The Content Byte

This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Virginia Jen, subeditor, writer and now editor. Virginia has worked on some of Australia's most prestigious publications, including Vogue Living, Gourmet Traveller, Home Beautiful and InsideOut. Now at The Local Project, she shares her journey from print to digital and how the two mediums can work together. We also talk about: How she got her start in magazines Getting her dream job The importance of good grammar and syntax Working on multi-platform publications Meeting some of her design heroes Trying to find work/life balance What she's looking for from freelancers Connect with Virginia via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-jen-948297212/  Find The Local Project here: https://thelocalproject.com.au/  Don't forget your tickets to The Content Byte Summit, from September 12-14, 2024 in Sydney, where you can learn about pitching to prestige magazines in the panel on Meet the editors – how to nail the pitch. Sign up for updates for the Summit (or snap up tickets) at our website: https://thecontentbytesummit.com.au  Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com    Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au  Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with Jo Butler about switching careers from book publishing to marketing and communications at the University of Sydney. Jo shares her journey of nearly 30 years as a book editor, publisher and literary agent, and explains why she wanted a new challenge, as well as the appeal of more stable income and working with colleagues again.  She discusses: • how publishing has changed over the decades  • what she misses about editing  • what she wishes authors understood about publishing  • why comms still feels like storytelling, and how her skills feel more appreciated in a university environment • how she mapped her transferable skills for the move  • key skills for comms roles  • what her week looks like in internal communications  • the learning curve in university comms  • her ongoing connection to publishing through teaching in the Masters of Publishing program, and what she covers  • the 'hard truths' she shares with students  • AI in publishing  Connect with Jo via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-butler-bishops/  Read her blog on Rachel's List about book editing here: https://rachelslist.com.au/so-you-think-you-can-be-a-book-editor/ Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

This week Rachel and Lynne chat with psychologist Sabina Read about catastrophising, perfectionism and the freelance stress spiral. Sabina explains catastrophising as a cognitive distortion where we jump to the worst-case scenario and treat thoughts as facts, and why it can show up more in freelancing due to a lack of workplace "guardrails" such as regular income and employer support. They discuss: the difference between genuine, evidence-based concerns (like fewer jobs or more competition) and catastrophising how scarcity vs abundance mindsets influence freelance anxiety why perfectionism fuels anxiety, and why "good enough is good enough" how the brain reinforces threat-focused neural pathways – and how to build new ones by noticing what's working  practical circuit breakers and using breath to come down from fight-or-flight before making decisions  how avoidance fuels fear, and how resilience is built by tolerating discomfort without over-attaching to outcomes being discerning with social media and algorithm-driven negativity clarifying what you want to move toward (not just what you want to escape), and the power of saying no to misaligned work Find Sabina at sabinareadpsychology.com.au  She also hosts the Human Cogs podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/human-cogs-podcast/id1525840415 and The Separation Guide Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-separation-guide-a-starting-point-for/id1542151561  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

This week is bittersweet as Rachel and Lynne announce that the show  is taking a hiatus after seven years and more than 300 episodes. It's been a huge undertaking doing this podcast and we decided to take the time to share some of our favourite moments and what we have learned over the years.  We reflect on how the show evolved from early scrappy recordings to a guest-driven format that helped us celebrate great work, learn podcasting skills, and raise their profiles and businesses (including Rachel's List). We share highlights such as meeting admired guests, supporting listeners during the pandemic, and running the 2023 and 2024 summits, which created community outcomes like friendships, masterminds, and published books. Key lessons include valuing a business mindset in freelancing, knowing your worth, pitching, audience-led content, and improving interview skills, along with the importance of taking breaks to avoid burnout. A big thank you to our team (Josh from Marker Creative, Claire Chow, Heidi Walkinshaw) and sponsor Rounded.   Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co  

This week, Rachel & Lynne are chatting with launch strategist Brenna McGowan about "anticipation marketing" and using content to create warm leads so clients are eager to buy. Brenna argues freelancers either sell too constantly or not enough, and often over-educate audiences, creating overwhelm or enabling DIY. She outlines an "anticipation runway" framework: why (purpose and method-led story), what hurts (naming and reflecting pain rather than solving it), what stops (beliefs, myths, objections, and self-trust barriers), and what changes (future pacing and letting prospects "try on" outcomes, including through case studies). The discussion also covers trust, avoiding desperate energy, follow-up strategies including a closing-the-loop email, focusing on weekly visibility with limited time, demonstrating invisible services, and AI tools that help her in her business.   Brenna's website is: https://brennamcgowan.co/   Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co