FF12

FREELANCE AND FEATURE
WRITING COURSE
LESSON 12
Going it alone
LONDON SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM

AIMS
This lesson examines what you now need to do to pursue your ambition of earning
money as a freelance journalist. By the end of the lesson you should:
• be able to draw up a detailed personal action plan outlining ways of
encouraging your future development as a writer
• be able to identify those areas in which revision or further training is
required to expand your skills base
• appreciate how efficient administration and record-keeping is vital in
enabling you to operate as a successful freelances
ALL CONTENT © LONDON SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM 1995 – 2007

LESSON 12
GOING IT ALONE
Getting into print. Writing questionnaire. Revision notes. Final briefing.
Keeping records. Going freelance. Action plan.
GETTING INTO PRINT
You will, we hope, recall the chart below from Lesson One which outlined the ten
elements in the writing equation which may affect your ability to get your work
published. Subsequent lessons have studied each of these elements in detail in an
attempt to eliminate any missing links in the chain. Pause for a moment to assess how
well you believe you have mastered each of these:
YOU
Writing aims
Financial needs
Lifestyle choice
Your ‘customers’
READERS EDITORS
What do people What do editors

want to read? want to print?
Plan of approach
IDEAS ANGLES MARKETS
How do you What’s the Where will you

find them? ‘peg’? be published?
Writing process
RESEARCH INTERVIEW WRITE SELL
Lay the Speak to the Perfect your Find the right

groundwork right people technique outlet
1
This course sets out to address each of these elements, helping you to focus your
thoughts not only on how to find ideas, deal with editors and carry out interviews, but
most importantly of all, to identify what you hope to gain from your writing. Our aim
throughout has been to be practical. The prime purpose of the course has been to help
the student into print – paid print. Many will already have achieved this – including you,
we hope. Those who have not yet realised it will certainly be much nearer doing so than
they were when they started the course
You have learned that a successful freelance is a professional journalist who is paid for
writing and whose articles are published. Most importantly, you have learned that
journalists can't just write what they feel like writing, but articles that people want to
read.
During the past few months, you have been encouraged to reflect on your individual
objectives and priorities, identifying what sort of work you find most satisfying and
rewarding, how much time you can afford to allocate to it and how much income you
need to generate.
Having established a clear idea of your own aims, needs and preferred lifestyle, you
have also been encouraged to think about your 'customers', examining a wide range of
different markets and attempting to answer the question of what readers and editors
want.
This final lesson contains more practical advice about dealing with editors, organising
your records and setting yourself up as a 'professional' freelance – irrespective of
whether that is on a full or part-time basis. We hope that some of this guidance will
provide you with the final missing pieces of the jigsaw – the last gentle push, if you like,
that will spur you to get your first work published, assuming that is, that you are not
already regularly appearing in print.
For those who have not made that breakthrough, this is a crucial stage in your writing
career. It is possible that you have read all your course notes, assiduously completed all
your assignments on time and still not received that important psychological boost of
seeing your first byline in print, or receiving your first pay cheque through the post.
Although this can be severely demotivating, do not despair – and do not give up. If you
are doing virtually everything right, it will only be a question of time before you achieve
your goal – and that means sitting down with a new sense of determination and
direction, drawing up a firm action plan for the coming months and tackling a new range
of subjects with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.
By this stage, you will know the answers to a range of important questions relating to
your writing. Having received regular feedback from your tutor about your completed
assignments, you will have an accurate idea of whether you are capable of producing
saleable features, of developing ideas into well-rounded, readable articles, of
successfully identifying potential outlets for your work and of striking up productive
personal relationships with commissioning editors.
2
"Writing for pleasure and profit" is a phrase which crops up again and again in
advertisements, course notes and books targeted at aspiring writers. Of course, it's
mentioned so often because it's an appealing sales pitch – not quite as outrageous as
those of the 'How to Earn Millions Without Even Trying' variety, but because it
nonetheless rings important bells: yes, you want to write; yes, you want to enjoy your
writing; and yes, you want to make money from it – the more the better.
In this, the final instalment of the Freelance Journalism course, we've reached the day
of reckoning when you have to answer honestly the question of whether you are ready
to become a writer. It may not feel like it, but you really have spent enough time
assimilating all the background information about the ground rules of writing news and
features stories, developing your own ideas and finding markets. What you need to do
now, if you haven't already done so, is to start churning out those articles.
To help you jump off the diving board – and to allow you to organise some helpful
revision of your course notes, if necessary – we have compiled a questionnaire for you
to answer and hope you find it a useful tool in focusing your thoughts on what you need
to do next.
Whatever the future holds for you as a writer, there will be elements of your journalism
training that come in useful – in cutting wasteful words out of professional reports, for
example, in helping friends plan press coverage for local events, in understanding why
the media are behaving in a certain way. We hope that it also has provided you with the
foundation for a long and satisfying writing career, whether on an occasional basis for
pin-money, as a consuming hobby or on a semi-professional basis.
Whatever route you take, thank you for investing so much time and effort in the course.
Your assignments, comments and feedback have been invaluable and your 'company' –
even as virtual pen-friends – has been much appreciated by your tutors. The School
would like to wish you every success for the future. Please feel free to keep in touch and
let us know about your writing achievements.
3
WRITING QUESTIONNAIRE
Are you getting your work published regularly – and getting paid for it?
If the answer is YES, you have clearly mastered all the basic information covered in the
course. Skip the rest of the questionnaire and move directly to the final course notes.
If NO... 2 Are you getting into print, but not getting paid (enough)?
If YES, you're getting everything right except either your record-keeping or your
marketing. If editors aren't stumping up for published work, you need to (a) chase them
until they do and/or (b) target more reliable outlets. If the rates of payment are too low,
you need to change or expand your markets to increase your earning potential.
If NO... 3 Are you sending off articles regularly, but getting constant rejections?
If YES, analyse why. Are you targeting the right market, is your idea fully developed, is
your article adequately researched, topical and well-written?
Whatever you do, don't despair – you've proved you have the dedication to produce
finished articles. Use your course notes to analyse precisely what you could be getting
wrong – but don't give up. Redouble your efforts, rewrite articles if necessary and send
them off to different markets.
If NO... 4 Are you sending off very occasional articles and waiting on tenterhooks to get your first
feature published?
If YES, don't. It's a soul-destroying and demotivating process. As soon as you've got one
article off in the post, start work on something fresh and send that off to someone else.
Aim to have at least a dozen articles out at any one time (preferably more) – that way
you're not only learning your trade, but maximising the chances of getting work
accepted. It also makes it more of a pleasure to answer the post – a rejection isn't the
end of the world if you have other irons in the fire.
If NO... 5 Do you write plenty of material but never get round to sending it off?
If YES, this is madness. You're putting in all the hard work without giving yourself a
chance of reaping any reward for it. Re-read all your notes about finding and targeting
markets and start sending articles off – today.
If NO... 6 Do you start articles but never get round to finishing them?
If YES, this is the worst of all possible worlds. You're expending valuable time and effort
on your writing, but you have nothing to show for it – and you won't have, as long as
articles remain unfinished. Focus on what it is that prevents you from completing a piece
of work – ie time pressures or other commitments, lack of willpower, lack of direction -
and make a resolution to see at least one piece of work through to the bitter end. That
means sending it away for publication, too!
4
The solution may lie in the way you organise your work. Set aside a fixed time and a
suitable place where you force yourself to get down to your writing. Make sure you get
words down on paper, even if you're not happy with the finished result. At least you will
have a clearer idea of which bits need to be rewritten or polished up prior to publication.
If NO... 7 Do you have plenty of ideas but never really get around to putting anything down on
paper?
If YES, you've got to start asking yourself whether you have the self-discipline to
become a writer. If you're a day-dreamer, you'll still be sitting there over a coffee in a
year's time having the same conversation with yourself.
To get out of the rut, set a whole day aside where you resolve that you're going to get
something down on paper if it kills you. Start off by identifying a strong idea and jotting
down the rough shape of your article. Then start making a few telephone calls for
information/interviews – that act alone can give you a renewed sense of purpose and
direction.
Once you've got the facts you need, START WRITING - however laborious the process
seems. Keep writing until you finish your article. Read it over and correct any glaring
errors. If necessary, sleep on it and re-appraise it in the cold light of day. If you're still
not happy, repeat the process above with your second draft and get it off in the post
before you have time to pick more holes in it.
If NO... 8 Do you have problems even thinking of suitable ideas, never mind writing whole
articles?
If, even after your experience of this course, your answer is still YES, you seriously need
to reconsider whether writing's the right game for you. You know that you need self-
discipline and determination to get anything in print. On the basis of the evidence to
date, the prognosis is not good.
However, all is not lost. Sometimes you just need a 'jolt' to get you started - and once
you're off and running, there might be no stopping you. If that sounds like you, you
need to tackle some genuine writing exercises to prove to yourself that you only lack
inspiration, rather than basic writing technique.
5
REVISION NOTES
To help you get your thoughts organised, here are some of the key areas we have
covered during the course. These have been arranged in a structured way to allow you
to study those specific areas in which you feel you need to gain more experience or
understanding. We have used the same headings contained in the chart printed on page
three, in the chronological order in which they have featured in your course notes, along
with a separate section on background information. Some sections are duplicated under
different headings for easy reference.
You
What is freelance journalism? Lesson 1
The basic equipment Lesson 1
What makes a good journalist Lesson 1
Making time to write Lesson 1
Categorising features Lesson 4
Becoming an expert Lesson 6
Gossip Lesson 6
The plum jobs Lesson 6
Travel writing Lesson 6
The role of the critic Lesson 6
Sports writers Lesson 6
Columnists Lesson 6
Photo-journalism Lesson 6
Directing your writing Lesson 7
Knowing what you want Lesson 7
Finding a market Lesson 7
Common problems Lesson 7
Developing ideas Lesson 7
Choosing subjects Lesson 7
Articles for publication Lesson 7
Successful packages Lesson 9
Packages in print Lesson 9
Markets – Newspapers Lesson 10
Markets – Magazines Lesson 10
Getting into print Lesson 12
6
Writing questionnaire Lesson 12
Revision notes Lesson 12
Final briefing Lesson 12
Going freelance Lesson 12
Action plan Lesson 12
Readers
What readers want Lesson 2
Editors
Dealing with editors Lesson 9
Ideas
Sources of inspiration Lesson 9
Researching ideas Lesson 9
Developing ideas for television Lesson 11
ANGLES
News values Lesson 3

Story leads Lesson 3
News features Lesson 4
7
Features intros Lesson 5
Markets
The British Press Lesson 1
Magazines Lesson 1
Exploring markets Lesson 2
The world of sport Lesson 3
Gossip Lesson 6
Columnists Lesson 6
Newspapers Lesson 10
Magazines Lesson 10
Broadcasting markets Lesson 11
Radio markets Lesson 11
Television markets Lesson 11
8
Research
Newsgathering Lesson 3
How to find news Lesson 3
Reference books Lesson 9
Interviews
Why interview? Lesson 4
Features structure and style Lesson 4
Profiles Lesson 5
Interviewing techniques Lesson 5
Successful interviews Lesson 5
Writing
What is freelance journalism? Lesson 1
The basic equipment Lesson 1
Presentation Lesson 2
How to lay out your MS Lesson 2
Grammar, spelling & punctuation Lesson 2
House style Lesson 2
Newspaper English Lesson 2
9
The world of sport Lesson 3
What are features? Lesson 4
Features structure and style Lesson 4
Profiles Lesson 5
Gossip Lesson 6
Columnists Lesson 6
Writing for radio Lesson 11
Writing for television Lesson 11
Selling
Presentation Lesson 2
How to lay out your MS Lesson 2
Dealing with editors Lesson 9
Radio markets Lesson 11
10
Television markets Lesson 11
Keeping records Lesson 12
Going freelance Lesson 12
Background information
Historical context Lesson 1
The British Press Lesson 1
Magazines Lesson 1
Journalists and the law Lesson 8
11
FINAL BRIEFING
We now come to the final section of the final lesson and most of what is left to do is the
usual, end-of-course business: tying up loose ends, filling in the gaps, tidying up those
odd points which have, so far, obstinately refused to be included, in order to make sure
that the student is fully equipped to 'go solo' from here onwards.
Often, during this course, we have referred to the importance of the actual writing and
we have set down basic rules about how to cultivate a good style, stressing that
simplicity of expression was the essence of style. English is a very rich language and
because of its richness it can, when correctly used, be a very precise language, too.
Consider, for example, the following: edge, verge, brink, brow, frame, fringe, margin,
border, skirt, rim and hem. All of them mean basically the same – yet one wouldn't write
about the fringe of a cup, or the rim of error. There are very few, if any, complete
synonyms in English. Each word has its own particular shade of meaning.
The writer uses words on paper as the means of communication. We need hardly say
that if the writer wishes to communicate with accuracy and precision, words must be
used with accuracy and precision. Yet often this is not so. English, it must be admitted,
in addition to being a rich language, is a difficult and complex one. It behoves all of us
to use our dictionary and a thesaurus regularly to improve our command of the
language.
English is a living language, which means that it is continually changing. Common usage
can make what is wrong today acceptable in ten years' time. Many publications, too,
have what is known as a 'house style' and a journalist must abide by that. Nevertheless,
there are a number of words and phrases that are regularly – and ever more frequently,
it appears – misused by journalists. Here are a few of them, with the incorrect version
given first:
over when the writer means more than
providing instead of provided
commence for begin
prior to for before
different than for different from
best-ever for best
due to for because of
continually for continuously (and vice-versa)
affect for effect (and vice-versa)
* each, every, either, neither, everybody, somebody, none (short for no one) – all these
are singular : 'Neither your nor your father is a good cook'
* it's (with an apostrophe) is short for it is; its (with no apostrophe) is the possessive
case of the pronoun it; there is no such form as its'.
12
* Many people write 'I' instead of 'me', perhaps because they feel 'I' sounds more polite
or high-class. It is wrong to say: 'It was kind of you to invite my wife and I to dinner.'
Take out the words 'my wife and' and you will see why.
* Don't confuse fewer and less. Fewer relates to numbers, less to quantities. Fewer
people ride bicycles but there is less riding of bicycles.
* Things of a general class are compared with each other: 'He compared Kenneth
Branagh with Sir Laurence Olivier'; but things of a different class are compared to each
other: 'He compared Kenneth Branagh to a roaring lion'.
* Avoid such clichés as 'at this moment in time' and 'in this day and age'.
Helpful books:
Try to read as much as you can to improve your command of good English. You should
already have acquired your dictionary and a paperback Thesaurus of English words,
phrases and synonyms. Remember about correct spelling – so if you buy a word
processor, make sure also to buy a spelling check (and beware of those based on
American English unless you are writing for American markets).
Here are some reminders:

The Revised Gower's Complete Plain Words (Penguin)
Eric Partridge: Usage and Abusage (Penguin)
Fowler's Modern English Usage (Oxford)
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
Good English, Better English, and Best English, all by GH Vallins (Pan Books)
No Idle Words, by Ivor Brown (Greenwood Press)
Mind The Stop, on punctuation, by Carey (Penguin)
Journalism Made Simple, by David Wainwright (Heinemann)
Newsman's English, by Harold Evans (Heinemann)
Law and the Media, by Tom G Crone
Essential Law for Journalists (19th edition)
Pictures on a Page, by Harold Evans (Heinemann)
Whitaker's Almanack
Pears Cyclopaedia
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (A&C Black)
The Writer's Handbook (Macmillan)
13
Law & copyright:
These two matters often worry beginners in journalism. Both were covered in some
detail in Lesson 8 and, in addition to the current edition of Essential Law For Journalists
mentioned above, there are also short helpful sections on these subjects in the Writers'
and Artists' Yearbook. It is always worth revising your knowledge of the law at regular
intervals – at least once a year – since there are usually numerous changes and
amendments resulting from Acts of Parliament or court cases which set new precedents.
Serial rights:
This is another matter which puzzles many beginners. In this country, First British Serial
Rights means that the newspaper or magazine is being offered the first opportunity to
publish the work in Britain. The journalist or writer retains all other rights in the work -
Second British Serial Rights, First American Serial Rights, World Rights, etc. Most British
editors assume when they receive an article from a writer who is not known to them
that they are being offered First British Serial Rights; and if they accept the work, do so
on those terms. There is no need for the writer to stipulate what is being offered. A few
editors, however, do attempt to buy the complete copyright to the work – and this
means that they acquire all the other rights to the work, including the right to republish
it, in part or in whole.
Students are advised not to part with the copyright in their work. However, where
copyright is demanded, it puts the inexperienced and unknown writer in a difficult
position, either to agree to part with the copyright – or not be published. In such
circumstances, it depends on what other exploitable value the writer feels there is. Often
none – and so nothing is lost by selling the copyright. But it is almost always worth
raising a polite query.
The role of the agent:
This leads naturally on to another matter often raised by students: is it better to place
work in the hands of an agent and allow him to tackle the marketing of it? Here again,
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, in its introduction to the list of literary agents, offers
sound advice and the student is advised to read these sections carefully.
Briefly, an agent cannot sell unsaleable material any more than the writers themselves
can. This is a point often not fully understood. It is usually pointless, when an article has
been rejected for the sixth or seventh time, to send it off to an agent in the hope that
he can place it for you at a fat fee. Possible. But the chances are – and especially if you
have been doing the market study which we have been urging you to do throughout this
course – that the article is, for some reason, unsaleable.
It may sound paradoxical but an agent is often of much more use to an established
journalist and writer than to the unknown beginner. Although many agents are always
on the look-out for promising new writers, in the main, so far as short pieces of work
like articles go, they are much more welcoming to those who have already produced
saleable material, will probably find new markets and get commissions, and will
undoubtedly procure higher fees.
14
As far as fees are concerned, it is impossible to lay down any firm scales. Fees paid vary
enormously from publication to publication, and from writer to writer. From a practical
point of view, the unknown beginner has little option but to accept what is offered,
although the National Union of Journalists gives guidance on what the “acceptable”
norm should be.
If you become a fairly regular contributor to a publication, it is more than likely the
editor will gradually raise the fees, but in general payment tends to become a matter for
individual negotiation between the writer and the editor, unless a publication has fixed
rates which are made available on its website.
One final point: once you have sold an article to a publication, cultivate the market.
Don't swamp it – but try to maintain a steady flow of material to it. If, for instance, it is
a monthly magazine, send the editor three or four articles a year. Remember, too, to
keep a turnover in markets. It is a good idea to try to make the acquaintance of at least
one new market a month. That way, in the course of a year, you become familiar with a
dozen new markets. It is more than likely that at least two or three will prove to be
publications to which you could contribute.
15
KEEPING RECORDS
By now you are likely to have accumulated a motley assortment of invaluable reference
books (it doesn't matter if some are second-hand or dog-eared, as long as you find
them useful). These will certainly include a good dictionary, along with a selection of the
following: an encyclopaedia, thesaurus, almanac, atlas, gazetteer, grammar guide,
writer's handbook, book of quotations etc.
You will be keeping up with the news via TV, radio, national and local papers. But as
well as maintaining both your general knowledge and awareness of current affairs, you
should also be reading a wide range of publications with an eye on content, writing
style, topical issues and potential markets.
You may have a collection of magazines which provide potential outlets for your writing,
along with any contacts directories you stumble across - starting with the telephone
book but including local directories and specialist publications.
Hanging files:
When you come across an article on a subject that interests you – or which could
provide useful background information for a future feature – you will want to hang onto
it. You may find the easiest way of doing this is to set up a series of categorised hanging
files into which you can simply drop appropriate cuttings – headings might range from
animals to the environment or crime, according to your specialist interests, and can be
easily subdivided if they get too full.
A word of warning here – if you are finding it difficult to create time for actual writing,
it's very easy to get distracted into spending so much time reading, filing and arranging
information that you never get round to sitting down at the keyboard.
That's the advantage of a hanging file system – however busy you are, you can tear out
an appropriate article and stick it in a safe place until you have the time (or reason) to
refer to it. Don't become an obsessive librarian, though – all this background information
is absolutely worthless if you never actually get round to using it.
Accounts:
Maintain the same emphasis on efficient, minimalist record-keeping. It is vital you keep
a full record of where you are sending articles and whether editors have responded.
That way you know where all you work is, and can keep a grip on when payments are
due and which debtors need to be chased.
Create a simple record of submissions which includes columns for the title, where it has
been submitted, dates when it has been sent, returned, accepted and paid, together
with a note of the amount received.
Keeping an accurate record that can be easily interpreted by an accountant may also be
useful when it comes to calculating tax liability. Don't forget, in the excitement of
receiving a cheque, that the taxman is due his slice of it.
16
But remember that you can claim certain expenses back against tax – and in your first
year of operation, these might even offset any payments due.
Expenses:
Keep a faithful record of everything you spend and relevant receipts – for postage,
stationery and business travel, for example, along with office equipment, reference
books, periodicals – virtually anything, in fact, which you need to do your job. Don't
forget to include capital items like a computer or tape recorder if you have to go out and
buy these new in order to function properly.
Invoices:
You're not a charity, which means billing clients promptly, just like any other business.
Draw up a standard invoice form which you can photocopy and send off with any
manuscript where a fee has been agreed (or which can be posted subsequently if you
are waiting for notification of acceptance and publication rates).
This should include your name, address, telephone and fax number, date, reference
number (for your records and accounts), the client's name, MS title and publication date
(if known) and agreed fee.
You may wish to incorporate a standard statement clarifying any or all of the following
points:
• that payment is due within x days of receipt of the invoice
• that interest will be charged at 10 per cent per month on overdue payments
• that only First British Serial Rights apply
• that you retain copyright and rights of publication until full payment is
received
• that payment is due irrespective of whether or not the article is published
• that you will assume your terms and conditions are accepted unless
objections are received in writing within x days of the invoice date
Keep a duplicate copy in your files so that you have a complete record of what you're
charging, what you've been paid and what you're owed.
After a reasonable time, send out a reminder - but don't expect replies by return of post.
It may take a couple of months for your submission to be considered and accepted or
rejected, especially if you are dealing with magazines.
Chasing debts:
Inevitably, there will be the occasional bad experience which you may have to write off
– your only real protection is to keep a record of slow payers (very common) and bad
debts (thankfully much rarer) in your files and avoid dealing with them again. You can
threaten legal action or phone a publication's accounts department (or editor) every day
and it may or may not achieve results.
17
There are bodies you can complain to, but for small amounts you may not feel it is
worth the effort. Similarly, if a publication goes bust, you will find yourself at the bottom
of the list of those entitled to any assets which may remain after liquidation.
GOING FREELANCE
The National Union of Journalists has traditionally judged approved freelances by the
criterion of whether they earn three-quarters of their annual income through writing –
although that's not to say every professional achieves that amount or indeed that being
a union member is normal or necessary. Indeed, it is thought that the majority of
published freelance writers are not members of any union.
Knowing what you now know about the journalism business, you should appreciate that
there are no hard and fast rules which define when you cease to be a part-time casual
writer and turn into a professional, although the salary yardstick is no bad rule of
thumb.
This section is short because the course notes you have already accumulated contain
just about everything you need to know about becoming a freelance. Naturally, you will
need to take a businesslike approach, not only to your writing, but to the process of
finding markets, dealing with editors and keeping records.
The pros and cons of working as a freelance are fairly self-evident, but you may find it
worthwhile analysing them in some detail to try and establish whether you are genuinely
cut out for this sort of existence. The financial rewards can be proportionately higher
than the rates of pay enjoyed by staff journalists, but only a minority of established
freelances can command premium rates, and none of them has any real form of
security. Even if you land that prestigious weekly column that pays hundreds of pounds
for relatively little effort, there's always the chance of a new editor moving in and giving
you the push.
One way of avoiding such dependence on a single source of income is to develop a

broad-based portfolio for a variety of different clients. This has the added advantage of
providing a stimulating mixture of work, with your time divided between different
projects that demand different skills and may range from simple, short tasks to
complicated (and therefore more challenging and rewarding) projects. But although this
option sounds appealing, there are many freelances who, fearful of financial insecurity,
find it hard to turn work down and end up working ridiculously long hours or under too
much self-imposed pressure.
For many, a big plus is the ability to work from home and choose which hours they
work. But such flexibility isn't everyone's cup of tea. It can be a lonely existence if you
are used to office routine and camaraderie and requires considerable self-discipline to
ensure you do enough work to earn a decent living without becoming paranoid about
where your next meal is coming from.
The loneliness can be combated by networking with other like-minded individuals,

through a writers' club, a professional writers' association or simply by making contact
with other professionals in the same line of business.
18
In addition, some writers team up with a photographer in order to tackle specific
projects – although if the idea of sharing the spoils doesn't appeal to you, it may be
worth investing in a digital camera and taking a crash course in photography.
In short, freelancing is rich in potential rewards, yet fraught with risks. It takes
inordinate patience, persistence and sometimes sheer guts to succeed and can be so
physically tough and psychologically confidence-sapping that many a staff journalist with
grand plans has gone slinking back to an office routine.
On the other hand, freelances can be found in some of the most exotic corners of the
world who (naturally) claim to earn a decent living with the minimum of effort and lap
up the associated perks of free food and travel with relish.
At the end of the day, it's a case of horses for courses. If you have the drive,
commitment and vision required to make it on your own and overcome all the potential
setbacks, the chances are that you will let no one stand in your way. Just don't give up
your day job until you know you've got what it takes to make it in the writing game.
ACTION PLAN
Having completed this course, your next step should be to activate your personal action
plan. That might mean more training, more market analysis, writing letters to specific
magazines or simply ensuring you sit down at the keyboard for a fixed amount of time
each day.
Regular revision:
Just because the course has finished doesn't mean you can't carry on learning. Make a
pledge to organise your course notes and start working through them again, a section at
a time. One suggested starting point is to refer to the Getting Into Print section in this
lesson, analysing how confident you feel about each of the ten categories – particularly
those dealing with Ideas, Angles and Markets. Use this week's index to fill in any gaps.
Test the market:
Like any other business professional, you can't assess demand for your product without
market research. That means sending off those completed manuscripts – now. Don't let
articles lie unfinished, gathering dust until they are out of date.
Read your own work – and other people's:
Study other writers' techniques and keep cuttings of those pieces you particularly admire
– especially if you can identify what most appeals about them. Similarly, study not only
articles you have had rejected, but those which are published. Do you find them
satisfactory once they are in print? Have any changes been made by the sub-editors (in
which case you may learn from them)? Are there any improvements you would make,
given a second chance to tackle the subject?
19
Strive for originality:
It's hard to get other people to provide honest, objective feedback on your work – and
getting an article into print, while immensely satisfying, doesn't mean it couldn't have
been improved. That means having to be brutally honest with yourself, particularly in
discriminating between tired, jargon-ridden, formulaic prose and articles, descriptions
and even phrases which stand out because they are so colourful, vivid or original. Your
tutors always try to identify jaded prose in course members' writing, because 'real-life'
examples always make more of an impact than theoretical or textbook ones.
If you want to be proud of your writing, you need to be self-critical, while at the same
time being aware that you will never be able to keep everyone happy, and that views
about the use of language and writing style are inevitably subjective.
We use colourful images at our peril, because their inappropriate use may upset the
people we are interviewing or, worse, confuse the reader. But it is the courageous use
of language that sets the best writers apart from the crowd from the bland and neutral.
Clearly, it's useful if other people can help us identify little idiosyncrasies in our writing
which can be quickly and painlessly dropped – the habit of constantly using the rather
antiquated amidst, whilst and amongst, for example. It's much rarer to find someone
with the courage to tell us if our writing is technically OK but comes across as boring or
colourless. If you are faced with regular rejections, swallow your pride and, whenever
you get the opportunity, ask what the feature was lacking. You may not get a straight
answer, but if you can find out what a commissioning editor genuinely thinks of your
work, you may be halfway to knowing how you can meet their demanding (or just plain
barmy) criteria.
20
ASSIGNMENT 12
Draw up a detailed action plan, setting out clear targets for the next 12 months with
details of how you intend to attain them. Incorporate a short, honest assessment of
what you feel you have gained from the course and any areas where you still feel you
are lacking in confidence or experience.
Explain how do you propose to address these areas. (Maximum 500 words)
21

FF12

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

FF12

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

FREELANCE AND FEATURE

LONDON SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM

ALL CONTENT © LONDON SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM 1995 – 2007

GETTING INTO PRINT

What do people What do editors

IDEAS ANGLES MARKETS

How do you What’s the Where will you

RESEARCH INTERVIEW WRITE SELL

Lay the Speak to the Perfect your Find the right

News values Lesson 3

Here are some reminders:

The role of the agent:

One way of avoiding such dependence on a single source of income is to develop a

The loneliness can be combated by networking with other like-minded individuals,

Test the market:

Read your own work – and other people's:

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi