Freelancing for Journalists

In this episode we speak to two freelance journalists, one who has no formal journalism training and the other who studied on an NCTJ accredited degree.Anna Turns, a freelance environmental journalist, talks to us about her self-taught route into journalism and how each turn of her career informed her storytelling.  Chandni Sembhi, a freelance digital journalist, who runs So you want to be a journalist? Instagram account, discusses how her university course gave her confidence to start out in journalism. The GuestsChandni SembhiInstagram: @soyouwanttobeajournalistTwitter: @chandnisembhiAnna Turns Twitter: @AnnaTurnsWebsite: https://www.environmentaljournalist.co.uk/ResourcesMark Grist podcast http://www.markgrist.com/markcantrapLily Canter research examining the value of accredited journalism courses:https://journalism-education.org/2015/08/chasing-the-accreditation-dream/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ulXwfU58Hkhttps://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2015/news/new-study-raises-questions-about-value-of-accredited-journalism-courses/https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2015/news/regional-press-no-longer-established-pathway-into-journalism-says-academic/National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) accredited courses https://www.nctj.com/journalism-qualifications/diploma-in-journalism/Accreditedcourses/course-searchNCTJ qualifications (incl. diploma and national qualification in journalism)https://www.nctj.com/journalism-qualifications/diploma-in-journalismMasters in print journalismhttps://www.findamasters.com/masters-degrees/united-kingdom/print-media/?70MhoIM400The Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BTJC) accredited courseshttps://bjtc.org.uk/studentsProfessional Publishers Association (PPA) https://www.ppa.co.uk/News associates course https://newsassociates.co.uk/Freelancing for Journalists training course https://www.journalism.co.uk/vocational-skills-study/how-to-become-a-successful-freelance-journalist/s43/a750959/National Union of Journalists (NUJ)  training courses https://www.nuj.org.uk/learn/nuj-training.htmlGuild of food writers http://www.gfw.co.uk/Women in Journalism training https://womeninjournalism.co.uk/events/upcoming-events/International Women’s Day Webinar with Terri White and Jane Garveyhttps://ajeuk.org/aje-celebrates-international-womens-day-2021/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service which connects you, the journalist, with PRs and organisations to secure expert comment, case studies and information for independent editorial, free of charge. ResponseSource puts you in touch with experts and PR contacts across all sectors, saving you hours of research and helping you meet your deadlines.https://www.responsesource.com/

We speak to two freelance journalists about how to handle and navigate negative feedback, criticism and online abuse. Jess Evans, fashion journalist, lecturer and founder of the Freelance Sessions talks about how to deal with negativity whilst JR Moores discusses how a band review sparked a Twitter spat with unexpected consequences.Please note this was recorded on March 2nd 2021.The guestsJessica Hope Evans @jesshopeevansInstagram @thefreelancesessionsWebsite https://freelancemasterclass.wixsite.com/websiteJR Moores @spinal_bapWebsite https://jrmoores.contently.com/New book Electric Wizards: A Tapestry of Heavy Music from 1968 to the Present, published by Reaktion Books, September 2021 http://www.reaktionbooks.co.uk/ResourcesLily’s experience of below the line comments on Hold the Front Pagehttps://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2014/news/weeklies-cutting-corners-in-rush-to-publish-on-web/ JR’s review that ended up on a T-shirt https://thequietus.com/articles/28899-idles-ultra-mono-reviewDan Lucas’s review on Drowned in Sound https://drownedinsound.com/releases/17684/reviews/4146495Recent survey for The International Centre for Journalists documenting online attacks on women information https://www.icfj.org/news/online-attacks-women-journalists-leading-real-world-violence-new-research-shows and report https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/UNESCO%20Online%20Violence%20Against%20Women%20Journalists%20-%20A%20Global%20Snapshot%20Dec9pm.pdfCourtney Tenz presentation on online harassment at Berlin Media Convention 2019 https://courtneytenz.com/2019/06/17/for-your-viewing-pleasure-my-speech-on-online-harassment-from-the-media-convention-berlin-2019-dick-pics-death-threats/Nadine White, HuffPost reporter attacked by Government minister after asking questions about the Covid-19 vaccination campaign https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kemi-badenoch-nadine-white-press-freedom_uk_601853ccc5b622df90f5df60Jen Williams Manchester Evening News journalist targeted by the government on Twitter after reporting on defunding of homelessness project https://www.wired.co.uk/article/government-targeting-journalists-on-twitterYorkshire Post editors support journalist in the face of government attack over story https://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/news/editor-hits-back-as-ministers-and-mps-attack-daily-over-accurate-story/Places where you can get support in you are experiencing online abuse as a freelancer: https://www.nuj.org.uk/about-us.htmlhttps://www.journalism.co.uk/news/app-for-journalist-jsafe-for-reporting-online-abuse/s2/a762437/https://newsrooms-ontheline.ipi.media/freelance-journalist/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service which connects you, the journalist, with PRs and organisations to secure expert comment, case studies and information for independent editorial, free of charge. ResponseSource puts you in touch with experts and PR contacts across all sectors, saving you hours of research and helping you meet your deadlines.Response Source https://www.responsesource.com/ and their journalistic enquiry service is at https://journalistenquiries.responsesource.com/send/PR & Journo Requests on Twitter @PRJOurnoRequest use #JournoRequest or #PRRequest

In the second episode of series 4 we speak to a consumer culture scholar from the Victoria University of Wellington, and the founder and editor of The Indiependent about whether you should ever work for free. Dr Kathleen Kuehn, senior lecturer in media studies, talks us through the prevalence of  ‘hope-labour’ and Beth Kirkbride, a freelance journalist, and editor at The Indiependent, discusses how the nuances of working for free need to be explored. The GuestsDr Kathleen Kuehn https://kmkuehn.com/Katheleen’s book The Post-Snowden Era- Mass Surveillance and Privacy in New Zealand https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/the-post-snowden-era Twitter:@kathleenkr Bethany Kirkbride, Freelance journalist and Founder and editor of The Indiependent https://bethkirkbride.com/Twitter: @BettyKirkers and @indie_pendentResourcesAcademics Anonymous, The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/education/series/academics-anonymousThe Indiependent https://www.indiependent.co.uk/The Indiependent - writer of the month https://www.indiependent.co.uk/?s=writer+of+the+monthPress pad https://presspad.co.uk/JournoResources https://www.journoresources.org.uk/Journalism co.uk podcast: Robyn Vinter, founder of The Overtake, on closing down the publication https://www.journalism.co.uk/podcast/robyn-vinter-founder-of-the-overtake-on-closing-down-the-website/s399/a795339/Article by Lily in The Overtake: Baking a differencehttps://www.lilycanter.co.uk/lifestyle/the-overtake-baking-a-difference/Information on rates of pay https://www.journoresources.org.uk/freelance-rates/ and https://www.journoresources.org.uk/journalism-salaries-how-much-journalists-paid/NUJ freelance fees guide http://www.londonfreelance.org/feesguide/index.phpNUJ rates for the job http://www.londonfreelance.org/rates/index.phpFreelancing for Journalists is sponsored by the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service which connects you, the journalist, with PRs and organisations to secure expert comment, case studies and information for independent editorial, free of charge. ResponseSource puts you in touch with experts and PR contacts across all sectors, saving you hours of research and helping you meet your deadlines.

In the first episode of series 4 we speak to two experts about how to track down the perfect case study and how to source the best experts. Tom Bettison, account manager at ResponseSource talks us through the journalist enquiry service whilst freelance documentary maker Kate Dooley discusses how she works to develop relationships in order to get that little bit extra during her interviews.The GuestsTom Bettison LinkedIn profileKate Dooley @d00ley https://www.thetalentmanager.com/talent/12425ResourcesFFJ lunchtime webinar series https://www.tickettailor.com/events/freelancingforjournalistsHow to become a successful journalist (with additional premium FFJ community)https://www.journalism.co.uk/vocational-skills-study/how-to-become-a-successful-freelance-journalist/s43/a750959/FFJ on Instagram @freelancingforjournalistsFFJ work experience programmehttps://www.tickettailor.com/events/freelancingforjournalists/476446/How to track down case studies for your next article by Lily Canter https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/how-to-track-down-case-studies-for-your-next-article/s2/a793552/Diversity episode- Freelancing for Journalists podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/diversity/id1511920418?i=1000501819068Response Sourcehttps://www.responsesource.com/ and their journalistic enquiry service is at https://journalistenquiries.responsesource.com/send/PR & Journo Requests on Twitter @PRJOurnoRequest use #JournoRequest or #PRRequestFreelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service which connects you, the journalist, with PRs and organisations to secure expert comment, case studies and information for independent editorial, free of charge. ResponseSource puts you in touch with experts and PR contacts across all sectors, saving you hours of research and helping you meet your deadlines.

In the last episode of series 3 we speak to two newsletter writers / freelance journalists about how they started.Lottie Gross, travel writer and co-author of Talking Travel Writing, discusses how she set up her newsletter during the heart of the pandemic whilst Alistair Lane, author of Write at Home, talks us through the challenges of launching his jobs newsletter.The GuestsLottie Gross @lottiecgross Alastair Lane @AlasdairJMLane ResourcesTalking Travel Writing https://travelwriting.substack.com/subscribeWrite at Home https://writeathome.substack.com/Freelancing for Journalists https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/Substack newsletter platform https://substack.com/MailChimp newsletter platform https://mailchimp.com/ The top journo newsletters https://www.journoresources.org.uk/journalism-newsletters-journo-freelance/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.

In this episode we quiz two specialist writers about how they carved out their niche.Freelance music journalist Matt Parker discusses how he broke into magazines whilst technology journalist Sooraj Shah tells us how to approach editors when you cover a specialist beat.The Guests Matt Parker https://mattparkerfreelance.com/ @emptyparkerSooraj Shah https://soorajshah.com/ @Sooraj_ShahResourcesWorldwide freelance writing markets https://www.worldwidefreelance.com/Readly magazine database https://gb.readly.com/Journo Resources freelance rate https://www.journoresources.org.uk/freelance-rates/NUJ freelance rates https://www.nuj.org.uk/work/freelance/Creative Money https://www.creativemoney.co.uk/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.

In this episode we pick the brains of two commissioning editors to find out exactly what they want from freelance journalists.We discuss pitching techniques, reliability and writing skills with The Observer deputy news editor Lisa Bachelor and Pulse magazine editor Jaimie Kaffash.The GuestsLisa Bachelor @lisabachelorJaimie Kaffash @jkaffashResourcesPitching guidelines https://www.journoresources.org.uk/pitching-guidelines/ClipShare newspaper and magazine archive https://www.nlamediaaccess.com/publishers/publisher-services/clipshare/Readly magazine database https://gb.readly.com/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.

In this episode we unpick issues around the lack of diversity in the media and how it impacts freelance journalists. We discuss how to tackle this growing concern with travel writer Travis Levius and freelance journalist and author Saima Mir.The GuestsTravis Levius @misterleviushttps://www.instagram.com/misterleviusSaima Mir @SaimaMirhttps://saimamir.com/ResourcesJournalism Diversity Fund https://www.nctj.com/Journalism-Diversity-FundWomen in Journalism diversity report https://womeninjournalism.co.uk/lack-diversity-british-newsrooms/White Paper: Diversity in Journalism https://www.responsesource.com/blog/whitepaper-diversity-in-journalism/Press Pad: Media Diversity in the UK https://presspad.co.uk/making-the-case-for-diverse-newsrooms/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.

In this episode we speak to broadcast journalist Sam Ashoo and former professional netball player Sarah Leach about breaking into a freelance career in sports journalism.We also discuss the impact of Covid-19, the obstacles faced by women reporters in sports and how to negotiate pay rates as a freelance journalist.The GuestsSam Ashoo @samashoo_tvhttps://www.samashoo.com/Sarah Leach @sarleachhttp://www.sarahleach.com/aboutResourcesThe freelance place for new starters in TV: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tv.runnersSky Sports Careers https://careers.sky.com/jobsearchresults/The Athletic Careers https://theathletic.co.uk/careers/Journo resources freelance rate https://www.journoresources.org.uk/freelance-rates/NUJ freelance rates https://www.nuj.org.uk/work/freelance/Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.

Can you have a successful freelance journalism career outside of London? This week we spoke to two freelancers living outside the capital about how they make it work and the benefits of being based elsewhere in the country.Broadcast journalist Danielle Hayden currently lives in Manchester and is determined to work away from London, whilst print journalist Nicola Slawson wishes she had moved to Shrewsbury years ago.The guestsNicola Slawson @Nicola_Slawsonhttps://thesinglesupplement.substack.com/aboutDanielle Hayden @DaniellehaydResourcesFFJ newsletter https://freelancingforjournalists.substack.com/Medical Journalists Association https://www.mjauk.org/Scott Trust Bursary https://workforus.theguardian.com/index.php/entry-level-opportunities/scott-trust-bursaries/Positive News https://www.positive.news/Write About Your Life https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/write-about-your-life-how-to-pitch-and-find-new-stories-tickets-129277010017Broadcast Journalists Forum https://www.facebook.com/groups/863351437010810People in TV: Northern England https://www.facebook.com/groups/IneedCREWNorthernEnglandFreelancing for Journalists Facebook community https://www.facebook.com/groups/freelancingforjournalistsNo.1 Freelance Media Women https://www.facebook.com/groups/No1FreelanceMediaWomenNorthern Freelance UK journalists & media group https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=freelance%20northFreelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The Tax Farm, the accountancy service dedicated to freelancers, the self-employed and small business owners.  The right accountant is more than a number cruncher and tax return filer – they’re your business guardian, helping you make better financial decisions.  Talk to John at The Tax Farm today and quote ‘FFJ15’ to claim your exclusive 15% discount.