Linda Jones - Freelance Writing: Straightforward Advice from a Woman Who Knows

The author, Linda Jones, has been a successful journalist, agency director and award-winning blogger for over 20 years. She founded Passionate Media, a company that specialises in social media, media relations, copywriting and journalism for a variety of clients. Linda has contributed to most national newspapers and womens magazines. Now she edits a leading travel blog and parenting website. She also runs regular workshops for freelance writers on how to make more money. Follow Lindas freelance writing blog at www.freelancewritingtips.com

Freelance Writing

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Greatest Guides Limited, Woodstock, Bridge End, Warwick CV34 6PD, United Kingdom

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Author Acknowledgments

Thanks to everyone I have interviewed for this book, to the members at the JournoBiz forum who have been a source of support since 2003 and to Joanne Mallon for her contribution and foreword. Thanks to Nick Daws for his input. Many thanks to all the bloggers who have taught me so much over the years, to Craig McGinty for his wisdom and to my colleagues at Passionate Media for all their help.

This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If youre reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy to ensure you are not in breach of copyright.

Thank you.

eISBN 978-1-907906-65-7

For Neil, Emily & Melissa.

Contents

Foreword

Well, whod be a freelance journalist these days? There are far easier ways to earn a living. Publications are closing, rates are being squeezed, and surveys show that journalists rate just below traffic wardens and tax inspectors in popularity.

And yet its not all bad the huge explosion in online publishing has meant that there are now more outlets for your writing than ever before. And a writer can find themselves doing jobs that didnt even exist ten years ago, such as running a blog for a client, or getting hired to tweet.

In the last year alone, Ive had overseas trips, rubbed shoulders with celebrities and made it into publications read by millions. But more importantly for me, I have the flexibility to work around my family, work from home and the choice to take the afternoon off if I want. I have a career that Im in charge of, doing what I love.

But its not all about the perks I think that writing is something that youre called to do. When I am coaching journalists, even though they express frustrations about the business, the bottom line is they can never imagine doing anything else. They dont want to do anything else, even though other careers might seem easier.

And if being a writer is your calling, I can tell you for definite that that calling never goes away it just gets louder. Dont try to ignore your urge to write because its not going anywhere.

So, if you have a call to write, to turn that into a skill you can make a living from, youre going to need some help. Whether youre already working as a freelance or taking your writing from a hobby to a profession, youll learn a lot from these pages.

I think that the biggest mistake we can make as writers is to assume that we know all about what were doing. There is always more to learn new methods of marketing, new avenues to explore, new people to talk to who will inspire fresh ideas.

The great thing about this books author, Linda Jones, is that not only does she have the wisdom of what it takes to do this job well, shes willing to share it.

Good luck and happy writing!

All the best

Joanne Mallon

Joanne Mallon is a freelance writer, she also coaches journalists and editors to help them get better at what they do. www.MediaLifeCoach.com www.JoannetheCoach.com

Introduction

There is no doubt that times are tougher than ever for many freelance writers. Many long established publications have now folded or had their freelance budgets removed.

Online, theres no end of opportunities to write but few are well paid or even paid at all. Why would anyone bother to become a freelance writer in such dire circumstances? Lots of experienced freelancers may say dont bother and some are quitting to find more stable means of employment. Nobody could blame them.

Id also say dont bother dont bother, that is, unless you are prepared to work hard, to market yourself and set yourself apart from the competition, learning new skills along the way. If you are good at what you do, meet deadlines, supply excellent copy and build strong relationships with your editors, then you still have a chance.

You need an endless supply of timely ideas, an old fashioned nose for a story and a strong work ethic. You also need to be ready to adapt and continue to learn, be inspired by innovative writers and editors, fully exploring the potential of newer media practises and new ways of investigating, reporting and reading.

This book does not give you a magic wand to wave to transform your life into an never-ending round of exciting commissions, work coming out of your ears and a client list to die for. Instead, it offers down to earth, straight-talking advice to allow you to make your own way in this most competitive of fields and understand what you are up against. This comes from my own experience and some of the advice included comes from hard lessons learned.

Ive been a freelance writer since 1998, and, in 2003, I set up the agency Passionate Media, we now specialise in all sorts of words from journalism to social media and a smidgen of media relations thrown in too (I never thought Id see the day). The tips in this book come from what has worked for me, they have helped people on training workshops I run, colleagues at Passionate Media and writers I have mentored. I hope they work for you too.

Theres a definite bias in favour of journalistic writing, with more commercially-minded endeavours also included in these pages. This is where my experience lies.

Writing is a tough old business and I love it. Ive built a company out of my freelance writing career and consider myself very lucky and privileged to make a living out of something that I enjoy so much.

But thats not to say it has been easy. Anyone who goes into freelancing thinking the streets are paved with gold needs to get a grip. Make sure you are going in with your eyes wide open.