Freelance Work

silvine

If this is the wrong forum, moderators feel free to move it. I'm looking to get some freelance stuff published, any idea what magazines/papers/sites need some writers? I can write news, politics, technology, colour pieces, entertainments (music, film). I can also do subbing.

Blush_01

Approach newspapers with review after review of anything. Eventually they'll succumb to your persistence and print stuff.

jdivision

Come up with ideas, write the stuff up and then approach an editor. To be honest if you have no experience you're not going to be writing political stuff - if you're only starting out you're a nobody and no editor is going to give you a voice just like that.

silvine

I've a degree in journalism!! I've shag all experience though. Should I send in the finished articles? What's to stop them publishing them under someone else's name if I do?

jdivision

silvine wrote:

I've a degree in journalism!! I've shag all experience though. Should I send in the finished articles? What's to stop them publishing them under someone else's name if I do?

To be honest, so what if you have a degree in journalism. So do I. you're still not going to get political articles published, you have to understand you're starting at the bottom. Amazing how many graduates come out thinking that they'll be able to write whatever they want and then they discover that well, actually every newspaper has somebody else already covering the main niches. You have to find your own or spot something they missed. Don't send in the finished article, ring the editor in charge of the section (don't ring the overall editor) you want to be published in or get their email address and drop them a mail, describe the article, point out why its relevant and see what they say. After you get a few pieces published by an editor, ask to meet up with them for a quick coffee (they'll probably say no but don't be offended by that) and start to foster a relationship. Don't be afraid to write in to newspapers and ask for work experience. Work your ass off, don't send in crap work and don't pitch something you can't back up. If somebody rings you up offering you work try not to say no if at all possible. Always make your deadlines or you'll never be commissioned again. Also I wouldn't say "I can do subbing" to anybody if you're in any way serious about getting work, sounds like a 12-year-old. Every newspaper has its own style and you'll need to learn the nuances of each too, read your work after it's been published. Compare it to what you sent in and learn from that. I've been a journalist for eight years by the way. I'll give you any further advice you want.

dr.bollocko

ahaha
Degree...
journalism...
brilliant.

DublinWriter

silvine wrote:

I've a degree in journalism!! I've shag all experience though.

Oh dear.

Didn't they give you any career guidance what-so-ever or try and get you placed?

A mate of mine did a VEC one-year certificate course in journalism back in 199-splash, and they placed everyone in the class somewhere. He's now one of the most respected editors around with several published non-fiction titles (not saying who!).

If you want to work full-time, you'll have to bang on the doors of the regional free-papers and claw your way up from there.

Usually with new blood, the doors are closed with the likes of The Times or Indo unless your related to someone. And forget Hot Press...they take a rare delight in slapping young journalists down as everyone seems to want to write for them at first.

The most progressive national newspaper organisation I know of is Thomas Crosbie holdings (Sunday Business Post & Examiner). They're less nepotistic than the other nationals and are always open to new blood, although they do run their own journalism school and generally pick from that over outsiders. The Dubliner and Business Plus are also generally open to new blood.

Again, be prepared to work for peanuts, even free at this stage in your career. Don't even mention your subbing skills - you'd be better off saying that you make a mean cup of tea - leave subbing to the big boys/girls for now.

DubGuy05

If this is the wrong forum, moderators feel free to move it. I'm looking to get some freelance stuff published, any idea what magazines/papers/sites need some writers? I can write news, politics, technology, colour pieces, entertainments (music, film). I can also do subbing.

For a start, forget about subbing unless you've proven experience elsewhere - it costs time and money to train in a sub and no editor can spare either.

For writing, it can be easy but you will need to remember that editors do not have the time to help tease out half-baked ideas or loose notions of things that you may or may not be interested in. Forget about suggesting reviewing movies, games, theatre etc. Newspapers will have proven people covering these and any idiot can call up and say "i like to watch movies, i can review them." Instead offer ideas for pieces with a sound basis behind them. If you ring a features/sports/news editor you will have roughly 30 seconds to sell your idea to them. If they want it, they'll commission it. Be succinct, be detailed and have thought it through fully before you contact them.

If you're contacting editors with feature ideas, be sure you have people who will be willing to be featured in the article.

Most of all, though, have some balls. It's likely an editor will not go for an idea and tell you out straight. They won't break it to you gently to save your fragile ego, they don't have the time. If this happens, either come back at them - or go to another editor - having worked on the idea a little more.

If you have layout/subbing experience and would prefer to work in the production side of things, you could do worse than offering your services for a week or so for free and working your backside off to show them what you can do. You then may - may - be considered if the odd shift comes up. This is your way in.

Good luck!

silvine

Harsh words indeed. It's looking like an unpaid work experience placement to be honest. Oh if only I'd spend less time going out during college and more doing something usefull..

mox54

From here on in it's all about experience, you've done the academic bit and that's grand but nobody will really give a toss because the next question is, 'well, what have you done'...so you need to get doing it and build on you're degree but my advice would be to leave the degree in the background and work on the work!!:rolleyes:

Dave3x

I know this is not the most pleasant thing to hear for most people, but I really like repeatedly hearing this.

I very nearly went to DCU journalism, but opted for an English & Philosophy degree instead. I've been published plenty and am learning a lot in the college paper... which is 'qualifying' me for a job much better than my degree is.

I've heard bad things about the journalism courses- that they standardise writng styles, that the only thing they teach that day-to-day experience can't is shorthand. And, the college paper i work for got a letter from DCU asking advice on how to make a college newspaper- a bit odd for the only university in dublin offering a journalism course.

So, I'm always happy to hear that I made the right choice...hopefully...

jdivision

Dave3x wrote:

I know this is not the most pleasant thing to hear for most people, but I really like repeatedly hearing this.

I very nearly went to DCU journalism, but opted for an English & Philosophy degree instead. I've been published plenty and am learning a lot in the college paper... which is 'qualifying' me for a job much better than my degree is.

I've heard bad things about the journalism courses- that they standardise writng styles, that the only thing they teach that day-to-day experience can't is shorthand. And, the college paper i work for got a letter from DCU asking advice on how to make a college newspaper- a bit odd for the only university in dublin offering a journalism course.

So, I'm always happy to hear that I made the right choice...hopefully...

Standardised writing styles is the norm when it comes to news reporting, and that's the only reason and section where it's taught like that. So they're correct to do that. You've been published where other than the college newspaper? DCU's old newspaper run by the journalism students got closed down due to libel iirc - they may be finding a way to see how other newspapers avoid that. The student union one was always a rag.