Freelance Writer

I love writing articles and have been told by many teachers, adults, friends, etc. that I should get into journalism. However, I have no money for school and I’m about to have my first child.

What all does it take to get into the journalism field?

It takes writing talent, talent that can be enhanced through work with a mentor. Rather than spend money on tuition, I’d consider finding a talented journalist or writer or poet in the area who will coach you. Sometimes, writers give classes that can be of benefit.

Working for a large national news organization can be a soul-sucking experience. It’s the editorial staff and top executives who decide what articles and topics get exposure. Often, it’s the sensational, violent, sexual, distractions rather than true news stories. The Internet provides you with opportunities to blog and self-publish.

Personally, I’d rather publish my own with my own editorial control. The media totally fails to provide stories that help people with their personal and spiritual (whatever that means) growth. Mainstream media provide distraction rather than truth. I’d focus on learning more about what Noam Chomsky has to say about US foreign policy rather than what PBS or FOX news programs provide. Mainstream media just reports the power elite spin on the news.

I’m trying to find out how much freelance journalists get paid in the UK or any websites that would be of use.

Thanks

It varies, some get paid a set sum, and others are paid by the word, you could check with the writers guild to find out the amounts.

I remember stumbling upon this website last year but can no longer remember the URL. Freelance journalist post their story ideas to the site, and if a person chooses, he or she may donate to that journalists cause.

If you which website I am talking about, please let me know.

you can find the website on Google.

it feels like I will never get through their barricades?! – if you email their general addresses you won’t get a reply

That’s because there will be a lot of journalists who are trying to get into the larger papers the "easy way", you have to stand out from the other thousands(?) of journos trying to break through.

Get a reputation outside the local media, be ruthless in bettering your career, the further up the media ladder you go the harder it gets and you will meet people whose ethics seem cruel but the media business is cruel.

Hai to you all,

I would prefer to ask actually some professional about this, but i believe any of you could simply answer the question. Here’s the situation : i haven’t yet started out entering college and taking my bachelor degree. I’m planning to continue studying film in US or Canada. But, like we all know deciding to study overseas would eventually cost a lot of money (for tuition fee mainly) that’s why i from now had begun to make plan which include to find a "part-time" job as freelance journalist or photographer for a daily newspaper or monthly magazine while i come there and finish up my program.

So, these are specific questions i would like to know :
1. Could i be "hired" as like i told you already?

2. I don’t have any journalism experience on my record but, i do speak english and have been helping out my dad (unpaid) to write his articles and books (in english) in my country. I’m highly passionate to "investigate" an event or stalking people legally. Would that be enough?

3. How do we start this off? I mean, i really have no clue to "enter" this world. Could anyone here give me any specific requirement for being freelance journalist or photographer in USA or Canada?

4.Last thing, any important tips to become a "qualified" journalist or probably to be hired permanently.Please, let me know if anyone here know something.

Well, that’s all. Thanks in advance. Sorry if i sounded very ignorant and probably a bit dumb.I mean i’m genuinely interested in this area, but i just don’t know how to work things out!
Thanks for the tips and info,man! I do really need it. That’s exactly what i’ve been looking for.

small news papers use free lance photographers and reporters but pay is poor. They may use you on an as and when basis and if you are good you will get more jobs from them.

You could start by conacting one perhaps send a few pictures you have taken. I am assuming you have a good camera.

This isnt going to be covering plane crashes etc but more likely car crashes, funerals and school events. It will be starting small.

Some medium sized newspapers use stringers in towns that are not important and too far away to visit quickly. Contact a few papers and see if you are in the right place.

Finally you can submit articles to papers to see if they accept them. If your articles are any good they might commission you to do something they really want.

i’ve just started doing in a course in freelance journalism and altho they have sort of covered my question I was wondering other ways I would go about getting a job as a freelance journalist. How would I go about it?
Starving billionaire, thanks the for info. I will try googling a few sites. I’m aware I need to do a few free jobs to build a portfolio and any other info you have about it would be muchly appreciated.
manbo atm im not qualified to do more than freelance im only doing a freelance course atm. After I’m finished I’ll look into taking it further thanks for the info also.

Craigslist has a site for writer/editor want ads, if you’re in a big city.

Query newspapers directly and ask to work. Sports depts. have freelance budgets; other depts. might or might not. Tell them you want to be a stringer (that’s newspaper jargon for freelance).

Why be freelance, though? Do that to earn samples, but look for full-time work.

Also, the guy who told you to work for free is an idiot. Work cheap, but not free. Newspapers will pay you something, even if it is only $20 an article.

where do you start?

just write freely

i wont to be a freelance journalist so how do i get started
how can i be a freelance journalist?
i wont to make a news paper with alll my storys i wont cover protestes and things that happen in the news (somthing that is big) stuff like that

What KIND of freelancing writing do you want to do? There are many kinds of freelancers, and securing assignments is going to be different for each kind of writing you wish to do. Example: you want to cover sports, then you have to decide at what level…local, regional, national, amateur or professional.
You want to cover politics? Well, don’t talk to a sports magazine.
You want to write a blog? That’s not being a journalist, that’s writing "OPINION"..good luck at selling that!
Sorry, but you just need to give us more info.
P.S.: the word is "want", not "wont".. "wont" is something you write in a chat room.

get a cam, keep ur eyes open, click anything u think is worth clicking and get in touch with the newspaper offices. sooner or later, u r bound to get noticed. good luck.

It is something I have always wanted to do and, being as I am about to finish Uni and ‘fly the nest’ for the first time, I finally have my chance to pursue my ambition.

I have purchased a cheap, reliable SLR and have brought my photography skills up to scratch, as well as enrolling on several writing courses to improve my style.

As I am just starting out I will have a regular 9-5 desk job, and practice journalism in my own time to earn a bit on the side- therefore I am not wholly reliant upon my skills as a beginner. In brief, what do I need to know to get started? I’m in the UK, by the way.

Do ‘Investigative Journalists’ really exist or are they just a part of Hollywood crime drama? This is an area I’d really like to work in, if it is as lucrative a field as we are led to believe!

Among my chief attributes are tenacity, patience, and eye for detail and a willingness to constantly push at my personal barriers to reach my goal- are these good for a journalist?

Thanks!

I am very envious! You certainly possess the skills and attributes required. Now all you need is the experience. There is a website called www.nowpublic.com which you should find interesting. It gives you the ability to create your own news stories and should be the perfect way to nurture your photo-journalistic skills as well as interact with people with the same interest. I havent had the time to post my own stories on this site, but I have had some of my pictures used on this website. I posted my pictures on www.flickr.com and have had emails asking for permission to use my pics on nowpublic.
Best of luck!