye or apply directly from this page.

LinkedIn also shows you how many applicants have applied for your dream job, as well as any mutual connections you have that work for the prospective employer.

Not finding any good job openings with a company you really like? No worries. You can “Follow” the company and create a job alert:

LinkedIn will then notify you whenever a new position opens within the company.

5. Build Your Network and First-Degree Connections

Start building your first-degree LinkedIn connections by adding people you know from real life — even if their own job roles are irrelevant to your career.

Begin with your professional circles. Add:

• Previous clients
• Past employers
• Other colleagues and ex-colleagues
• Connections you know from your general career
• Professionals outside your industry that you know through business

Next, add professional connections you know from your social circles. Find LinkedIn connections for:

• Friends with professional careers
• Associates with similar job interests
• Alumni and school friends succeeding as professionals
• Friends of friends who thrive in the professional world
• People you’ve hired for their services

To exhaust everyone you know, run through your Facebook contacts, email connections, phonebook, address book, old wedding invitations, and more.

Remember, it only takes one excellent lead to land a career-changing job.

You may find that your real-world contacts have LinkedIn connections with a job opportunity available that neither of you had considered, making way for an introduction.

Remember to include everyone from your aging rolodex. You never know which alumni or school friends may be the connection to your ideal job.

But don’t stop there.

You can have up to 30,000 LinkedIn connections, so take full advantage. Try searching for connections who would hire someone with your very particular set of skills.

Let’s go back to our writer example. If you were a freelance writer looking for paid job opportunities, you’d want to ask yourself who the key decision makers are when it comes to hiring content writers.

As a content writer looking to build a LinkedIn network, you’d want to connect with content managers of companies with job openings you’re interested in. You could also try connecting to:

• Content marketing managers
• Content managers
• HR managers of content agencies and writing firms
• Marketing managers in small business in your industry

When asking to connect, take advantage of the “connection request” message box with a succinct call-to-action. How you word this could make or break your connection.

Include a link to an appointment setting page, your writer website, or use a landing page builder to get more leads.

You only have 140 characters, so try something like:

Thanks for connecting, Jamie. I think I can help you with X. Let’s book a call! [link]

When it comes to outlining ‘X’, refer to:

• A LinkedIn job posting you have seen
• A common interest
• An post written by the connection
• An issue your connection is having
• Something you’ve noticed on their website, social networks, etc.

6. Ask Your Connections for an Introduction

When searching for job opportunities, you may notice that LinkedIn alerts you of mutual connections.

Each of these mutual connections is a potential gold mine.

If you see that one of your connections has a link to a job or professional you’re interested in, ask them for an introduction.

But don’t stop there. Sift through your first-degree connections’ connections. You may find second- and third-degree connections that could be useful to you.

Additionally, when searching for prospective employer connections, prioritize those that identify mutual connections.

These second- and third-degree connections are warm leads. They could be your ideal client, but without an introduction, it can be tough to get your foot in the door.

When connecting to these prospective employers, ask your first-degree connections to warm these prospects up for you with a referral.

Asking for a referral is easy — just craft a personalized message. If you’re a writer, it might look something like this:

Hi X,

I hope you’re well and everything with life and business is prospering. I saw that you have been doing X,Y, Z.

Currently, I’m in the process of pivoting my career/accepting new freelance clients. During my search, I found LinkedIn job postings that have mutual connections with you.

If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I’d love you to introduce me to [name the connection]. I’m interested in connecting as they have a [job/role/network] that I’d be interested to explore.

Would it be possible to connect the dots for us?

I recognize that you’re busy, and hope you’re thriving.

Thanks

[Your Name]

If you’re confident in your relationship with this connection, contact them directly or send them an InMail.

If you’re not all that familiar with them, don’t be shy. They may have seen your work posted on your LinkedIn profile or know your work from mutual connections.

You can use the official LinkedIn referral system to ask for a referral for a job directly.

If you see a job posting in the “In my Network” search, click the “Ask for a Referral” button if you have mutual connections.

7. Share an Update of Your Availability (and Tag for Searchability)

Use LinkedIn as a place to regularly let potential clients and employers know about your availability.

Release weekly posts that let people know your schedule.

By demonstrating that you’re available for work, your connections may be able to direct you to positions they know about.

Plus, if you’re a freelancer, showing your schedule sends a virtual signal about the demand for your work. Try posting a weekly updated schedule that blanks out unavailable times.

This is especially effective if your freelance diary fills up fast, as it creates urgency and implies that your work is high quality.

To optimize your job updates for the best visibility on LinkedIn, try these tactics:

• Tag companies and professionals within your niche
• Tag companies with open job postings
• Use relevant industry and topic-specific hashtags
• Tag your current clients
• Tag past clients in case they need new work

8. Engage with Industry-Specific LinkedIn Groups

Depending on your profession, you may straddle a few different industries. Luckily, you can find a LinkedIn Group for everything.

Find the LinkedIn groups where the industry professionals relevant to you are congregating. This is where key decision makers will be asking for tips and referrals for hiring and managing remote workers.

You need to establish a reputation in each relevant LinkedIn group. Do this by:

• Sharing content from other members of the LinkedIn group
• Liking and commenting on posts by other members
• Ask questions to learn from other LinkedIn members
• Share content from industry thought leaders that you think the Linkedin group members might enjoy
• Make a website and share your own content to show expertise

By contributing to the group, you show any onlooking potential clients that you’re established in the industry.

You also broaden your LinkedIn network, boosting the number of connections on your LinkedIn accounts.

This creates a snowball effect where you see more and more relevant job openings in your feed. As you build an industry-specific LinkedIn network, you’ll find you can automate the process for sourcing each new client.

9. Share Valuable Content as an Industry Thought Leader

You need to establish your credibility, authority, and expertise to build trust with potential freelance clients. This demonstrates you as a thought leader; a freelance professional worth high rates for high-quality work and forward-thinking ideas.

Since your own work requires you to create outstanding content, demonstrate these skills by implementing your own personal evergreen content strategy for LinkedIn.

If you’re put off by the time commitment to develop such a strategy, don’t be. You can easily set up a content marketing workflow to streamline your efforts and become visible across multiple mediums.

Build a LinkedIn content strategy where you release regular self-authored content that shows your passion and interest in the industry, alongside your exceptional content-creation prowess.

Source: Katie Wager

In addition, be sure to leverage things like infographics that are easily shared on LinkedIn. These can go viral far faster than just text-based articles alone.

For example, pick a subject matter that is of interest to your target market (like how CEOs sleep) and create a great infographic for your article:

Source: Sleep Junkie

Use these articles as a way to:

• Share valuable insights from your industry
• Demonstrate how you would solve problems in your sector
• Given personal opinions on current affairs related to your industry
• Share content and insights from other industry thought leaders
• Teach potential customers the value you have as a freelance content specialist
• Show prospective clients how your finished work looks

If you don’t have time to create content, you can always consider creating your LinkedIn content strategy and outsourcing it to another content writer.

Since content needs to be thorough (around 1,890 words minimum, according to experts), don’t settle for the first or cheapest writer you find.

By paying someone to create a regular, high-quality LinkedIn campaign, you’ll show consistency to your prospective clients and you’ll appear in job searches more often.

If you’re really struggling to get your own ideas down, at least try to share engaging industry-specific content.

10. Interact With Other Thought Leaders’ Content to Increase Visibility

Increase profile views and set the way for partnerships and referrals by interacting with other experts in your industry.

Marketing guru, Gary Vaynerchuk, explains this idea well with his $1.80 strategy.

Here’s the idea:

Find 10 top hashtags for your niche. Comment on, share, or like the top nine posts of each of those hashtags. Tailor your interactions to establish the importance of your particular freelance services within this niche.

Repeat this process and you’ll start to form LinkedIn connections with others in your industry, priming you for referrals.

Why is it called the $1.80 strategy? Because you give your “two cents” over nine posts across 10 hashtags. $0.02 x 9 x 10 = $1.80.

Try using sales tools, like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, to pinpoint important industry professionals.

11. Reach Out to the Hiring Manager (Bonus Strategy)

While you can apply for a job offer through the normal LinkedIn channels, why not show some initiative?

Find a new opportunity you like where the hiring manager is considering hiring someone full-time. Instead of applying for the job, try to connect with the decision maker by sending a direct InMail or cold email offering your freelance services.

Try to include a stellar portfolio, including links to your work, an introductory video, and a landing page to book an appointment.

Ready to Get a Job Using LinkedIn?

For many freelancers, LinkedIn is the go-to resource for making new connections and landing their next job.

How about you?

Ready to expand your professional network? Ready to end your job hunt and land your dream client?

Follow the strategies outlined in this post, roll up your sleeves, and make it happen.

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The Stunning Amount of Data Generated Online Every Minute [Infographic]

As Internet penetration daily increases and more facets of day-to-day life expand into digital channels, the scale of data being generated online every minute is breathtaking. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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10 Simple Tips and Tropes for Writing Engaging Social Media Copy

These principles of social media engagement, along with 10 tried-and-true tips and social media tropes that connect with audiences, will help you write engaging social media copy on behalf of your B2B brand. See how. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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How to Start a Podcast in 2020: No Fluff (Just the Essentials)

Learning how to start a podcast doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ll show you how, step by step.

The time has come.

You know that idea bouncing around in the back of your mind? That dream, fearlessly waging war against your internal fears?

It’s time to let it out.

It’s time to start your podcast.

The only problem?

You don’t know how to start a podcast. And the thought of wading through a 20,000-word “Ultimate Guide” leaves you with a roaring headache and the overwhelming desire to ditch your podcasting dreams.

Well, no more excuses. This article will teach you everything you need to know about starting a podcast, and it’ll do it without filler, fluff, and long-winded details that don’t really matter.

So let’s dive in, shall we?

Table of Contents

Step 1:
Choose a Topic for Your Podcast

Step 2:
Name Your Podcast

Step 3:
Create Artwork for Your Podcast

Step 4:
Add Music

Step 5:
Get a Microphone (& Other Equipment)

Step 6:
Pick Your Podcast Hosting

Chapter 7:
Record Your First Episode

Step 8:
Upload Your Podcast Episode

Step 9:
Submit Your Feed to Apple, Spotify, and Google

Step 10:
Promote Your Podcast

1. Choose a Topic for Your Podcast

First things first…

Why do you want to start a podcast?

If your answer is “to get rich and famous,” try again. Podcasting can help you generate business leads, elevate your reputation, and yes, even contribute to your bottom line, but it is a commitment. The rewards come only if you persist.

That means you need to start with a topic you are passionate about. One that you’re so obsessed with, your friends sometimes have to kindly ask you to shut up about it.

If you’re reading this article, you probably already have an idea about that topic. So let’s consider the other half of the equation: your listeners.

The key to choosing a topic for your podcast is to search for that magical zone where your obsessions overlap with your audience’s interests.

So before committing to a topic, look for similar podcasts to see how many followers and reviews they have.

If there are already many popular podcasts in your niche, that’s a good sign: The more people producing and consuming podcasts on a topic, the more viable the topic.

Next, try to come up with a list of 50-100 potential episodes on this topic. If it’s easy for you to brainstorm this list, then that’s another good sign.

But be careful.

You don’t want a topic so broad it won’t appeal to your specific audience. As comedian Bill Cosby once said, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

Your core demographic is not “everybody.” Think about your ideal listener and choose a topic that is narrow enough for you to stand out, yet broad enough for you to speak on it for 100+ episodes.

2. Name Your Podcast

Now that you’ve chosen your podcast topic, it’s time to name it!

You want a name that is specific and clear, yet unique enough to catch the attention of your audience.

For example, the Smart Blogger podcast, Break Through the Noise with Jon Morrow, has the flexibility to cover a wider range of topics as it grows. It’s not locked into an overly narrow theme.

As you are brainstorming the perfect name for your podcast, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

Be clear

Ideally, listeners should know what your podcast is about just by its name. This is not 100% necessary, since most podcast platforms include a short description, but sometimes people don’t read descriptions, so better safe than sorry.

Examples:

• Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
• Japanese Podcast for Beginners (Nihongo con Teppei)

Try to include your target keyword in the title

Apple podcasts is a search engine, and one of the best ways to help it recommend your podcast to the right listeners is to include your target keyword in the title. Just be careful not to keyword stuff! Make it natural.

Examples:

• American History Tellers
• B2B Writing Success Podcast

Be consistent

If you already have a brand, or a recognizable name, consider using that in your podcast.

Examples:

• The James Altucher Show is named after influencer James Altucher
• Rich Dad Radio Show with Robert Kiyosaki is named after Kiyosaki and his best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad

Combine strategies

Another option is to combine a clear title with your personal, brand, or business name.

Don’t be too long or wordy. You want to make it easy for people to find your podcast. If you still can’t decide on a name, look at other podcast names for inspiration. Check out podcasts inside and outside your niche.

Examples:

• The Portfolio Life with Jeff Goins
• Anthony Metivier’s Magentic Memory Method Podcast

But don’t get stuck on this step. Pick a name and move on!

3.Create Artwork for Your Podcast

Your podcast cover art is the first thing people see about your podcast, even before they read your description. So create an image that grabs them.

Your image should communicate the subject of your podcast and hint at your personality. It reinforces your brand, so if you already have a certain look to your site, try to keep it consistent.

Creating an eye-catching cover image

Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Use minimal text. The fewer words and characters, the better. Whatever text you use should be readable even at low resolutions, such as 150 x 150 pixels.
• Your cover image should be a minimum of 1400 x 1400 pixels, max 3000 x 3000 pixels for larger screens like the iPad.
• Shoot for 72 DPI (dots per inch) JPG or PNG format, under 500kb size in RGB color space.

How to create your own cover image

If you want to create your own artwork for your podcast, you can use a free service such as Canva. Simply type in “CD covers” (which are 1400 x 1400 pixels) while browsing templates, or create your own design from scratch.

If you want to take it one step further, you can create a vector-based illustration in a program such as Adobe Illustrator. These images remain clear at any size.

Hiring someone to create your cover art

If you prefer outsourcing your artwork, you can hire somebody through Upwork, Fiverr, or 99designs.

Editor’s Note: Author and illustrator Jaime Buckley is another great option. He’s created artwork for me before, and his work is top-notch (and affordable).

Give them the details of your podcast, as well as the podcast image dimension specifications, and any brand colors or images you want to include.

Note: if you are planning to invest time and money in hiring a professional to design your artwork for you, make sure you know what you want and give clear directions.

4. Add Music

Music is another powerful element to include in your podcast.

Most podcasters use a few seconds of intro music, which becomes a familiar “theme song” that listeners associate with the show.

But be careful.

The one and only ironclad music rule is: Never ever use someone else’s copyrighted music.

Instead, look for royalty-free music or buy a one-time commercial license from platforms such as:

• Shutterstock: Offers an unlimited music subscription for a monthly fee. You can also license individual tracks for a one-time price.
• Audiojungle: Hundreds of thousands of tracks, sound effects, and jingles for any of your musical needs. You can buy a subscription or purchase individual items as needed.
• Epidemic Sound: Subscribe (monthly or annually) to get access to tens of thousands of tracks and sound effects, with new tracks added weekly.
• Melodyloops: Buy packets of royalty-free melodies for a set price.

If you’re on a budget, you can ask a musical friend to make you something, or check out these platforms:

• Imcompetech: A collection of thousands of Creative Commons tracks (free to use if you properly attribute the artists and the track title) and paid licenses (if you don’t).
• SilvermanSound: Royalty free music with attribution. You can also get a non-attribution license for a fee.
• Free Music Archive: A collection of music from artists around the world. Free to download under the Creative Commons license.
• Purple Planet Music: Offers royalty free music as well as paid high quality commercial license tracks.
• DigCCMixtr: A music discovery site offering free and paid, commercial tracks.
• Zapsplat: Tens of thousands of free and paid sound effects (and counting!) to use throughout your podcasts.

The downside of getting free music is that you won’t have music that is unique to your podcast.

Your listeners might hear snatches of the exact same track on other podcasts, YouTube channels, etc. So if you want exclusive music, buy it or hire someone to create it for you.

And take the time to find a track that you really like, because as your “signature sound,” you don’t want to change your music once you’ve begun.

5. Get a Microphone (And Other Podcasting Equipment)

Assuming you already have a computer, you’re going to need 2-3 more things to get your podcast up and running:

1. A microphone
2. Audio editing software
3. Other (optional) recording equipment

Your Microphone

To be a killer podcaster, you need a proper weapon. Ahem. I mean, microphone.

Audio is everything when it comes to podcasting, so if you want to splurge on something, get yourself a good microphone.

And whatever you do, do NOT use your built-in computer microphone. The audio quality is atrocious and there’s not much you can do on the editing end to fix that.

When choosing a microphone, you have a choice between two basic options:

USB vs XLR mics

USB mics are plug-and-play microphones that tend to be cheaper and easier to use, but less customizable than XLRs.

XLR mics require an extra cable and audio interface to work. They tend to be more expensive and higher quality than USB microphones.

An XLR mic + audio interface is the way to go if you have a co-host and need to record more than one person in one room, because plugging in multiple mics into USB ports can mess up your sound quality, and recording more than one person on one mic can make it difficult to edit your audio.

For a microphone that gives you the option of both USB and XLR, check out the Audio-Technica ATR2100x (affiliate link), Blue Yeti (affiliate link), or Samson Q2U (affiliate link) on Amazon.

Your Audio Recording-Editing Software

Audacity is a fantastic audio recording/editing software for beginners.

Audacity works on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, and can record, playback, edit, and export your audio into a variety of different audio formats (MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc). Plus, unlike Pamela and some of its freemium competitors, Audacity is open-source and free.

If you are a Mac user, Garageband is another free audio software you already have, and if you want to dive deeper into home recording, you can also invest in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

If you need any pro features that Audacity and Garageband don’t offer, Adobe Audition is $20.99 per month, and it’s available for both Windows and Mac.

Other (Optional) Recording Equipment

A pop filter

If it didn’t come with your microphone, you may want to buy a pop filter, a noise protection screen that helps to reduce or eliminate sibilance (hissing noises) and plosives (popping noises).

A pair of headphones

Headphones protect your microphone from picking up extra sounds from your computer speakers. They also help you hear what you sound like as you speak, so you can adjust your presentation style.

You don’t have to get fancy, a pair of earbuds will do just fine.

Boom arm

Depending on the microphone you buy, a boom arm (affiliate link) could be a worthwhile purchase. Decent ones are available on Amazon for under $20.

Interview Software

If you plan to talk to people long-distance, you’ll want to invest in interview software, such as:

• Squadcast: This platform offers videoconferencing and records on separate tracks for each speaker.
• Zoom: This easy-to-use tool for remote interviews offers above-average audio quality, but doesn’t save audio to separate tracks.
• Callnote: This software records GotoMeeting, WebEx, Facetime, Skype, Google Hangouts, and more.

6. Pick Your Podcast Hosting

Although you may listen to your podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc., as a podcaster, you don’t actually upload your episodes directly to those directories.

To share your podcast with your adoring fans, you’ll need a podcast host: a place to store and distribute your podcast’s audio recordings.

Hosts charge a monthly service fee to host your audio files and generate the RSS feed you need to submit your podcast to podcasting directories (so listeners can find you).

How to Pick a Podcast Host

Podcast hosts are (almost) as varied as cell phone providers. When choosing a host, consider these factors:

• Longevity & dependability: Will your host stand the test of time?
• Flexibility & adaptability: What is your host’s storage capabilities?
• Website integrations: Does your host integrate with your website or create a site for you?
• Analytics: How in-depth is your host’s analytics?
• Monetization support: Will your host help or hinder your monetization efforts?

Here are a few podcast hosting services to look into:

Libsyn

Libsyn has been around since 2004, and offers plans with unlimited bandwidth and monetization options, WordPress integration (with their Libsyn Publisher Hub plugin) and detailed analytics.

Podbean

Podbean started in 2006, and offers 24/7 support, distribution to all the major apps and podcast directories, and your own podcast site. Their Unlimited Plus Plan, gives you access to a patron program, advertising capabilities, and video support.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout offers an easy-to-use analytics dashboard, making it easy to upload, schedule, fill in meta-details, and submit your podcast to multiple podcast directories.

Blubrry

Blubrry podcast hosting plans start at $12 per month. At that introductory price you get 100MB storage each month and unlimited bandwidth. If you need more, $80 per month will give you 1,000MB of storage space.

Free hosting

Some hosts offer free podcasting plans, but these plans come with limits:

• Buzzsprout allows you to upload 2 hours of content which they host for 90 days.
• Podbean allows you to upload 5 hours of content per month at max 100GB of bandwidth and only basic statistics.
• Speaker’s free plan includes advertisements, you’ll need to pay to remove them.
• Anchor is a 100% free platform focused on “democratizing audio.” But they were the center of a terms and conditions controversy in 2018.
• Soundcloud allows you to upload up to 3 hours of audio only.

So be careful with free plans, and know that if you want your podcast to grow and be competitive, it’s worth investing in a good host.

7. Record Your First Episode

Okay. You’ve prepared your topic, host, and podcast equipment, and you’re ready to roll!

So in this section, we’re going to go step-by-step through the podcast recording process:

Write Your Script

Podcasting is like giving a speech. It’s best if you plan what you’re going to say before you say it, by writing it out.

You don’t have to write everything word for word, but the more planning you do, the less problems you’ll have later.

You can write out a word-for-word speech, if you like, but remember that when you turn that microphone on, you want to speak as if talking to a friend.

Prepare Your Environment

Before you record your first episode, make sure that you’ve set up the best recording environment.

Remove all distractions (kids, pets, and annoying voice search devices) and choose a room that’s not located near a busy street and doesn’t have many hard reflective surfaces. Use curtains and carpets to absorb noise pollution.

Create Your Intro and Outro

If you plan to create a recurring intro and outro, have that ready to add to your episodes. In your intro, make sure you mention your podcast name, topic, and host name. And your outro is a great place to include your call to action.

Record Your Episode

With your script written and environment set up, you’re ready to start recording!

First, plug in your equipment and open your recording software. Make sure your computer recognizes your mic as the source of audio input, then hit record.

Remember, you don’t have to record a perfect voiceover in one take. Take your time, and feel free to re-record if you make mistakes.

Edit Your Audio (Post-Production)

Editing involves cutting out errors, reducing background noise, balancing sound levels, adding your intro and outro, and making the episode easier for people to hear.

If you used Audacity to record your audio, you can edit your audio file in the programs directly. (To learn how, check out Audacity’s tutorials.)

As always, you can also hire someone to help you with editing, if you prefer.

Save Your Recording

When you’re finished recording your audio, save it as an MP3 file. In Audacity, that means clicking on “File” → “Export” → “Export as MP3”:

Name your audio file using a template, something like “podcast name-episode number-episode name-date.”

If you’re using Audacity, the default standard quality MP3 should be fine. If you’re using a different service, shoot for a bitrate of around 128 kbps and 44.1Mhz (CD quality).

8. Upload Your Podcast Episode

Once you’ve finished exporting your episode as an MP3 file, it’s time to upload your file to your host. Each host has their own way of doing things, so follow their instructions:

• How to upload to Libsyn
• How to upload to Podbean
• How to upload to Buzzsprout

When you do, you’ll be prompted to include ID3 metadata that stores information related to an MP3 file.

You can also include this information when exporting your file from Audacity:

Audacity includes a space for you to add the artist name (in your case, podcast host name), track title (episode title), album title (podcast name), track number (episode number), year, genre, and other comments.

For each podcast episode, you’ll want to prepare an episode title so listeners know what your episode is about. You also want to include show notes, which can include a description of the content (including relevant keywords to make your episode easier to find), timestamps, links to your site, etc.

If this is your first time uploading to your host, you will be asked to include your podcast title, artwork, and description.

Then, once you’ve filled out all the necessary information, your host will pass it on to your podcast directories so that your podcast can be found by future fans.

And speaking of those directories…

9. Submit Your RSS Feed to Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Spotify, and Google/Android

Once you have your podcast created and hosted, submitting it to a directory is easy.

Some podcast hosts have easy one-click-button methods for uploading. If you chose one of those hosts, use their process.

For everyone else, here’s how you submit your podcast feed to the “Big 3” directories:

Uploading Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts

Step 1. Sign in to iTunes Connect using your Apple ID (if you don’t have one, you can create one for free).

Step 2. Click on the Podcasts Connect button.

Step 3. Enter your podcast RSS feed URL (which you get from your podcast host) and click “validate.” Click Submit to continue.

Step 4. Apple will review your podcast and you’ll be notified via email when it is approved.

Uploading Your Podcast to Spotify

Step 1. Go to Spotify for Podcasters and log in to your account (or create one if you don’t have one yet).

Step 2. Once you are logged in, go to the “Add your podcast” page and click “Get started.”

Step 3. Enter your RSS feed and click Next.

Step 4. Add relevant info to the “Add podcast info” page, review, and submit.

Note: It can take a few hours up to 5 days for your podcast to appear on Spotify, so be patient. Also, Spotify requires audio to be in MP3 audio with bitrates between 96-320 kbps and episodes no more than 200MB (about 83 minutes at 320kbps or 200 minutes at 128kbps).

Uploading Your Podcast to Google/Android

Step 1. Go to the Google Play Music website and click Publish.

Step 2. Sign in using your email, and submit your podcast URL.

Step 3. Once you are approved, your podcast will be listed on Google Podcasts.

Other Podcast Directories

While Apple, Google, and Spotify are most popular podcasting directories, you can also upload your podcast to other platforms, including Stitcher, TuneIn, Overcast, etc. The more places you are, the easier listeners can find you.

10. Promote Your Podcast

To compete with 800,000 (and counting!) podcasts worldwide, you’re going to have to do more than cross your fingers for luck to get people to listen.

But good news…

Promoting your podcast is totally doable. Here are some ideas to do just that:

Launch your podcast with a splash!

Before you launch your podcast, generate buzz.

Send an announcement to your friends, family, and followers on your mailing list. Include the announcement in your email signature.

Tell people in real life and on social media about the impending launch of your awesome new podcast.

Create a pre-launch team, like authors do with book launches, to create a snowball effect and enhance anticipation for your podcast.

On Debut Day, launch several episodes at once, ideally 3-5, so that listeners can immediately binge-listen to several episodes without waiting.

Ask everyone you know to subscribe and leave a review, and reward them by reading top reviews or thanking people by name on new episodes of the podcast.

Create audiograms for each episode

An audiogram is a snippet of your podcast episode that you can share on social media to pique the interest of potential listeners.

You can use the Wavve or Headliner app to easily create a visually appealing audiogram to share on your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media channels. Both have free plans as well as premium options.

Utilize your website

If you don’t already have a self-hosted website, you should consider creating one because you can leverage that site to share your podcast, blogging content, create and sell products and courses, etc.

(Just be sure your podcast website is SEO friendly so Google will give it some love.)

If you already have a website, make sure you promote your podcast on that site. For example, you can repurpose your podcast episodes into blog posts by transcribing and editing your audio.

Feature your podcast on your homepage and About page, link to specific podcast episodes within your blog posts, and embed a podcast player on your site for visitors.

Be a guest (and invite guests onto your show)

To supercharge your promotion, try to be a guest on other, more established podcasts in your niche, and invite podcast hosts/influencers to be a guest on your show. This will introduce your podcast to an audience that is already interested in your topic.

Podcast listeners often find new podcast recommendations while listening to their favorite shows, so the more you network, the better.

Never stop promoting!

The best way to promote your podcast is by word of mouth.

So bring up your podcast whenever it makes sense. Talk about it with your friends, share it in social media groups, and write about it to your email list.

Most of all, produce a remarkable podcast that people will want to share with their friends. If you consistently create valuable content on a regular basis, your audience will come to you.

Bonus: Podcast Q&A

What equipment do I need for a podcast?

It doesn’t take much to start a podcast:

At minimum, you will need a computer, microphone, and pair of headphones.

For software, you can download Audacity to record and edit your audio, and use Zoom, Skype, etc., to do long-distance interviews.

How much does it cost to start a podcast?

Technically, you can start a podcast for free, if you already have the hardware you need.

But if you want to reap the long term benefits of podcasting, you’ll want to pay for a good podcast host (recurring fee) and decent microphone (one-time fee).

Ultimately, you get what you put into it: If you just want to test out the waters, you can get started for free and see how it goes. If you’re committed for the long haul, do your research and invest in quality.

How long should podcasts be?

When deciding on your podcast length, consider your content, audience, and podcast format.

Don’t stuff your podcast with fluff just because you’re trying to hit an arbitrary time mark, and don’t lop off interesting material because the podcast is getting “too long.”

But do try to keep your episode lengths uniform.

If you want to make a 30-minute podcast, don’t throw in a 3-hour or 3-minute-long episode. Keep each episode at similar lengths so readers know what to expect.

How often should you publish a podcast?

Podcast episode releases range from daily (NPR’s Here & Now) to once in a blue moon (Hardcore History with Dan Carlin).

A general rule of thumb is to go with a schedule you can stick to. And be consistent. If you post erratically, you risk losing listeners.

What if I hate the sound of my voice?

Check out Sonia Thompson’s 7 Ironclad Reasons to Podcast (Even If You Hate the Sound of Your Own Voice).

Is there any reason I should NOT start a podcast?

Maybe. You’ll have the most success with podcasting if you’re focusing solely on it. So if you’re still trying to master freelance writing, blogging, or even a YouTube channel, you’re better of mastering it first.

Jon dives into this topic in great detail here: Why You Shouldn’t Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel (Seriously).

Can you make money from podcasts?

The short answer is yes. However, the money doesn’t always come straight from your podcast, but from the awareness and traffic your podcast can create.

That said, with a large audience, you can earn money through sponsorships and affiliate marketing, or by advertising your own products and services to your audience.

Some podcasters also generate income through donations or premium paid audio content.

Go Forth and Podcast!

Most people who think about starting a podcast never get started.

Don’t be one of them.

Just get started, and take it one step at a time.

This article can teach you how to get off the ground, but the passion to spread your message? You already have that.

So what are you waiting for?

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.

The post How to Start a Podcast in 2020: No Fluff (Just the Essentials) appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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133 Writing Quotes to Motivate, Inspire, & Kick Your Butt in 2020

Who doesn’t love writing quotes?

A good quote can uplift you. It can encourage you when you feel like giving up. It can inspire you when you need a tiny lil’ spark to start writing.

In this simple, easy-to-read resource, I’ve compiled a list of inspiring, motivational quotes about writing and life that have been shared with the world by famous authors, public figures, and great literary minds, both past and present:

• 27 Inspirational Writing Quotes
• 36 Quotes About Writing
• 24 Writing Quotes of Encouragement
• 46 Motivational Quotes for Writers

Let’s jump in.

27 Inspirational Writing Quotes

1. You fail only if…

“You fail only if you stop writing.” (Click to Tweet)
— Ray Bradbury

2. Type a little faster…

“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.” (Click to Tweet)
— Isaac Asimov

3. Do it for joy…

“I’ve written because it fulfilled me. Maybe it paid off the mortgage on the house and got the kids through college, but those things were on the side — I did it for the buzz. I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.” (Click to Tweet)
— Stephen King

4. You must write it…

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” (Click to Tweet)
— Toni Morrison

5. Taste life…

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” (Click to Tweet)
— Anaïs Nin

6. Don’t water it down…

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; (and) don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” (Click to Tweet)
— Franz Kafka

7. Write every day of your life…

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” (Click to Tweet)
— Ray Bradbury

8. Cut it to the bone…

“When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.” (Click to Tweet)
— Stephen King

9. Everything in life is writable…

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” (Click to Tweet)
— Sylvia Plath

10. How vain is it…

“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” (Click to Tweet)
— Henry David Thoreau

11. What is written without effort…

“What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” (Click to Tweet)
— Samuel Johnson

12. Change more lives…

“90 percent perfect and shared with the world always changes more lives than 100 percent perfect and stuck in your head.” (Click to Tweet)
— Jon Acuff

13. Don’t quit…

“You can’t fail if you don’t quit. You can’t succeed if you don’t start.” (Click to Tweet)
— Michael Hyatt

14. That’s how you create art…

“Write something that’s worth fighting over. Because that’s how you change things. That’s how you create art.” (Click to Tweet)
— Jeff Goins

15. Determination never does…

“Inspiration may sometimes fail to show up for work in the morning, but determination never does.” (Click to Tweet)
— K.M. Weiland

16. Exercise the writing muscle…

“Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”
— Jane Yolen

17. Write what disturbs you…

“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”
— Natalie Goldberg

18. Write what…

“Write what should not be forgotten.”
— Isabel Allende

19. Lens to focus…

“Words are a lens to focus one’s mind.”
— Ayn Rand

20. Breathings of your heart…

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”
— William Wadsworth

21. Blank page…

“You may not always write well, but you can edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
— Jodi Picoult

22. No talent for writing…

“It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.”
— Robert Benchley

23. The most beautiful things…

“The most beautiful things are those that madness prompts and reason writes.”
— Andre Gide

24. You create them…

“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.”
— Chris Grosser

25. Write something worth reading…

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” (Click to Tweet)
— Benjamin Franklin

26. Better than perfect…

“Done is better than perfect.”
— Sheryl Sandberg

27. No such thing as writer’s block…

“There’s no such thing as writer’s block. That was invented by people in California who couldn’t write.” (Click to Tweet)
— Terry Pratchett

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36 Quotes About Writing

1. No greater agony…

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” (Click to Tweet)
— Maya Angelou

2. Every secret of a writer’s soul…

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” (Click to Tweet)
— Virginia Woolf

3. Show me the glint of light…

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” (Click to Tweet)
— Anton Chekhov

4. Surprise…

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”
— Robert Frost

5. The first draft…

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
— Terry Pratchett

6. One of the exquisite pleasures of writing…

“I would write a book, or a short story, at least three times — once to understand it, the second time to improve the prose, and a third to compel it to say what it still must say. Somewhere I put it this way: first drafts are for learning what one’s fiction wants him to say. Revision works with that knowledge to enlarge and enhance an idea, to reform it. Revision is one of the exquisite pleasures of writing.”
— Bernard Malamud

7. The difference between…

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” (Click to Tweet)
— Mark Twain

8. The whooshing sound…

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” (Click to Tweet)
— Douglas Adams

9. Write as clearly as I can…

“The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.”
— E.B. White

10. Words can be like x-rays…

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”
— Aldous Huxley

11. A lesson in creative writing…

“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. (…) All they do is show you’ve been to college.”
— Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

12. Find the right words…

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”
— Jack Kerouac

13. When I sit down to write…

“When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.”
— George Orwell

14. Only a great man can write it…

“Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it.”
— Oscar Wilde

15. Leave out the parts…

“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”
— Elmore Leonard

16. My courage is reborn…

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
— Anne Frank

17. A person is a fool to become a writer…

“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.” (Click to Tweet)
— Roald Dahl

18. No one knows…

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”
— Somerset Maugham

19. To discover…

“I write to discover what I know.”
— Flannery O’Connor

20. Wants to be written…

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
— Madeleine L’Engle

21. Writing is easy…

“Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank piece of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” (Click to Tweet)
— Gene Fowler

22. Never have to change…

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.”
— Saul Bellow

23. No shortcuts…

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”
— Larry L. King

24. Irritated by my own writing…

“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”
— Gustave Flaubert

25. Mighty book, mighty theme…

“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.”
— Herman Melville

26. Good writing…

“Good writing is rewriting.”
— Truman Capote

27. Writing advice…

“Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously.”
— Lev Grossman

28. The Muse…

“Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.”
— William S. Burroughs

29. Using two words…

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
— Thomas Jefferson

30. Greatest part of a writer…

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.”
— Samuel Johnson

31. Great writer…

“Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer.”
— Ray Bradbury

32. Do not hoard…

“Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.”
— Annie Dillard

33. You can make anything…

“You can make anything by writing.”
— C.S. Lewis

34. Have something to say…

“You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald

35. Failed writers…

“Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.”
— T.S. Eliot

36. Wake up…

“I wake up in the morning and my mind starts making sentences, and I have to get rid of them fast — talk them or write them down.”
— Ernest Hemingway

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24 Writing Quotes of Encouragement

1. Waited for perfection…

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” (Click to Tweet)
— Margaret Atwood

2. The good writers…

“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” (Click to Tweet)
— Orson Scott Card

3. Start writing…

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” (Click to Tweet)
— Louis L’Amour

4. A writer needs three things…

“A writer needs three things, experience, observation, and imagination, any two of which, at times any one of which, can supply the lack of the others.”
— William Faulkner

5. Didn’t quit…

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”
— Richard Bach

6. One true sentence…

“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”
— Ernest Hemingway

7. Part of the learning process…

“You have to resign yourself to wasting lots of trees before you write anything really good. That’s just how it is. It’s like learning an instrument. You’ve got to be prepared for hitting wrong notes occasionally, or quite a lot. That’s just part of the learning process.” (Click to Tweet)
— J.K. Rowling

8. Road to achievement…

“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”
— C. S. Lewis

9. Writing is more difficult…

“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”
— Thomas Mann

10. Tell it as best you can…

“(…) write your story as it needs to be written. Write it ­honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.” (Click to Tweet)
— Neil Gaiman

11. What you have to say…

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”
— Barbara Kingsolver

12. Pouring yourself into your work…

“When you are pouring yourself into your work and bringing your unique perspective and skills to the table, then you are adding value that only you are capable of contributing.” (Click to Tweet)
— Todd Henry

13. Like driving a car at night…

“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
— E. L. Doctorow

14. Be brave…

“We were born to be brave.” (Click to Tweet)
— Bob Goff

15. Start somewhere…

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.” (Click to Tweet)
— Anne Lamott

16. Rejection slips…

“I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long.”
— Louise Brown

17. Ideas are like rabbits…

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”
— John Steinbeck

18. Ideas are like rabbits…

“I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.”
— Erica Jong

19. Meant to read it…

“If the book is true, it will find an audience that is meant to read it.”
— Wally Lamb

20. They know it…

“People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know that they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.”
— R.L. Stine

21. Writing prompts…

“Most writers draw a blank when they first start with writing prompts. Keep pushing through, because something thrilling will start to happen.”
— Mel Wicks

22. None of their business…

“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.”
— Ernest Hemingway

23. Keep it simple…

“I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the d*mned story.”
— Tom Clancy

24. Surviving the rollercoaster…

“Being a writer is not just about typing. It’s also about surviving the rollercoaster of the creative journey.” (Click to Tweet)
— Joanna Penn

46 Uplifting, Motivational Quotes for Writers (or Anyone Really)

1. Success is no accident…

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”
— Pele

2. Count the days…

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”
— Muhammad Ali

3. If my determination…

“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
— Og Mandino

4. Hard work…

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
— Tim Notke

5. Live and learn…

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
— Mahatma Gandhi

6. Living our fears…

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”
— Les Brown

7. Perseverance…

“I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”
— John D. Rockefeller

8. Meant to be reached…

“A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.”
— Bruce Lee

9. Not a product of my circumstances…

“I’m not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”
— Stephen Covey

10. Fear of failure…

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve, the fear of failure.”
— Paulo Coelho

11. The whole secret…

“The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.”
— Henry Ford

12. Have to settle…

“If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.”
— Jim Rohn

13. Perfection…

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
— Vince Lombardi

14. Stepping stone…

“Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
— Oprah Winfrey

15. Self-confidence…

“The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do.”
— Swati Sharma

16. Great work…

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
— Steve Jobs

17. Successful people…

“Unsuccessful people make their decisions based on their current situations. Successful people make their decisions based on where they want to be.”
— Benjamin Hardy

18. Success…

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
— Winston Churchill

19. Born to win…

“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”
— Zig Ziglar

20. Tried anything new…

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
— Albert Einstein

21. Learn from the mistakes…

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt

22. With all you have…

“Do what you can with all you have, wherever you are.”
— Theodore Roosevelt

23. All our dreams…

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
— Walt Disney

24. Our greatest story…

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
— Confucius

25. Enough time…

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
— H. Jackson Brown Jr.

26. Hustle…

“What you lack in talent can be made up with desire, hustle and giving 110% all the time.”
— Don Zimmer

27. The best you can…

“Do the best you can. No one can do more than that.”
— John Wooden

28. What we fear…

“What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

29. See opportunities…

“If you believe it’ll work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you don’t believe it’ll work out, you’ll see obstacles.”
— Wayne Dyer

30. Strive to be worthy…

“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.”
— Abraham Lincoln

31. Excellence…

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
— Aristotle

32. Key to success…

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”
— Arthur Ashe

33. Can’t lose…

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”
— Bill Gates

34. Comfort zone…

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”
— Brian Tracy

35. Positive thought…

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”
— Dalai Lama

36. Develop success…

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”
— Dale Carnegie

37. Expect great things…

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”
— Michael Jordan

38. Do small things…

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
— Napoleon Hill

39. The other side of fear…

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”
— George Addair

40. Path to success…

“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.”
— Tony Robbins

41. Tough times…

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
— Robert Schuller

42. Left undone…

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
— Pablo Picasso

43. Keep going…

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”
— Sam Levenson

44. One more time…

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
— Thomas Edison

45. All you’ve got…

“Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.”
— William James

46. Never gives up…

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
— Babe Ruth

What are Your Favorite Writing Quotes?

These are some of the best motivational quotes on writing the world has to offer, and yet we’ve merely scratched the surface — there are thousands upon thousands of great, inspirational quotes about writing.

So, I want to hear from you:

Which writing quote is your favorite?

Let me know in the comments below.

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