Browse archived issues of the Freelance Writing Pros newsletter here, and if you like what you see, subscribe to receive new monthly issues.
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Claude Watermarks AI-Processed Text. It’s Not a Win for Writers.
This archived newsletter issue covering the impacts of Anthropic’s Claude watermarks on freelance writers was originally sent to subscribers on August 19, 2026. If you haven’t heard yet, Anthropic (the AI company behind Claude) is now “watermarking” text processed by Claude. This move came in response to the EU’s AI Act. And look… I’m all…
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First-Party Data is the New Content Advantage
This archived newsletter issue covering the importance of first-party data in content strategy and writing was originally sent to subscribers on July 29, 2026. Content often starts with public information. That could be existing published material found in search results, industry studies, or publicly-available data. There’s nothing wrong with these sources. But everyone has access…
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Local LLMs & What They Mean for Freelance Writers
This archived newsletter issue covering local LLMs for freelance writers was originally sent to subscribers on June 23, 2026. When you think of large language models (LLMs), you probably think of the big cloud-based AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. But did you know there’s something called “local LLMs” that offer complete privacy, local…
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Build a Professional Knowledgebase Before You Need One
This archived newsletter issue covering professional knowledgebases for freelance writers was originally sent to subscribers on May 19, 2026. You’ve spent years, if not decades, building real professional knowledge. Source contacts, niche research, industry terms, and so much more. That knowledge has value, and not only to your existing clients. But that knowledge can also…
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What Your Tax Return Says About Your Freelance Writing Business
This archived newsletter issue covering what your tax returns can teach you about your freelance writing business was originally sent to subscribers on April 21, 2026. It’s not uncommon for freelancers to treat annual tax returns like a finish line. File it. Pay it. Move on. Maybe even forget about it. But once you’ve finished…
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From Niching Down to Problem-Based Positioning
This archived newsletter issue covering problem-based positioning for freelance writers was originally sent to subscribers on March 19, 2026. A little over 20 years ago, I ran a PR firm specializing in indie musicians. At that time, digital music sales were new and about to change the industry. Indie artists found themselves with more control…
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How Experienced Freelance Writing Pros Can Pay it Forward
This archived newsletter issue covering ways experienced freelance writing professionals can pay it forward was originally sent to subscribers on February 25, 2026. I’d wager most of us with significant experience in the freelance world have had help along the way. Maybe someone wrote a blog post that guided you. Perhaps someone answered a question…
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A Cautionary Tale About Manufactured Authority
This archived newsletter on the issue of manufactured authority was originally sent to subscribers on January 22, 2026. I’ve watched a familiar pattern play out over the years… A freelance writer builds an early aura of authority by positioning themselves near more experienced peers. They ask questions. They collect insights. They ego-bait generously. Then they…
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The Hidden Cost of Quick Projects
(This archived newsletter on the hidden cost of quick projects was originally sent to subscribers on October 21, 2025.) In any freelance writing career, you’ll eventually get to a point where raising rates isn’t enough, or where doing so can make you uncompetitive. Even beyond turning to advanced fee strategies, there are things you can do…
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Taking Down a Black Hat SEO Extortion Scammer
The next post on the blog will cover a variety of negative SEO and black hat SEO issues you should be aware of as a freelance writer. But as a preview, I’ll share a story about how a colleague and I recently had two fake law firm sites taken down, and how they were used…