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. Guestshttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/rebecca-liuhttps://twitter.com/becbecliuliuhttps://munkeatlooi.com/https://twitter.com/munkeatlooiResourcesPitching guide https://payhip.com/b/dcliH'What commissioning editors want' previous podcast episode https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/what-commissioning-editors-wantRecommendationsMy boyfriend lives with my husband https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/22/experience-my-boyfriend-lives-with-my-husbandWhy 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 guestsMelissa Hobson www.melissahobson.co.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com/mel_pudKate Chapman www.kate-chapman.co.ukTwitter: @_KateChapmanResourcesFFJ podcast on Imposter Syndrome https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/imposter-syndromeArticle on how to accept rejection  https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/aug/26/turn-rejection-into-success-share-hashtagRecommendationsAnna 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-fuelsJason 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 guestsChris Stokel-Walker stokel-walker.comTwitter https://twitter.com/stokelSteven Asarch https://muckrack.com/steven-asarchTwitter https://twitter.com/IAmAsarchResourcesMastodon 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/1398527491TikTok Boom by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.amazon.co.uk/TikTok-Boom-China-Superpower-Social/dp/1912454793The History of the Internet by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Internet-Byte-Sized-Chunks-Bite-Sized/dp/1789295599Google accidentally leaking AI chats by Chris Stokel-Walker https://www.fastcompany.com/90958811/google-was-accidentally-leaking-its-bard-ai-chats-into-public-search-resultsRecommendationsMiles 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_64760b90e4b02325c5dd1b33Seth 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/@taylorlorenzSophia Smith Galer, journalist https://twitter.com/sophiasgalerLaura 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 guestsOliver Franklin-WallisWebsite: https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/Book: The Wasteland https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/wasteland/Twitter: https://twitter.com/olifranklinSamira ShackleWebsite: https://samirashackle.com/Book: Karachi Vice https://samirashackle.com/books/Twitter: https://twitter.com/samirashackleResourcesGuardian The Long Read https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-long-readGQ Long Reads https://www.gq.com/about/long-readsLong Reads submission details https://longreads.com/submissions/RecommendationsSophie Elmhirst Long Read https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/27/man-who-wants-to-make-condoms-sexy-durexTom 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@hirstphotosNatasha's website https://natashahirstblog.co.uk/@sheronboyle1Sheron Boyle Media https://www.facebook.com/SheronBoyleMediaResourcesCan Pay Won't Pay Freelance Journalists (UK outlets only) Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/614195525419319NUJ freelance membership https://www.nuj.org.uk/join/how-much-will-it-cost.htmlNUJ freelance rate for the job http://www.londonfreelance.org/rates/index.phpNUJ 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/RecommendationsHeather Brooks MP Expenses investigation https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/15/mps-expenses-heather-brooke-foiRonan 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-moveFaith 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 noteshttps://twitter.com/hansummershttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/hannah-summersHannah'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-hotelPresident's guidance on the current rules which continue to apply to the non-pilot areashttps://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-arriveHannah's first story for The Bureau for Investigative Journalismhttps://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-07-06/family-court-files-parental-alienation-used-to-silence-claims-of-abuseFreelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winnersAward 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 noteshttps://ameliatait.com/https://twitter.com/ameliarghAmelia's winning article https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/04/its-a-control-thing-why-are-we-so-fascinated-by-super-organised-homesAmelia's comment piece on bread https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/22/sourdough-sliced-white-loaf-sandwiches-bread-mouth-fashionFreelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winnersAward 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 notesLucy Osborne https://twitter.com/Lucy_OsborneLucy's Guardian profile https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-osborneLucy's Guardian report https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/may/28/jean-luc-brunel-abuse-six-women-epsteinLucy'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-a1f6-49f19ec32deeFreelance Journalism Award winners https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/p/freelance-journalism-awards-winnersAward 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 noteshttps://twitter.com/LaraOlszowskahttps://laraolszowska.wordpress.com/Lara's award-winning article https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/60187/how-ukrainian-teachers-keep-schools-running-in-wartimeLara'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 notesWebsite 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