Get Unstuck! E-Course FAQ

What is the e-course schedule?

Here it is:

Week 1. Making Time (Think you don’t have time? Think again.)
Week 2. Organizing Your Work (Everything from creating an efficient workflow to organizing assignment-related information to overhauling your to-do list.)
Week 3. Organizing Your Space (Whether your office is a corner of the living room or a corner suite, here’s how to get a handle on all your “stuff” — as well as create a workspace that inspires you to, well, work.)
Week 4. Beating Procrastination (I identify the top causes of freelancer procrastination and tell you how to bust each one.)
Week 5. Getting Help (You don’t have to go it alone. Here’s how to find help with everything from transcribing to staying motivated, both free and not-so-free.)
Week 6. Writing and Researching Faster (I can write a 1,000 word article in an hour, not counting interviews. Can you? Here are my tips.)

How much does the e-course cost?

Get Unstuck! for Freelancers costs $450 for the Gold version with six weeks of e-mail support and six half-hour phone coaching sessions; $210 for the Premium version with six weeks of e-mail support; and $105 for the Basic version with no e-mail support. You can pay via PayPal through this website, or send a check to PO Box 2841, Concord, NH 03302. If you decide to send a check, let me know so I can add you to the class roster.

How do I access the lessons? Do I need special software?

The lessons are on password-protected web pages on the therenegadewriter.com site. Every Monday, I’ll e-mail you the web address, user name, and password to the next lesson. Just click on the link to the lesson, fill in the user name and password (which are case sensitive) in the pop-up box, and you’ll be taken to the next lesson.

Do I have to be in a certain place at a certain time?

Nope. I send the lessons out every Monday morning (or late Sunday night if I happen to be up late). You can read them and do the assignments at your convenience. You don’t even have to do one assignment per week if you can’t or don’t want to. For example, you can skip a week and do two assignments the next week. Just don’t go crazy with the freedom…keep in mind if you want feedback on your assignments, it will be hard for me to offer critiques on, say, five assignments in one week!

Can I access the lessons after the session is over?

Shh, don’t tell anyone…but I never change the passwords and user names, so you can access the lessons forever. Please do not share the passwords and user names with anyone.

Where do I send my questions or assignments?

I set up a special account just for the e-course: GetUnstuckCourse@gmail.com.

What’s your teaching style?

I’d say I’m a motivator. I understand that freelancing can be scary, so I try to help students get over their fears. I also feel that there are no rules when it comes to freelancing, so I encourage my students to brainstorm tactics that work for them.

If I sign up for the Basic version of the course, does that mean I get no e-mail support at all?

Technically there is no e-mail support (and also no assignment critiques), but I’m a real softie. If you’re in the Basic course and you’re having problems with a certain assignment or something I said makes no sense to you, I want to hear from you. I want all of my students to get their money’s worth from the course, so I won’t leave anyone in the lurch.

I’m going on vacation for a week during the course. Is that okay?

Generally, yes. If you need to take some time off, I’m happy to extend the e-mail support for however long you were off so that you get the full six weeks of support. But please clear this with me, as there may be times when I’m unavailable after the course ends and can’t offer an extension of the e-mail support (such as when I have a vacation planned).

I’ll be away/busy/washing my hair when the course starts and would like to start a few days late. Can I do that?

If you’re confident that you can catch up on the lessons and assignments to your satisfaction, starting a little late is usually fine. You can do the assignments at your own pace, so it’s not like you have to make a deadline. I’ll also be happy to extend the e-mail support so you get your full six weeks — but again, please clear it with me first in case I’m unavailable after the course ends to extend the e-mail support.

If you want to sign up after the course session has started, I’ll send you the lessons you missed as soon as I receive your payment, and then you’ll get the rest of the lessons on schedule. As for extending the e-mail support so you get your full six weeks, please clear it with me first.

Will there be any interaction with the other students in the course?

No. Some courses take place in e-mail groups (such as Yahoo groups) so that the students see one another’s questions and assignments and also see the instructor’s answers and critiques for every student. My e-course is one-on-one: you send me your questions and assignments directly, and no one sees them but you and me.

When will you answer my questions/critique my assignments?

I answer course e-mails on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can send me your questions and assignments any time you like, but keep in mind that if you send an e-mail on, say, Friday night, you won’t receive a response until Tuesday.

Do I have to turn in my assignments for critiquing?

No. You can do the assignments on your own if you wish. I have plenty of students who do that.

Do you make a living through writing?

Yes! I’ve been supporting my family through my writing since 1997. I’ve reached the point where I’m efficient, productive, and fast enough to work way fewer than 40 hours per week but still earn a full-time income writing for magazines, authoring books, doing the occasional copywriting gigs, and teaching classes.

I can’t decide whether to take your course or one offered by MediaBistro/WritingClasses.com/etc. How does yours differ?

I can’t say because I haven’t taken their courses. When you’re choosing an e-course, ask yourself:

What are the instructor’s credentials? Has he or she written for many magazines? Are they magazines that you’ve heard of or that you’d be interested in writing for?
How much does it cost? E-course prices vary greatly. I wouldn’t advise shopping by price alone (sometimes there’s a good reason that a course is super-cheap or free!), but I understand that price is a consideration for most people.
How is the course formatted? If you want to interact with other students, look for a course that takes place in an online group setting. If you don’t want to interact with other students or share your ideas and critiques, consider a one-on-one course (like mine).
What do others say about the course? There are many threads on various writer’s forums where writers discuss and critique the e-courses they’ve taken. Try www.mediabistro.com, www.absolutewrite.com, and other sites that have forums.

What are your credentials for teaching this course?

I’ve written for more than 120 magazines since I started freelancing in 1997, including such top-notch publications as USA Weekend, Family Circle, Fitness, Health, Psychology Today, Parenting, Wired, Business Start-Ups, Men’s Fitness, and Woman’s Day. I’m the co-author of The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success and The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock. I pride myself on being motivated enough to market even when I’m busy with work, and productive and efficient enough to juggle up to 13 assignments in one month. I’ve helped over 325 students in my phone mentoring and her Write for Magazines e-course, and I’ve heard from these students what keeps them from being as productive and successful as they’d like.

Do you offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes. You have two weeks from the start date of the course to drop the course and get a full refund. After two weeks, refunds are on a case-by-case basis. Luckily, this hasn’t been an issue so far: Out of 325 students (as of September 2009), I’ve had only two students drop out of any of my courses.

You rock. Is there anything I can do for you?

Yes! Please tell your friends about my e-course. I’m trying to increase enrollment so I can offer the course every month instead of every other month. You can send your friends to www.writeformagazines.com. If you’re a current or former student of my e-course and you get a friend to sign up, you’ll get a cool thank-you gift. The gift changes, but in the past I’ve offered students Renegade Writer mugs and writing e-books.

I have a question that’s not answered here. What should I do?

Please e-mail me your question at lindaformichelli@gmail.com.