Here's what freelance journalists need to know

Melissa Noel is an award-winning journalist and media entrepreneur. As an international correspondent, she covers race, culture, travel, and lifestyle topics for television and digital media. She is known for covering issues that impact underserved and marginalized communities with a focus on the Caribbean region and African Diaspora. She is the founder of the media consulting company, Mel& N Media, LLC. She is also a news and politics contributor at Essence.com. Previously, she worked as a television correspondent for One Caribbean Television/CBS News USVI where she reported stories in the Eastern Caribbean region and the United States. Her work has also appeared on NBCNews.com, Huffpost.com, Caribbean Beat Magazine, and ABC News. In 2020, Melissa was named one of the Top 50 Influential Caribbean American Entrepreneurs by Caribbean Business Network and in 2021 was recognized with a Caribbean Impact Award for outstanding achievement and contributions to the field of journalism and the Caribbean region.

In her interview with the Foreign Press, she offers advice to freelance reporters and insights into her successful career.

What inspired you to pursue the stories you tell now?

I wanted to see more stories about the Caribbean region and the African Diaspora that went beyond the stereotypical narratives of natural disasters, crime, or scandal. As a Black Caribbean American woman, I knew many dynamic stories should be prioritized for coverage in mainstream U.S. news, but I wasn’t seeing them. I decided that I would be a part of the change that I wanted to see, so I left my role in network television news about seven years ago and started my journey as an independent reporter and producer focusing on telling these stories. 

How difficult do you find it to be a freelancer in the U.S.?

It can be difficult to be a freelancer if you don’t understand this independent work's business and legal aspects. It’s important to think of yourself as a business and to operate like one. It’s critical to understand your contract specifics so you can advocate for yourself and negotiate appropriate rates and expenses. You also need to be aware of payment schedules for different types of publications (so you can plan accordingly), understand copyright clauses and the importance of maintaining ownership of the work you produce, or at the very least, the capability to share it. In addition, developing and maintaining a  strong network of journalists, including other freelancers and editors, is key to obtaining consistent work.

How would you describe the advantages and disadvantages of working as a freelance reporter? 

Freelancing provides great flexibility and opportunities to work with multiple companies at once. You are your own boss as someone self-employed, and you can report on topics that you are passionate about and have expertise in. However, since you are not on staff at publications, you are not entitled to benefits, so there are no sick days, you typically have more out pocket expenses upfront, and taxes are your responsibility.  In addition, getting your payments in a timely fashion can be a hassle sometimes. 

In addition to reporting, I use my multimedia experience and travel expertise to host tv and digital programs, do voiceover work, consult for brands and organizations, and teach. These roles provide additional streams of income consistently. I believe it's important to identify other lines of business where you can utilize your reporting skills as there will be slow periods where regular work is not coming in.  You have to be able to pivot. I think the COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of why having other lines of business as a freelance reporter is necessary. 

As a freelancer, you are a small business, so it's important to operate as one. I started Mel &N Media, LLC to formalize my business. I utilize online software to automate invoices. I have an accountant and work with an entertainment lawyer. In addition, it's important to market and advertises your work and expertise via social media. I have gotten many assignments solely because someone saw a story I wrote or video work I have produced online. I had to learn by trial and error; however, I experienced more advantages than disadvantages since I put these things into practice. 

What advice do you offer to journalists who aim to thrive as freelancers in a highly competitive and sometimes underpaid media environment? 

I think it's essential to understand your why and develop a body of work that speaks to that. I knew that my expertise and passion for telling Caribbean stories and stories about the African diaspora was unique. I understand how to show the important intersections these stories present and why it's important for these communities in the United States, to see themselves regularly reflected in news coverage with nuance, complexity, and beyond stereotypes. 

I also think that it’s imperative to see yourself as a business. I cannot underscore that point enough. You will literally leave money on the table every time if you do not. I certainly did when I first started, but now I know better. You have to understand what your monthly operating costs are, the kinds of assignments that match your expertise and your income needs, know what expenses can be written off on your taxes. 

With two award-winning stories under your belt: ‘Black and Undocumented’ and ‘Love in a Barrel,’ the latter for which you won the Global Excellence in Reporting award from the United Nations, you have a lot to be proud of. Is there a story in particular that you are most proud of?

I am most proud of the ‘Love in a Barrel’ series I reported for NBCNews.com. I began reporting on migration in 2016, specifically stories of “barrel children,” the children left behind in the care of relatives when parents migrate to other countries for economic opportunities. After reporting on this issue in New York’s Caribbean community for about a year, I received support from International Center For Journalists, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and the Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journalism to expand my reporting. 

I expanded my reporting in the US and to Jamaica, where the long-term psychological impact of parental separation due to migration on “barrel children” and their families has been a prevalent issue for many years. I interviewed over 30 children, teachers, mental health professionals, parents, and others in Jamaica, Miami, and New York about the complexities of parental migration, the long-term psychological impact it can have, and the difficulties parents and children face when reuniting after years apart. 

I created the event “Beyond the Barrel: Sharing Our Stories of Migration and Separation,” which provided counseling and migration, and education resources during panel discussions and film screening events. The International Labour Organization recognized my work. I was also invited to present the series as a case study at United Nations Headquarters when policymakers and UN delegates negotiated the Global Compact on Migration in 2018.  

This story series not only raised awareness but provided families with much-needed resources across borders. It also highlighted the complexities of migration and economics. Overall, it created a much-needed space for discussion and action on mental health impact in a community where it's often considered taboo. Now, I use this series to teach students across the U.S. and around the world with the Pulitzer Center. The stories made a difference. That’s why I am so proud. 

As an educator, keynote speaker, and workshop presenter who has spoken in front of The U.N., the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, and the National Association of Black Journalists, in your opinion, what is the most important lesson you’ve taught?

The most important lesson I think I’ve taught thus far is that you don’t have to fit a mold to be successful because there is no one path to success. Also, I always like to share that there is indeed a place for the stories you want to tell and the work you want to do. When you know your why, you make it easier for others to see it too. Your gifts will make room for you.

You cover a wide range of topics that are not limited to the U.S. or the Caribbean. How do you go about seeking the stories you tell?

There’s no one way to go about this for me! I am very plugged into the communities I cover, so I see stories ideas all the time, even when I’m not looking for them. From music to mental health, social issues to business, I keep a pulse on what's happening to see the intersections, notice potential trends, and understand the bigger picture when pitching. 

I like to look beyond the headlines and seek stories that look at the long-term impact, investigate larger issues, or highlight little-known information. Many times stories also come to me through the professional relationships I’ve developed covering my beats. Because people know my body of work,  so I regularly receive leads and pitches. 

What role do you see yourself playing as a journalist in the public sphere? 

I have a unique voice and lens with which I have been able to carve out a needed but often ignored niche in news media. When I first expressed my desire to center my work on the African Diaspora, focusing on the Caribbean, many people thought it would not be sustainable or successful. I think that speaks to the lack of diversity in newsrooms, where despite there being millions of people of African descent in this country, I was often told that there was not an audience for the stories. However, I was not deterred. I now work with media publications and travel and lifestyle brands to diversify their representation and coverage of the African Diaspora with a focus on the Caribbean. I work on special series, create content and editorial strategy and contribute to general coverage.

I inform people around the world about often underreported stories of the  African Diaspora. I will continue to highlight the trials, triumphs, diversity, and complexities of the diaspora with nuance, respect, and consistency. I believe I have a responsibility to continue to elevate the voices and stories of marginalized groups in the media, advocate for equitable coverage and be part of the change I want to see in the industry. I think that now more attention is being paid to the need for more diverse stories, so the importance of my reporting expertise and cultural lens will only grow and provide more opportunities for me and others. 

What is your greatest fear and hope regarding the future of journalism?

I am optimistic about the future of journalism, so that I will share my greatest hope. 

I hope that the action being taken to include more diverse voices in newsrooms and stories is not short-lived. I think that diversity doesn’t just mean that we include more voices in the conversation; they have become a part of us to see the importance of the stories of others just as we do our own.