Although I certainly haven’t reached my writing goals, by any means, I have done some freelance writing. For a time, I was actually making a good bit of money doing it too. There were even a few months that it covered the rent, free and clear. But as the economy tanked, local outlets (the ones I wrote for) either went away or closed ranks. Editors and staff began to do more of their own writing. Magazines got thinner. “Advertorials” made up the bulk of the content. It still hasn’t really turned around, at least here. So I threw myself into finishing my Masters thesis. But you can read some of my freelance work here. I’m particularly proud of the piece on the libraries, and the one on Poe, of course.
And in answer to the other question posted, no, I don’t monetize my blog.
My writing goals include: having my reviews picked up by a national outlet and finish writing a novel.
I can do that…
Yes, to the contract part especially. In other areas of my life, I’ve experienced those awkward moments of “But you said you were going to…”
Thanks for such a thorough reply! I’ll definitely keep your tips in mind when my time to try out the market comes.
It’s tough. Almost all of the freelance writing work here has dried up. They aren’t hiring freelancers — instead most publications here make the editors write a lot of content, then have a couple of people on staff (who also take photos, write web content, sell ads) fill in with other stories.
If you haven’t done any before, I suggest finding a story that you are really passionate about and want to write anyway. Pitch it to a local outlet. Tell them you will write it for free, this time. You just really want the experience and you want the story to be told. If no one will take you up on it, post it as a blog. A blog is really the new way of getting noticed. And it acts as a great place to showcase past work – whether or not it was published traditionally.
Another way to break in to freelancing is finding a new, upstart publication. They are almost always hungry for new voices.
Last bit of advice: always have a contract. Even if it is just an email between you and the editor, lay out what you are expected to turn in (length, sources, interviews), when it is due, if you are required to do rewrites, price and when you will be paid. It saves a lot of headache and potentially embarrassing situations later.
That’s awesome that you’ve gotten to do some freelance work! I’m curious, how did you get started doing so for the local outlets?
It’s definitely something I’m curious about, although the economy is really slow here, as well.