Resources
If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I feast on resources and tools that help me accomplish my goals. I also love and enjoy recommending new products to those in my circle. (It's how I've found some of my favorite daily must-haves!)
I also recognize and acknowledge that because I'm multi-passionate, I attract readers and audience members with varying interests and backgrounds. So, this page contains resources and recommendations for:
- Internal communications professionals across varying tenures
- Part-time and full-time freelance writers (and those wanting to learn more about freelancing!)
- Readers who want to know what products I love and recommend (hi, mom!)
Grab your favorite beverage, settle in somewhere cozy, and browse around! Feel free to email me if you have any questions about anything listed on this page that I can help answer.
This resource library is free because I don't believe in gatekeeping and genuinely enjoy helping others. That said, it takes time to find the best of what's out there and update it, so if you feel compelled, you can support my work with a caffeinated beverage using the link below.
These lists were last updated in April 2025.
This page contains affiliate and referral links! If you click on or choose to purchase through one or more of the links below, I may receive a small commission or referral bonus. I'll also do a happy dance and toast in your honor. I only share products, resources, and tools I proudly stand behind and believe in. I have marked affiliate and referral links with a double asterisk like this: Title**
For Internal Communicators
Newsletters
Happy Monday Club is a practical newsletter from the Workshop team about positive company culture and internal communications. It's also the brightest, most energizing email that will arrive in your inbox at the beginning of the week—I promise!
Kevin Blasko's Strictly Internal is the hottest newsletter roundup of new internal communications jobs and insights. Check out Kevin's new Remote Internal Communications Jobs page if you are seeking your next remote role. Even if you aren't currently job hunting, it's an excellent resource for staying informed in internal and change communications.
Mixternal Comms Playbook (formerly Mister Editorial)
Shaun Randol publishes Mister Editorial as the go-to source and authority on mixternal communications. Read internal memos, learn about artificial intelligence and communications, and explore best practices for corporate communication. Thanks to Shaun, I'm proud to offer a discount code for paid subscriptions to Mixternal Comms Playbook. This is the ONE subscription I paid for out of pocket while in an internal communications role.
Individuals receive 10% off at https://www.mixternal.com/alyssa**, and teams receive 5% off a corporate subscription at https://www.mixternal.com/alyssaX**
And here are my top 5 favorite reads:
- What Makes a Communicator a Good Writer? Answers to 10 Questions From My Lecture at Columbia University.
- What's Your CCO Thinking? (Intellicomms™)
- Welcoming Employees Gained Via Acquisition (Insider Comms From XBox)
- When the CCO(!) Steps Down (Insider Comms™ From Warner Bros. Discovery)
- On the War in Israel and Gaza: Don't Rush To Say Something
bink. (Formerly Brilliant Ink)
Receive strategic insights to enhance employee performance and drive meaningful transformation. bink. now partners with life sciences companies, so this is an excellent read for any internal communicators in the life sciences sector.
Published by Joanna Parsons, a well-known and beloved internal communications expert, The Curious Route contains answers to hot industry-specific questions, practical advice, tactical tips for effective communication, and more!
The team at Poppulo shares a wealth of knowledge through blog posts, guides, whitepapers, and more. Their newsletter is the best way to receive their latest resources. (I've found their guides to be exceptionally helpful!)
Communities
If you're a communications consultant, I highly recommend checking out CommsConsultants.com. Founder Ashley Dennison has 20+ years of experience in communications and is building a global directory of carefully curated communications consultants across specialties and years of experience at (what I believe) an extremely reasonable cost. Please tell Ashley I sent you if you apply!
Staffbase manages a global Slack community for internal and corporate communications professionals to network and learn from one another. I've met many wonderful and talented people in this community and received excellent advice from leaders worldwide. You can find me in the #ask-a-question channel often!
CommsChat is a private LinkedIn group managed by the Workshop team. You can connect with communicators worldwide, share tips and templates, and ask others for advice. Please let me know if you're interested in joining, and I'll make it happen!
Founded by Chuck Gose and Kristin Hancock, ICology is a paid community for internal communications pros looking for connection, inspiration, and support. ICology is a name that has come up repeatedly in conversations with communicators, so while I haven't had any direct experience participating in the community, I do not doubt that it's a space worth exploring (especially if you have a corporate budget to spend on professional development!)
Founded by Mike Klein, a Communication Strategist and Consultant, #WeLeadComms celebrates communications leaders and professionals across geographies, career levels, and disciplines on LinkedIn.
Guides and Templates
As a former internal communicator, I know what it feels like to move a million miles per hour and wish you had more time in your day. I heavily relied on the templates and guides available on Workshop's website, notably the:
- Internal Communications Editorial Calendar (Template)
- Channel Matrix (Template)
- How to Manage Internal Communications as a Team of One (Guide)
Staffbase's Library for Internal Communication and Employee Experience
Staffbase offers an extensive library of eBooks, whitepapers, and templates on topics ranging from internal comms strategy development to intranet experience to comms ROI. Staffbase likely has a resource for you if you have a specific question. Some of my favorites include:
- The Changing Face of Internal Communications (a brief history of internal comms)
- How to Create the Most Effective Multichannel Internal Comms Strategy (a nice layout of the benefits of today's common channels and when to use them for maximum effectiveness)
- 2024 Employee Communication Impact Study (findings on communication, employee happiness, and business impact from 1000+ employee interviews and 20+ CCO interviews)
Joanna Parsons' Internal Comms Cheat Sheets
If you're looking for templates and advice to help you excel in your internal communications role, consider this affordable bundle from Joanna Parsons. (The reviews speak for themselves.)
Change Communications
Creating a change management communications plan: a guide for IC and HR pros by Workshop (written by me!)
If you're responsible for communicating change and don't have any formal change management training but want to ensure your messaging is effective, this is the framework I used to help communicate organizational restructures, benefits adjustments, business strategy pivots, and more.
Apogy's Change Management Training & Certification Program
If formal change management training is on your radar, Apogy's training program is a fantastic, budget-friendly option that not only teaches the basics of change management but also offers a framework that's easy to apply and adjust to meet your team's needs.
Navigating Change: How Internal Communication Impacts the Success of Organizational Transformation by Poppulo
There's a growing need for internal communicators to upskill in change communications. This whitepaper is an excellent resource for understanding this need and how internal communicators can support this function.
Change Communicator's Toolbox by Poppulo
In addition to the resource above, Poppulo has a centralized content hub with change communications resources. It contains webinars and blog posts to help you overcome change fatigue and facilitate effective communications.
Events
I had the privilege and pleasure of attending Workshop's first-ever employee communications and culture conference in September 2024, and I can't recommend it enough! It's budget-friendly, engaging, easy-going, and inspirational. I appreciated the day's memorable events and real, authentic moments with like-minded peers looking to make a difference.
Staffbase's VOICES and Comms Club Events
I attended VOICES 2023 NYC and Staffbase's Comms Club events for Denver locals. I appreciate Staffbase's dedication to offering insights into the latest communications trends while creating warm and welcoming spaces for networking. I've even kept in touch with a few connections I met here in Denver!
Podcasts
Coming soon! (I'm tuning in to various podcasts for the best recommendations!)
For Freelance Writers
Newsletters
Rachel Meltzer, a freelance writer and coach (my freelance coach!), sends a newsletter packed with bubbly freelance tips, free resources, tools, and templates. This newsletter is filled with strategic advice to help your freelance business succeed. (It's so good that it shouldn't be free!)
My friend, Kaitlyn Arford, works hard to compile a lengthy, quality list of freelance gigs and advice in her newsletter. It's one of my favorite places to check when looking for new clients and my top recommendation for new and veteran freelancers looking for more work.
Indie growth marketer Lex Roman offers tactical, applicable advice on reader-funded news subscriptions. This newsletter is an excellent read for journalists and writers who have newsletters or want to start one.
Jessica Walrack, founder of All Things Freelance Writing, sends a newsletter with new writing opportunities and other helpful resources for writers. It's a great email packed with high-quality gigs.
Chris Bibey emails a brief list of freelance writing gigs daily. The best part? It contains gigs worldwide, so it's not only for U.S.-based freelancers.
Freelance Things is so visually appealing that it's hard not to love and recommend it. This is a must-read if you enjoy visually skimming content quickly. Thanks to this, I've found many helpful articles and social media threads.
Ashley Dennison, communications consultant and founder of CommsConsultants.com, shares tips, strategies, and stories for consultants every Wednesday.
Freelance content writer Sam Lauron shares bi-weekly tips and musings on starting a freelance career from scratch. I always enjoy reading it!
I don't remember when or how I came across Anna Mackenzie, but I'm so glad I did. Anna writes about building a portfolio career (a business comprising many businesses, projects, and income streams). The portfolio career path approach is helpful when considering how to grow and expand your freelancing career without burning out.
Harlow**
Harlow's weekly newsletter for freelancers features new gigs and tips for building a sustainable business. It's a treasure trove for freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs. (A great one for non-writing freelancers, too!)
Content Connect
Written by Ashley R. Cummings, Content Connect is a newsletter for freelance writers and content marketers that contains business tips, trends, and advice from industry experts.
Kat Boogaard, a freelancer with 10+ years of experience, sends a newsletter with freelancer advice, gigs for writers and non-writers, and some of her favorite reads. It's the first freelancer newsletter I subscribed to, and I always read it. (Plus, Kat is a fantastic human, and I am so fortunate that I've had the chance to work with and learn from her!) **This newsletter is on pause, but I still recommend it!**
Writing Tools
Grammarly provides writing assistance technology to improve your work. You can use Grammarly in Google Chrome as a browser extension or desktop app. Free and paid plans are available. I've been using Grammarly Premium since late 2020. Try Grammarly Premium for free for one month using the link above.
ProWritingAid offers actionable advice for improving your writing and detailed reports. I love that it provides sentence rewrite suggestions for communicating with clarity. I appreciate the structural suggestions this tool offers. It's a great companion for long-form writing of any kind.
The Hemingway App helps writers eliminate fluff and edit sentences, making them easier to read. Free and paid plans are available. It's super easy to use!
Do you struggle with active and passive voice? You aren't alone! This free tool analyzes passages for passive voice to ensure you're meeting your editor's requirements. I started using Passive Voice Detector in early 2022 to check my drafts.
I don't do SEO research for my clients, but I pay for a KeySearch subscription for my knowledge and research purposes. I like KeySearch because it's affordable and easy to use. As a bonus, check out my friend Polly Clover's SEO Blog Writing Course, which covers SEO basics and why she loves KeySearch.
Polly Clover's SEO Blog Writing Course** (or Blogging Toolbox**)
I didn't have a formal background in marketing before becoming a freelance writer, so I was stoked to take Polly Clover's SEO Blog Writing Course to learn about SEO in a polished yet humanized way. Upon completing Polly's course, I wrote in a review: "What I enjoyed most about Polly's course is that it's truly a start-to-finish roadmap that walks you through the entire process from ideating content to polishing and pressing publish."
High-quality, optimized content continues to prove valuable, even with recent advancements in artificial intelligence and technology. I highly recommend Polly's course.
If you're not ready or able to take the course, the Blogging Toolbox is a scaled-back version with helpful templates for content planning and more!
Business
beehiiv** (30-day free trial + 20% off for 3 months)
If you're considering starting a newsletter, I can't recommend beehiiv enough. I publish a weekly newsletter on beehiiv called Time Intentional and have nothing but positive remarks about the platform and the beehiiv team. It's incredibly easy to use yet boasts robust features for newsletter writers of all shapes and sizes. You can start a newsletter on the platform in an hour or less (and feel good about it). Support is always helpful and quick to respond. I'm a big fan.
Why not create a Buy Me a Coffee page if you're creating content? It's an easy way for others to show support and appreciation for your work. Take a peek at mine if you'd like!
Love the photos on my website? When I started freelancing, I wanted to ensure my portfolio looked polished and professional. Rather than using stock photos from popular websites, I found Styled Stock Society, one of my favorite business investments. I have access to over 10,000+ stock photos and countless collections that fit my needs (and don't look the same as other websites!). Get access to stock photos, customizable Canva templates, caption guides, and bonus resources.
Authory** (30-day free trial)
A piece of advice I received repeatedly in my early freelancing days was to save copies of my work. Authory does that for me! I love that Authory notifies me of new content published with my byline and creates backups automatically. Check out my self-updating portfolio.
Groove** (30-day free trial)
Groove is a work-from-home coworking community for creatives and business owners who want more connected and productive weeks. Grooves are hour-long, structured work sessions with five minutes to share what you're working on, 50 minutes of focus time, and a five-minute regroup to share how your tasks went. Groove with me for free for 30 days using the link above.
When I left my 9-5 and started freelancing full time, I hired Rachel Meltzer for 1:1 coaching. For three months, she helped me work out my business logistics (legal, financial, pricing), and we worked on breaking out of the traditional workday mindset. I am so freakin' grateful for Rachel and her support during those first few months.
Rachel kindly offers my resource hub readers 20% off ALL her 1:1 programs (including Express Coaching). Use the code "GSF25" at checkout!
Pop Club**
Pop Club is a supportive micro-community for freelancers led by Rachel Meltzer. It's a tight-knit group and a safe space to ask business, client-specific, and freelancing questions.
Want to try Pop Club? Enjoy 20% off your first 3 months! Use the code "GSF25PC" at checkout.
FREE Notion Templates from Rachel Meltzer
Manage your brain, wallet, and business with a complete collection of free Notion templates from freelance writer and coach Rachel Meltzer. Rachel's templates are customizable and incredibly easy to use. I love the Ideal Clients Tracker!
Looking for a system to help you land more clients without wasting countless hours spinning your wheels? Rachel Meltzer created an easy-to-follow system that freelancers of all experience levels can implement.
Freelance Bold Project Planner for Freelancers**
Manage your workload and track your income with this incredible project planner from Marijana Kostelac at Freelance Bold! After seeing so many freelancers post about this resource on Twitter, I didn't hesitate to snag it, and it delivered.
Data Vault for Freelance Writers**
Finding high-quality statistics and sources is one of the most time-consuming parts of freelance writing. Marijana Kay at Freelance Bold created a data vault filled with reports and data from various sectors, including commerce, content marketing, customer experience, remote work, social media, and the workplace.
Kat Boogaard offers courses, tools, and templates that will save you time and energy and help you launch your freelance business. My favorites are the Pitch Pack and the Freelance Fundamentals Bundle.
Kaleigh Moore offers various products in her shop, and one of my favorites is her Freelance Writer Template Bundle. These templates will elevate your template library, increase efficiency, and improve your processes.
Harlow is a platform that centralizes the ins and outs of a freelance business (to-do lists, invoicing, proposals, contracts, and more). It's super easy to use and great for streamlining processes. The site has the latest pricing.
Workspace Accessories
This desk mat takes up most of my desk and is bright, adorable, and fun.
U Brands U-Eco Recycled Gel Click Pens, Set of 4, Pastel Speckle**
I'm always searching for my next favorite pen, but these consistently sit at the top of my list. They're super smooth, dry quickly, and made from plant-based materials.
Pink Rotating Office Desk Organizer**
This organizer holds ~50-60 pens and pencils, Post-It notes, paper clips, pencil sharpeners, and more. (And it looks great with the desk mat!)
Bluetooth Wireless Headphones by BERIBES**
An affordable (and pink) option for those seeking over-the-ear headphones.
Rose Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo**
My workspace wouldn't be complete without a pink keyboard and mouse. These wireless accessories work great with my Mac!
Most people can't believe I still use regular #2 pencils, but I can't help it! This pastel set also looks gorgeous with the rest of my pink desk accessories.
I've been a Passion Planner fan for many years. Whether you need a paper planner, journal, notepads, stickers, or pens, Passion Planner offers some of the highest quality stationery at an affordable cost. Use my code "ALYSSA" or shop the link above for 10% off your order!
Transparent Sticky Notes by MIUTME**
I learned about transparent sticky notes on social media years ago and wish I had known about them sooner. I love these for taking notes in books and jotting down thoughts on printed pages without writing directly on them.
Creating All The Things Scented Soy Candle
This grounding, earthy musk candle fuels my deep work and creative sessions (and it fits nicely below my monitor).
AP - Associated Press Style Guide QuickStudy Laminated Reference**
Am I the only one who loved these reference guides as a student? I primarily follow AP Style, so I keep this quick reference nearby when I need a gut check. I've found it handy!
Just for Fun - Things I Love
I've been a Book of the Month member since December 2020, and even though my bookshelf has plenty of unread books, I can't turn away from this happy mail each month. One of the best parts is that you can skip a month any time you want! (BOTM is how I learned about Abby Jimenez, and my life has changed.)
As a writer, it's no surprise that I love words. And I love how powerful and inspirational wearing words can be.
If you choose a word of the year, consider making a custom bracelet with your word to wear as a daily reminder!
Use my code "ALYSSAT" for 15% off (some exclusions may apply).
Years ago, a mutual friend introduced me to Daniel Shaffer, the founder of Gratitude Plus. Not only is he a great human, but his product rocks! I use Gratitude Plus to list three things I'm grateful for daily. I am also part of multiple "circles" where you can share your gratitude entries (publicly or anonymously) in the community. The app has free and paid versions. Join my circle if you want to practice gratitude together!
Fintie Stand Case for Kindle Paperwhite**
Buying a Kindle case with a stand and hand strap completely changed my relationship with my Kindle (for the better). If you're an avid Kindle user, I highly recommend investing in high-quality accessories to enhance your reading experience!
