Freelancing for Journalists

In the podcast this week we quiz two commissioning editors about what they want to see from freelance journalists. Rebecca Liu, commissioning editor at the Guardian, and Mun-Keat Looi international features editor at the British Medical Journal, discuss the winning formula for pitches plus how to make yourself indispensable as a freelancer. They also chat about pet hates, negotiating rates and top tips for regular commissions. 

Guests

https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rebecca-liu

https://twitter.com/becbecliuliu

https://munkeatlooi.com/

https://twitter.com/munkeatlooi

Resources

Pitching guide https://payhip.com/b/dcliH

'What commissioning editors want' previous podcast episode https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/what-commissioning-editors-want

Recommendations

My boyfriend lives with my husband https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/22/experience-my-boyfriend-lives-with-my-husband

Why health experts are fighting to end daylight saving time https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36958725/

In the podcast this week we talk about practical solutions to help cope with rejection as a freelance journalist. How can we become more resilient and turn rejection into positive action? Expert advice is on hand from freelance marine science writer Melissa Hobson and rural affairs and human interest reporter Kate Chapman.

The guests

Melissa Hobson www.melissahobson.co.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mel_pud

Kate Chapman www.kate-chapman.co.uk

Twitter: @_KateChapman

Resources

FFJ podcast on Imposter Syndrome https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/imposter-syndrome

Article on how to accept rejection  https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/aug/26/turn-rejection-into-success-share-hashtag

Recommendations

Anna Turns Remaking petrochemicals article https://www.theguardian.com/whats-possible-ask-toronto/2023/sep/29/how-researchers-remade-the-worlds-most-widely-used-petrochemical-without-using-fossil-fuels

Jason Bittel Forget everything you know about pigeons article https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/pigeons-diversity-doves-photographs

With Elon Musk seemingly destroying Twitter, we decided it was time to ask two experts whether we need to be rethinking social media as freelance journalists. Can we live without Twitter and what are the alternatives? Should we be more mindful about how our data is used? And how on earth does Mastodon work? We spoke to tech and internet journalists Chris Stokel-Walker and Steven Asarch to find the answers.

The guests

Chris Stokel-Walker stokel-walker.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/stokel

Steven Asarch https://muckrack.com/steven-asarch

Twitter https://twitter.com/IAmAsarch

Resources

Mastodon https://mastodon.social/

Blue Sky https://bsky.app/

Threads https://www.threads.net/

Reddit https://www.reddit.com/

Discord https://discord.com/

Signal https://signal.org/

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elon-Musk-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1398527491

TikTok Boom by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.amazon.co.uk/TikTok-Boom-China-Superpower-Social/dp/1912454793

The History of the Internet by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Internet-Byte-Sized-Chunks-Bite-Sized/dp/1789295599

Google accidentally leaking AI chats by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.fastcompany.com/90958811/google-was-accidentally-leaking-its-bard-ai-chats-into-public-search-results

Recommendations

Miles Klee, internet culture journalist https://www.rollingstone.com/author/miles-klee/

Jessica Lucas, There's a Deadly Drinking Problem on TikTok https://www.huffpost.com/entry/deadly-drinking-tik-tok_n_64760b90e4b02325c5dd1b33

Seth Simons, Who's afraid of Lorne Michaels? https://longreads.com/2023/08/17/lorne-michaels-saturday-night-live/

Taylor Lorenz, tech journalist on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz

Sophia Smith Galer, journalist https://twitter.com/sophiasgaler

Laura Garcia, BBC Mundo https://lauragrb.com/

On the podcast this week we discuss the art of Long Reads and how to pitch, research and write them. We receive excellent insights from GQ features editor Oliver Franklin-Wallis and Guardian writer Samira Shackle.

The guests

Oliver Franklin-Wallis

Website: https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/

Book: The Wasteland https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/wasteland/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/olifranklin

Samira Shackle

Website: https://samirashackle.com/

Book: Karachi Vice https://samirashackle.com/books/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/samirashackle

Resources

Guardian The Long Read https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-long-read

GQ Long Reads https://www.gq.com/about/long-reads

Long Reads submission details https://longreads.com/submissions/

Recommendations

Sophie Elmhirst Long Read https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/27/man-who-wants-to-make-condoms-sexy-durex

Tom Lamont Long Read https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/the-race-to-catch-the-last-nazis

We're back for another series and in our first episode we talk about the nitty gritty of freelance rights. What can you do about late payments, poor contracts and unfair rates? We discuss the problems and the solutions with Sheron Boyle, founder of Can Pay Won't Pay Facebook group, and Natasha Hirst, president of the National Union of Journalists.

The guests

@hirstphotos

Natasha's website https://natashahirstblog.co.uk/

@sheronboyle1

Sheron Boyle Media https://www.facebook.com/SheronBoyleMedia

Resources

Can Pay Won't Pay Freelance Journalists (UK outlets only) Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/614195525419319

NUJ freelance membership https://www.nuj.org.uk/join/how-much-will-it-cost.html

NUJ freelance rate for the job http://www.londonfreelance.org/rates/index.php

NUJ freelance fact pack https://www.nuj.org.uk/advice/freelance-resources.html

Late payment fee template https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2023/04/late-payment-letter-and-outstanding-payment-letter-template/

Recommendations

Heather Brooks MP Expenses investigation https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/15/mps-expenses-heather-brooke-foi

Ronan Farrow Hollywood sex abuse investigation https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/oct/12/ronan-farrow-on-investigating-harvey-weinstein-family-issues-thrown-at-me-is-a-dirty-move

Faith Martin https://faithmartin.journoportfolio.com/

John Pring, Disability News Service https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/

In the final episode of our awards season special we speak to the winner of the Best Specialist Journalist category. Hannah Summers talks about the challenges of family court reporting and how she has curved out a niche in this unreported field.

Show notes

https://twitter.com/hansummers

https://www.theguardian.com/profile/hannah-summers

Hannah's award winning work https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/mar/29/revealed-66-children-still-missing-from-just-one-uk-local-authority-after-vanishing-from-asylum-hotel

President's guidance on the current rules which continue to apply to the non-pilot areas

https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/president-of-the-family-division-guidance-as-to-reporting-in-the-family-courts/

Guidance on the new rules under the pilot

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-01-30/how-to-operate-in-family-court-and-what-to-think-about-before-you-arrive

Hannah's first story for The Bureau for Investigative Journalism

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-07-06/family-court-files-parental-alienation-used-to-silence-claims-of-abuse

Freelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winners

Award sponsor 5WH https://www.5wh.com/

The winner of our Best Feature award, Amelia Tait, spoke to us about how she researches and writes her quirky features. She also gave some top advice on how to keep editors happy.

Show notes

https://ameliatait.com/

https://twitter.com/ameliargh

Amelia's winning article https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/04/its-a-control-thing-why-are-we-so-fascinated-by-super-organised-homes

Amelia's comment piece on bread https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/22/sourdough-sliced-white-loaf-sandwiches-bread-mouth-fashion

Freelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winners

Award sponsor Lightbulb Press Hangout https://www.facebook.com/groups/lightbulbhangout/?locale=en_GB

In this episode we talk to journalist Lucy Osborne about her award winning investigation into sexual abuse in the fashion industry. She explains how the story unfolded in both print and broadcast media.

Show notes

Lucy Osborne https://twitter.com/Lucy_Osborne

Lucy's Guardian profile https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-osborne

Lucy's Guardian report https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/may/28/jean-luc-brunel-abuse-six-women-epstein

Lucy's Sky series https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/b4c6aeec-ec48-4a33-a1f6-49f19ec32dee/scouting-for-girls-fashion-s-darkest-secret-b4c6aeec-ec48-4a33-a1f6-49f19ec32dee

Freelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winners

Award sponsor https://www.journalism.co.uk/

Today we speak to Lara Olszowska who won the Freelance Journalism Awards prize for best piece of work by a student or early career journalist. She talks about reporting on Ukrainian schools during the war and how her journalism training is developing.

Show notes

https://twitter.com/LaraOlszowska

https://laraolszowska.wordpress.com/

Lara's award-winning article https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/60187/how-ukrainian-teachers-keep-schools-running-in-wartime

Lara's article on Uzbek theatre icon https://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/what-to-see/uzbek-theatre-icon-who-resisted-soviet-culture-washing/

NCTJ training https://www.nctj.com/

News Associates https://newsassociates.co.uk/

Award sponsor Media Mentor https://www.themediamentor.info/

In the latest Freelance Journalism Awards series we speak to the winner of the Best Print Journalist category Gabriella Jozwiak.

She tells us how she ended up in Ukraine reporting on the impact of the war on young children and the challenges she faced as a freelancer.

Show notes

Website http://www.gabriellajozwiak.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/GabriellaJ

Rory Peck Trust who provide safety training for freelance journalists https://rorypecktrust.org/

DART Center for Journalism & Trauma (who funded Gabriella's trip to Ukraine) https://dartcenter.org/

NUJ resources for freelancers (including press cards) https://www.nuj.org.uk/advice/freelance-resources.html