Writing Coach PRO Takes Freelancers to Business School

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Jan 18, 2010, 07:50 ET

RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- WritingCoach.com (http://www.writingcoach.com), an online professional-development service for freelance writers, today announced the launch of Writing Coach PRO (http://www.writingcoach.com/pro), a group coaching program designed to help writers develop and hone the business skills they need to thrive in a competitive marketplace.

The six-month program will enroll up to 30 freelance writers who are committed to taking their business savvy to new heights. Writing Coach PRO offers comprehensive training in project management, sales and marketing, financial decision-making, technology use and outsourcing.

"Despite media industry woes, it is possible to earn a healthy living as a freelance writer," WritingCoach.com founder Maya Payne Smart said. "But it takes a clear plan, hard work, and ongoing support to do it."

Smart, a veteran freelance writer and journalism instructor with a background in business, knows this firsthand -- and she developed this course with small-business people like her in mind. She taught journalism courses at Clemson University and was a conference speaker for the Society of Professional Journalists. She serves on the board of governors of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and teaches "How to be an Entrepreneur as a Business Journalist," a weeklong course for the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at Arizona State University.

Whether you're an established professional looking to boost sales or a recently laid-off reporter new to the freelance world, this program will help you grow your business.

Writing Coach PRO offers:

Live training calls with Maya
Live Q&A calls with Maya
Online and MP3 recordings of all calls
Transcripts of all calls
A private, members-only online forum
Monthly step-by-step action plans to put lessons to work
A list of recommended reading, resources and vendors
Regular accountability check-ins

"Our curriculum is designed to transform freelance writers into outstanding small-business owners who can successfully navigate media industry turmoil and seize emerging opportunities to serve readers and thrive financially," Smart said.

Writing Coach PRO is a total-immersion business school for freelancers. Expert instruction, dedicated client-service representatives and talented peers will make this a high-impact learning experience. Any working freelance writer may apply. Participants pay just $97/mo. -- a fraction of what colleges and universities charge. (Each applicant will be interviewed prior to admission into the program to limit enrollment to freelancers with demonstrated writing and business potential.)

"Writing Coach PRO offers freelance writers the content, community and coaching they need to excel," Smart said. "We have the blueprint for profitable freelancing in 2010, and we're eager to share."