The Independent Journalist

The Top 100 Freelancer Blogs

Bootstrapper has listed the Top 100 Freelancer Blogs. While detailing the Top 100 best sites for freelance journalists, the publishers have organized the blogs into various categories, including: Writing; Copywriting and Marketing; Design; Programming and Web Development; Finance and Business; Photography; Consulting; Freelancing and Parenting and General. The Independent Journalist was listed under the writing category in ninth place. The judges had this to say:

 "The freelance journalist will benefit from this respectable blog associated with the Society of Professional Journalists. The site has a freelancer directory, postings for jobs, and advice for freelancers all over the world."

Log on to Bootstrapper to read their recommendations and to discover a new site or two that could be helpful to you and your freelance career.

A special thanks to Bootstrapper for developing this comprehensive list.

 

Job Leads at two trade publications

The editors of two trade magazines want to expand their pool of experienced freelancers.  Specialty Coffee Retailer is a monthly magazine for owners of independent coffee shops; Tobacco Retailer is a semi-monthly for owners of independent tobacco outlets.  We are looking for writers to work on either publication or both.  This is an opportunity for steady assignments for reliable, accurate writers who can adapt to trade magazine writing-style.  Pays $350 to $500 depending on publication and assignment.

Send resume and clips to:  cweisenberger@m2media360.com

Fear And Loathing in Cyberspace: Part Two of a Freelancer's Quest to Create Her Own Web Site

I’m back! Thanks to everyone who read and responded to my initial blog entry about the creation of my Web site. I am happy to report that the site is finally launched! It is still a work in progress, but www.kathyehrichdowd.com is officially a part of cyberspace.

Though I expected to feel ambivalent about its debut—since as I wrote before I am not inherently comfortable promoting myself—I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I feel largely proud of the site. I feel like it legitimizes me as a freelancer and its launch helped me cross the threshold from someone just freelancing to fill time to a dedicated, professional independent journalist who is taking my career and my business seriously. I’m pleased that I can control the way I present myself to the professional world and the world at large.

Creating the site was no easy task. I made my share of mistakes during its creation and in the process learned a ton. Allow me to share my screw-ups and pearls of wisdom with you now:

DESIGNING THE SITE: As I mentioned in my last entry I chose to design the site on my own using the Site Solution program available free through Yahoo Small Business (YSB). I think this is a good program for an un-tech-savvy person like me. They offer a variety of appealing designs and layout templates and it was very easy to browse through them and choose ones that fit my taste. However, I eventually discovered that the program is free for a reason: its design capacity is limited. For instance, I had envisioned a fancy way in which I would showcase my clips, but after two lengthy calls to YSB tech support I discovered my idea was simply not possible. My only option—as far as I could ascertain—was to provide a simple link to the clip. I was told that to feature my clips the way I imagined I would need to use a more sophisticated program like Microsoft FrontPage. If I had to do it all over again I probably would have designed the site with a program like that, but because I discovered the limitations of Site Solution after I had already designed so much of the site I decided to stick with it.

PHOTOS: I spent a lot of time agonizing over the photos I would include on the site. It’s not that I was worried about being judged on my appearance (although I must admit that thought crossed my mind), it’s just that I believe a professional-quality Web site photo conveys the message that I am a professional-quality freelancer. I initially thought that I could achieve a professional-looking photo using a very amateur photographer—AKA my husband—but I quickly learned that was not possible. One evening around dusk we headed to the waterfront in our hometown of Hoboken, NJ and took pictures with the NYC skyline behind me. I thought these would be beautiful, but unfortunately our basic digital camera just could not capture me the way I had in mind. I was frustrated, but decided to do something I truly hate doing—asking for help. I emailed a photographer I had befriended on a PEOPLE assignment, Pulitzer Prize finalist Yunghi Kim, and asked if she would be willing to shoot me for my site. To my delight she said yes and her wonderful photos are now featured prominently on the site. In my opinion they elevate the site to a new dimension and I am eternally grateful to her for her willingness to help me with this project.

WHICH CLIPS TO INCLUDE ON THE SITE: Since I primarily decided to launch a Web site to get editors familiarized—and ideally dazzled—by my work I obviously put a lot of thought into which clips I would include on the site. I weighed the idea of simply putting every clip of mine on the site versus just uploading my favorite clips. I quickly opted to do the latter. I felt I could make more of an impact with fewer clips that made me the most proud than tons of clips that simply show I work a lot. I feel this is the right decision for me, but I can certainly understand why a freelancer might choose differently. That just felt right for me and for my style.

Now that the Web site is launched my final goal is to get people to see it. Stay tuned for my third and final blog entry, which will chronicle my attempts to publicize the site.

Thanks for taking the time to read my entry and a special thanks to everyone who took the time to drop me a line after my first entry. Feel free to keep the messages coming. I would love to hear from other freelancers or aspiring freelancers. You can respond to this entry or email me directly at kathy_ehrich@hotmail.com. Cheers to all! --KATHY EHRICH DOWD

How to Freelance in Chicago

How to Freelance in Chicago

Tuesday, Oct. 2 @7 p.m.

Columbia College's Conaway Center

1104 S. Wabash

Chicago, IL 60605

Free and open to the public.

Public transportation is suggested.

Editors want solid freelancers. Freelancers want to be published. Here's a way to connect the two.

Listen to veteran editors and freelancers discuss their tips and suggestions for freelancing in Chicago.

Editors from the Chicago Tribune, RedEye, Chicago Sun-Times, and Chicago Magazine as well as several veteran freelancers will be on a panel, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Questions? Contact Dawn Reiss dreiss100@gmail.com or call 312-590-1921.

Thinking about creating your own Web site? You're not alone

Marketing myself isn’t really my thing. Frankly, it terrifies and intimidates me. But after a year and a half of freelancing full-time I have finally come to the realization that simply willing editors to come to me with work isn’t the most proactive way to approach my career. So after much procrastination I have finally begun a project I should have tackled ages ago: creating my own Web site. In a further exercise in self-flagellation, I have agreed to document the process on SPJ’s independent journalist blog. Here’s a rundown of what I have done (and not done) so far:

STEP ONE: Like any assignment I approach, my first step is research. In this case it seemed logical to begin by studying the Web sites of other freelance writers. Truth be told, this is something I have done informally for a long time. I primarily freelance for PEOPLE Magazine, and when I’m working with a new reporter I sometimes Google him or her just out of curiosity and am always impressed when folks have taken the time to create an Internet space to show themselves off. My husband, who is in public relations, has also helped with my research. He has been on my case for months to get a Web site going, and to kick me in the tail he occasionally sends me the sites of freelance writers he knows through work. I almost always think they look great. Despite my informal research, I knew more was needed. Once I committed myself to creating my site I began to study other writers’ sites more closely. SPJ’s Freelancer Directory and mediabistro’s Freelance Marketplace both proved to be excellent resources and provided links to a number of sites I admired.

STEP TWO: Step one was easy. Checking out other people’s sites wasn’t so scary. But step two forced me to step out of my comfort zone and do something more drastic--register a domain name and pick a program to design my site. For help, I turned to a couple of freelancer friends and the mediabistro forums section. I must credit the anonymous posters on mediabistro’s forums with providing me with the information I sought. I posted a new thread asking for advice on starting a site. I received several messages back and was interested to discover that most people recommended using Yahoo Small Business to both register a domain name and design the site. I checked them out online and took the easy-to-understand “tour” of their Web site design program. I was impressed. It seemed relatively easy to use—even for a technophobe like me. Also, the price was right: for only about $10 a month they will keep the site active AND provide me with the basic tools I need to design my site. I was sold and immediately signed up. I am now the proud owner of www.kathyehrichdowd.com. Registering my own domain name was surprisingly exhilarating. And as dorky as this may sound it also felt empowering—I enjoyed taking that important step for my career.

STEP THREE: My exuberance was short-lived when I quickly discovered that designing the perfect Web site is hard work. I needed to figure out what to say, if I should include a photo of myself, which clips to include, etc. Eeek! I am in the midst of step three now—mulling over what to put on the site and forcing myself to stay focused on it. Stay tuned to see how it progresses. Also, feel free to drop me a line at Kathy_ehrich@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading! -- KATHY EHRICH DOWD

Content Writer/Researcher wanted

Every Monday morning, I receive the Job Of The Week (JOTW) e- newsletter from Captain Ned Lundquist who is a communicator based in Virginia.  Typically, JOTW is heavy on PR jobs, but this week's newsletter featured a freelance gig in London. Here is the information: 

Centre of the Cell is a science centre for children aged 9 to 16 due to open in Spring 2008. Centre of the Cell online was launched in March 2007 and will be an integral part of the Centre when it opens. We have five games on our Web site already and we need someone to write text and research images for five further interactive games.

We will require you to demonstrate that you can write clearly and concisely and can explain complex science in a simple and entertaining way to our target audience.

Duties include:

- Writing text for five interactive games

- Researching images for five interactive games

- Assisting with interactive evaluation

- Making changes to the games based on evaluation results

Freelance-based full time 20 week contract, starting in early October and completing by March 2008.

Salary will be based on a rate of £140 per day.

For further information and a more detailed job description, please send an e-mail  to: katie@centreofthecell.org.

The deadline for applying is Tuesday September 11 by the close of business. When applying, please send your CV, cover letter and a writing sample.

 

 

Freelancer with business and technical writing experience wanted!

Bert Rhine called me yesterday afternoon with a freelance opportunity. He's looking for a "freelance" writer to create a press release, a newspaper article, and a magazine story.  He wants someone with experience in business and technical writing.  The client who you would be working for has developed a new technology/process for extracting oil from sandoil.  According to Bert, if you search the Internet under "sandoil" you'll see a variety of stories, but mainly about the sandoil mining happening in Alberta, Canada.

His client has an improved technology and wants to do a media blitz in print to generate awareness of this newly-improved process.

The freelancer can be located anywhere in the U.S.  The machine currently is in Tulsa, Okla., but a trip there won't be necessary.  The principals of the company are available via phone for interviews.  There is a website www.nevtahoilsands.com

This is a one-time project, with possible follow-ups and updates.  The project should take one to two weeks at the most. The deadline is mid-September.  You'll be operating as an independent contractor and the pay range is $2,000 - $3,000. 

Please submit your interest and your background to Bert@BRMarketing.com.

C-SPAN JOBS

C-SPAN is seeking a freelance, part-time Boston-based programming representative who is an aggressive, non-partisan, self starter, to assist C-SPAN in identifying public affairs (including non-fiction book) events in Boston. Will establish and maintain contact with colleges, think tanks, bookstores, press clubs, media and public policy organizations. Should have knowledge of and interest in C-SPAN and public affairs.

C-SPAN also is seeking freelance Video Journalists in Iowa with interest in politics. Must possess adept camera skills and have own quality, mini-DV camera and able to present information in a non-partisan, straightforward way.

To apply, please visit www.C-SPAN.org and click "Jobs." No e-mails or calls please.

Freelance Gigs

Associated Content, The People's Media Company, is looking for people to submit original news stories (local, national and international) and tips and tutorials to their online media library. They also accept other topics and subject matters of your own choosing. Submitted content can be in the form of text, video or audio. AC Content Producers have been quoted in major publications. They offer monthly performance bonuses and a small upfront compensation for some content. This is an extremely flexible way to earn some extra money. Non-exclusive submissions accepted Choose your own topics, work at your own pace, and build an online portfolio.

 

To get started, visit http://www.associatedcontent.com/join/spj.

 

 

Looking for work? SPJ can help!

If someone told you that you could have unprecedented access to the world’s top editors and news directors, would you believe them? Thanks to SPJ's freelancer directory, this isn’t a far-fetched idea.

 

SPJ’s freelance directory can put your work at the fingertips of the country’s top editors and news directors. The directory enables independent journalists, who are members of the Society, to post information and links to work samples online for free. This same list is viewable by editors and news directors from around the world. They can search by state, specialty or both. All you have to do is post your best work and wait for the calls to come.

 

To help ensure these decision makers are aware of your work, we will send out regular announcements to more than 5,000 editors and news directors, explaining the benefits of using our directory.

 

Haven't registered yet? What are you waiting for? Get busy!

The 2007 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference

Learn how to tap into the trade media, expand your freelance work and better build your freelance business at the 2007 SPJ Conference & National Journalism Convention, Oct. 4-7 in Washington D.C. at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. Listed below are two programs you definitely won't want to miss! 

 

Mining the Freelance Market 

How to expand your opportunities for freelance work, what editors want and don't want, going rates, contracts, writers’ unions, liability. All the ins-ands-outs of the freelance world will be discussed along with a focus on developing new opportunities for work and how to protect yourself along the way.

Scheduled speakers are:

George Giokas, president & CEO, StaffWriters Plus

Keith Kelly, columnist, New York Post

Pilar Viladas, design editor, The New York Times Magazine

James Bennet, editor-in-chief, The Atlantic Monthly

Laurel Touby, founder, mediabistro.com

 

Building Your Freelance Business 

Many writers go into freelancing expecting to be able to just sit in their offices and write. This unrealistic view of the freelance-writing life leads to many a writer’s business failing. In this workshop, experienced freelance writers will show you how to develop a business and marketing plan. The speakers will give examples of their own business plans and how to put them together; using a formula to calculate and project your income and give you tips about small business accounting; keeping records, including what query tracking software/methods are best, and filing taxes.

 

In addition to professional development sessions, the 2007 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference offers freelancers many opportunities to network with editors who are looking for independent journalists to fulfill assignments in their newsrooms. Freelancers also can receive clip critiques at the Career Development Center.

 

With so much to offer in four days, what are you waiting for? Register today! You'll be glad you did!

 

 

posted by BethKing | 15 Comments
Filed Under: Professional Development Opportunities, SPJ Matters

SPJ decides against signing National Geographic amicus brief

On Aug. 10, SPJ leaders decided against lending the organization's name to an amicus brief in support of National Geographic in Faulkner vs. National Geographic Society. Read the press release on SPJ's Web site.  

Meet Pat Terry, SPJ's new Freelance Committee chair

Freelance writer Pat Terry, SPJ's new Freelance Committee chair, recently returned to her journalism roots after several years in business writing and public relations. And she’s delighted.

After launching her career as a business news reporter for Fairchild Publications in Cleveland, Pat wrote for the Chicago Tribune—where she met and married then-film critic Cliff Terry—before taking over a small national trade association as executive director and communications chief. Subsequent freelance PR gigs ranged from the International Housewares Show (she won Publicity Club of Chicago’s Silver Trumpet for International PR) and the National Manufacturing Week show to a female law partnership promoting children’s welfare.

But she’s back at her Mac G4 these days as a full-time freelance writer for media such as Midwest Home Chicago magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Real Estate/HomeLife section, the Chicago Tribune’s “Tempo” section, NEA Today, rugnews.com and Creative Real Estate Lifestyles.  (Cliff, a former Nieman Fellow and award-winning feature writer, has been a full-time freelancer, too, since leaving the Chicago Tribune in a huff.)

Today the Terry travel-writing team—Pat provides the photos—has been published in the Chicago Tribune travel section and Sunday magazine, The Washington Post, The Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, St. Louis-Post Dispatch, Lions and Explore.

SPJ Supports Publisher in Suit Brought by Freelance Photographer

In light of SPJ's decision to support the publisher in the following lawsuit, I've resigned as SPJ's freelance committee chair. While we can all agree to disagree on many superficial issues, nothing is more important to independent journalists than the ability to negotiate our contracts.

I wish you all well.

Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell

 

You can read SPJ's announcement here:
http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=681

Experienced RV writers needed

Freelance Business Writers – National Business Media, based in Broomfield, Colo., seeks freelance business writers for its national trade magazine covering the RV (recreational vehicle) industry. Writers should have solid reporting and writing skills, great phone skills (most interviews are phone interviews), and the ability to turn in a good story in 4-5 days. Knowledge of the RV industry is a definite plus. Most stories are 1,700-1,800 profiles of RV dealerships, profiles of RV aftermarket product manufacturers, and the occasional multi-source trend or news feature story. Payment is $300 per article. If interested, send e-mail with resume, cover letter and clips to brad@nbm.com.