How Can Freelance Journalists Make Their Reporting More Sustainable?

Surviving in a post-COVID world and dealing with the worldwide economic and political climate is proving increasingly difficult. More and more newsrooms around the world are closing as countries enact strict information suppression laws, and over 16,000 newsroom jobs in the United States alone were lost as a result of the pandemic. 

Freelancing provides a contrasting supply of control and stability. As a freelancer you will have a lot more control over the content you produce and the jobs you accept. However, freelancing means working without a structure or rules to keep you productive, which can be intimidating. 

Freelancers are responsible for all of that and more, so how can journalists get themselves in the mindset of a freelancer?

FIND YOUR AVENUES

Though freelancing comes without a guarantee of consistency, that does not mean consistency is unavailable. Finding the areas where you are most knowledgeable and that you can write about at length without the resources of a newsroom so that you can produce consistent work will help you build your body of work. It will also attract you to publications that may want to publish your writing in the future, or other clients who enjoy your style and want to hire you.

KEEP APPLYING FOR JOBS

Being freelance does not mean severing all ties to any and all organizations and never going back. If there are jobs that suit your avenues, it is wise to apply, according to Erin Schwartz, the managing editor of Study Hall, a database for journalists. “One challenge is that it’s really hard to string together enough work to support yourself. You’re writing and you’re your own administrator and boss and office. You’re going to have to spend some days chasing down invoices and doing your taxes. It’s easier to start out having some other sources of income vs. full-time freelancing,” she said.

CRAFT SHORT PITCHES

Schwartz says that a pitch should be “a sketch of what you’d want the piece to be, who you’d talk to, what sources you’d use,” not “800-word mini-articles.” Pitches need to contain thoroughly researched questions rather than answers, and should give the editor enough information to be interested but not necessarily completely informed.

GET PAID

No, seriously.  There is no reason to work for free. Study Hall has resources for writers early in their careers who are looking to get paid for publication. A Twitter account called “Who Pays Writers?” tweets about various opportunities available remotely, with rates available per word. Plenty of similar databases are available.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR CLIENTS AND PERIODICALLY REACH OUT

Some method of organizing all the clients you have worked for is essential. Contact information and the work you have done for clients can be mined from invoices and should be tracked, so that you know who is appropriate to reach out to for what kind of work. Checking in with clients periodically is also important because working semi-consistently will keep them fresh in your memory. Work begets work. Knowing who is willing to give you consistent work amongst your clients is also very useful.

FIND COMMUNITY

Nothing begets work like community, and writing can be very isolating as most often it’s done remotely and all of the work involved does not involve keeping extensive company. People you can ask any question without fear of judgment are very important for your own personal development as a writer and for the growth of your career. Also, associates are happy to share the wealth when it is abundant.

While freelancing can be extremely intimidating, with these basic resources at our backs we can stand together and make it a little less tough for everybody.