Freelance journalism
Discussion
The Crack Fox said:
mattnunn said:
Start a blog, see if anyone cares what you have to say or is impressed by how you say it.
I did this (as a hobby) and have been surprised at the traffic and interest in it. My Blog is in my profile FWIW.mattnunn said:
It's certainly not a trivial or easy way to make money.
I do OK out of it, it doesn't exactly pay the mortgage, but that was never my plan anyway.OP - What subjects do you have in mind ?
"4-Copy your template onto some suitable steel and cut it out with a hacksaw. This particular MX-5 is being repaired with part of the family Barbeque, the grease will provide corrosion resistance, and give a nice meaty smell when it warms up."
Have you thought of submitting something to here? For writers of wit
JudgeMental said:
Anyone on here have any experience of this? I'm thinking of this as a potential moneyspinner.
I don't have much personal experience but I know and work with a number of freelance writers. It's VERY hard to get into and very competitive, not least because there are so many writers/bloggers doing it for free. You need a lot of good contacts at national newspapers and online outlets and it's not brilliantly paid - I got offered £90 for about 400 words by the Guardian for something I rewrote twice when they wanted a different angle, then which never even ended up getting published as they changed their minds. I know someone who interned at the FT after two years of unemployment post-journalism masters and is still just getting his career off the ground.As others have said, one of the best ways to start (if you haven't already) is by blogging. Tweet and FB your posts mercilessly. If there's a particular area you want to freelance in, study the living s
t out of it and look closely at the way others write about it. Develop your own style and don't be afraid to post controversial stuff. Good luck!I wrote a column for a trade magazine (not motors) some years ago. I don't recall being paid for it (shocking memory and equally vague accounts 
) but after a while it became a respected column and then you have the brands sending you freebies as a sweetener (I still always spoke my mind - occasionally editor would snip bits).
I've also produced my own magazine from scratch for a niche hobby - it was ludicrous hard work.
Now I write occasional pieces for random magazines including one in an angling publication. I wrote it in a very different style to what you normally read in such things, predominantly because I enjoy writing (also considered it free advertising), but I DO get paid (never asked to - first cheque in the post was a nice surprise).
Not sure I buy the blog thing, there are so many out there. I would send draft pieces to suitable publications and see if anything sticks. I sent my original piece to a couple of magazines before it got picked up.
) but after a while it became a respected column and then you have the brands sending you freebies as a sweetener (I still always spoke my mind - occasionally editor would snip bits).I've also produced my own magazine from scratch for a niche hobby - it was ludicrous hard work.
Now I write occasional pieces for random magazines including one in an angling publication. I wrote it in a very different style to what you normally read in such things, predominantly because I enjoy writing (also considered it free advertising), but I DO get paid (never asked to - first cheque in the post was a nice surprise).
Not sure I buy the blog thing, there are so many out there. I would send draft pieces to suitable publications and see if anything sticks. I sent my original piece to a couple of magazines before it got picked up.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff