Posted by Admin Team on Tue, Aug 03, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
It’s possible to go your entire career without ever needing a lawyer, but many freelance writers at some point will find themselves looking for legal advice. Whether you’re negotiating a book deal, wrangling content under fair use, or fighting a lawsuit, having an attorney on your side can make your job easier and lead to better outcomes. Retaining counsel, of course, can cost big bucks that many freelancers don’t have. Here are a few resources for obtaining free or reduced-cost representation and information.
Legal Representation
Lawyers for the Creative Arts offers free legal assistance to media professionals work for themselves or others. Based in Chicago, the group provides direct counseling and referrals to area attorneys. LCA also serves as an educational resource and answers legal questions via phone and email. Its expertise include: Copyright, rights clearance and fair use, contracts and negotiation, and rights of privacy and publicity. LCA does low-cost dispute resolution through its mediation service.
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts is a New York-based group of more than 1,200 volunteer attorneys. Like the LCA, it provides various services for creative professionals, including an advice hotline and pro bono representation for low-income artists and nonprofit arts organizations. Its Art Law Line fields calls from people seeking legal or business advice, referrals, and information; it’s staffed by law interns who help answer legal questions from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern on weekdays.
Online Media Legal Network is a legal referral service for online journalists, as in writers who work for digital media. Its lawyers can help freelancers in diverse matters, including copyright and fair use, access to government documents, pre-publication review of content, and business affairs. They even represent reporters in litigation. The service, run by the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, is basically a database that sends writers’ requests out to a nationwide network of volunteer attorneys who flag which cases interest them. OMLN then helps determine who’s the best match. Reduced-cost and pro bono advice is available, based on the writer’s annual income.
Information and Financial Support
The Media Law Resource Center is a nonprofit information clearinghouse. It was set up in New York by media organizations to keep track of First Amendment-related issues nationwide. Its free public resources include answers to frequently asked questions about libel and slander, as well as links to helpful websites where writers can learn more about freedom of speech, information and the press — and related laws — in the U.S. and other countries.
The nonprofit Media Legal Defence Initiative, based in London, provides legal support to journalists and media outlets worldwide who seek to protect their right to freedom of expression. The group works to increase the resources available to the press in defending their rights through its global network of lawyers (and other partners). Among its varied services, MLDI can pay legal fees and assist writers in finding free legal advice.
The Society of Professional Journalists, based in Indianapolis, awards grants to help journalists defend the freedom of speech and the press. Writers can apply for financial support through the professional organization’s Legal Defense Fund if their case involves public access to U.S. government records and proceedings. SPJ prefers to fund cases that it believes will have far-reaching, positive impact.
The Arlington, Va.-based Student Press Law Center targets student-run publications, but its Virtual Lawyer tool on its website offers free basic information about copyright, censorship, advertising, libel, protecting sources, and other issues related to reporting. The site also features links to online legal research and other resources.
Posted by Maya Smart on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
Whew! Landing that new client was a boon to your bottom line. However, now the editor is asking you to sign a freelance contract that’s packed with legal terms you’ve never seen before (or haven’t paid much attention to). To help you protect your business, we put together this short list of terms that every writer should know.
First North American serial rights
Magazines and newspapers often ask writers for the first North American serial rights. By agreeing to this, you’re promising first dibs on your story in the U.S. and Canada. Many publications (a.k.a. “serials”) now say these rights include their websites, too. In other words, they won’t pay you extra for putting your print story online, in the digital version of their periodical. Even so, with FNASR, you retain the copyright.
“It’s equally important to know what you’re not selling,” notes Moira Allen, editor of Writing-World.com. “You are not, for example, licensing a publisher to reprint your work in another format, such as an anthology. The publisher may not distribute the work outside North America; that would require a transfer of ‘international rights.’ …FNASR is an ‘exclusive’ right, which means you can’t transfer it more than once or to more than one publication.”
Electronic publishers often use the broad term “first rights,” without specifying how or where your work may be published. Before agreeing to this, consider whether you may want to pitch or sell the same article elsewhere. If so, request more specific language in your contract, such as “first electronic rights.”
All rights
Beware of this blanket term, which is often used by publishers who don’t want to buy additional rights (reprint, anthology, archival, etc.) later on. Once you’ve sold “all rights” to your article, you may never resell it—but the publisher can, without sharing the proceeds.
“All rights is usually a bad deal for writers,” advises author Marcia Yudkin, who specializes in creative marketing. “It means you sell the magazine the right to publish the article as many times as they like, to resell or to license the rights to a movie or computer database or audio publisher without paying you another dime, ever. If you’re asked to sell all rights, try to negotiate something better.”
That “something better” could be first rights of the type you specify or perhaps “exclusive rights” for a limited period of time, such as 60 days after submission or publication. That essentially means you reserve the right to resell the piece after the agreed upon period ends.
Work (made) for hire
This is like “all rights,” except that you’re giving up any claim to copyright. Most work for hire is done by full-time staffers — as in, the company owns all of what they produce — but some publications want freelancers to agree to this, too. If you do, you are allowing the publisher to use your work however they see fit, including under someone else’s byline. You can’t safely reuse the reporting you did, either, because any similar material you use could “infringe” upon the copyright, which you no longer own!
“In most cases, work-made-for-hire and all-rights contracts are a rotten deal for writers. If publishers want additional rights beyond first print rights—exclusive or non-exclusive — they should pay for them,” says the American Society of Journalists and Authors in a position paper on the topic. “In only a very few situations do we acknowledge that such arrangements may be acceptable: a book ‘written to order’ as a promotional vehicle for a company and/or its products, for example … or certain kinds of corporate writing.”
In some cases, such as when you foresee no real potential reusing or reselling the material, this may be fine. Think: technical and users’ manuals, corporate press releases, or marketing materials. But, in general, avoid “work for hire” contracts whenever possible.
Payment on delivery, acceptance or publication
Beyond your rights, make sure any contract includes terms of payment. “Payment on delivery” means that your fee is due as soon as you turn in your story (and an invoice, if requested). “Payment on acceptance” is pretty much the same thing, unless you’re submitting an article that wasn’t commissioned: You’re sending in original work so an editor may review it, at which time they may or may not decide to use it. “Payment on publication” means that your invoice won’t get processed until after your story is published.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, who writes a “Quips and Tips” column for her blog, The Adventurous Writer, recommends establishing a deadline for “payment on publication” offers. “If you agree to accept the editor’s payment on publication offer, ask for a light at the end of the tunnel. For instance: ‘Payable upon publication or six months from date of acceptance, whichever is sooner.’ That way, you’re not sitting around for years, waiting for the editor or publisher to pay you for your writing.”
Kill fee
Last, but not least, you’ll want your contract to include language that ensures you’ll get paid for assigned work if your story never runs (or “gets killed”), for whatever reason, usually having nothing to do with the writer or the quality of the writing. “Publications die. Editors have a change of heart. Insist that a kill-fee clause is part of any contract you negotiate or sign,” Jeffery D. Zbar advises in Writer’s Digest. “Ask for 50 percent; settle for no less than 30 percent. If the magazine demands to pay less, you may be dealing with a substandard publication—and be inviting trouble.”
Posted by Maya Smart on Mon, Apr 19, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
Sometimes freelance writers make the task of drumming up new business harder than it needs to be by overlooking the resources right in front of them. Before you spend a lot of time chasing editors you've never met, why not tell the most trusted people you already know that you're looking for work? That's right: Talk to your friends and family.
You don't have to be Rupert Murdoch's next of kin or Arianna Huffington's BFF to use personal connections to your professional advantage. Your inner circle may not include any media moguls, but one of your friends or family members may know someone — or know someone who knows someone — who needs a story you're ready and willing to write.
Explain what it means to be a "freelance writer."
We tend to view friends and relatives as the people we hang out with when we're
not at work. But as freelancers, we have to bring our networking A-game all the time. This includes casual and recreational situations. Start by clearly explaining your work, goals and interests. It's shocking how easily the uninitiated can equate "freelance writer" with "slacker."
Avoid this (and other frustrating situations) by providing examples of what you do — and don't do. Want to meet Lucy Lou who runs the pet daycare and needs someone to put together her Web site? No. Tell people what you specialize in, who your ideal clients are and which types of sources you like to cultivate. Help your friends and family help you.
By letting everyone know how hard we work, what exactly it is that we do and what we're looking for in terms of jobs, we enable them to share that information with others. Then, if they know or meet people who may be helpful to us, our names come to mind. The best part: Our new connection comes with a personal reference.
Keep everyone in the loop.
Once your friends and family know what you're up to, remind them again later. The easiest way to do this is to send them links to new stories periodically. The people who support you like to see what you're up to. If you belong to Facebook or another social network, post the link there, too. Encourage loved ones to forward or repost your work.
When my husband and I relocated to South Carolina several years ago, he told a local beat reporter he met that I was a writer, too. The reporter's wife happened to be an editor, and she got in touch with me when she was seeking writers for the launch of G Magazine, a lifestyle publication in Greenville. The connection led me to some interesting assignments, such as profiles of local celebrities, including bluesman Mac Arnold and Tour de France veteran George Hincapie.
Pursue leads — and follow up on them.
Recently, I was sitting next to a friend of a friend at a basketball game. He asked me what I do and I told him, very specifically, that I was a freelance writer who specializes in covering business topics for print and online media. As it turned out, he had a good friend who was the publisher of a national business magazine and said he would introduce us.
I sent the acquaintance a letter of introduction (for more on these, check out First Impressions: The Letter of Introduction), which he forwarded to his publisher friend. By the end of the month, I had a freelance assignment for the magazine.
Posted by Maya Smart on Fri, Apr 09, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
Many writers pay to join professional organizations, yet never actively participate in the groups. Perhaps they just want the tax write-off — but why stop there? By simply seizing the opportunity to meet colleagues (think: potential clients) a modest investment in membership dues could bring a boon to your freelance business.
First, choose an organization that best suits your interests, needs and business pursuits. Groups operate on local, regional and national levels, and cater to different ethnicities, beats and experience levels. The American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Editorial Freelancers Association, the Society of Professional Journalists
and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers are good examples.
Next, get involved in the group's activities. Attend events, introduce yourself to other members, and volunteer your expertise. Use your membership to expand your knowledge, your presence, and your list of contacts. Work to make yourself stand out from the crowd, so that other members seek you out when opportunities arise.
I belong to two of the organizations that I mentioned above. I participate in each one differently. I began participating in SPJ by attending its national conference. Prior to that, I submitted a proposal to be a speaker, which was accepted. I gave a presentation titled "The Truth About Freelancing" that greatly increased my visibility among attendees. Afterward, numerous people approached me and said they'd learned a lot from what I had to say. In essence, my speech was a conversation starter that led to connections and opportunities I'd never anticipated. This October, I'll play a larger role at the national convention by presenting a half-day freelancing boot camp and hosting a booth in the exhibition hall. (I hope to see some of you there.)
I also participate in local SPJ activities through the Virginia Pro chapter. At my very first local gathering, I made connections that led to freelance assignments with Virginia Business, a monthly magazine. Next month, I'll moderate a panel on writing for social change in conjunction with the chapter and James River Writers, another group I belong to.
My involvement with the Society of American Business Editors and Writers developed differently. I learned about SABEW when I was a graduate student at Medill, attending the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention in Atlanta. A couple of SABEW members gave a great presentation on finding the red flags in financial statements. I applied for membership the following year while I was the online reporter for Crain's Cleveland Business, but I didn't become active until I began freelancing full time. I signed up for SABEW's fall conference in 2007 and attended a business-reporting boot camp held beforehand at the University of North Carolina.
I stood out as one of the few freelancers at the fall conference. So, when SABEW board members began looking for people to help develop member services for that demographic, my name came to mind. By volunteering to create programming for freelancers within that organization, I gained visibility. Last year, I became the first freelancer to be elected to the board of governors. Through SABEW, my work caught the attention of editors who have since hired me for other projects, including writing for CNNMoney.com and BusinessJournalism.org.
You never know where the connections you make through a professional organization will lead, and — if you're willing to put in a little effort — it's hard to imagine a scenario in which your freelance business won't benefit from the investment.
Want to know more about how to get the most out of attending group events? Check out my recent post, "How Freelancers Can Make Conferences Pay."
Posted by Maya Smart on Wed, Apr 07, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
Starting a freelance writing business can seem daunting, even for veteran writers. You've got your resume, letter of introduction, and clips in order. You know what you'd like to write about, but you're not sure whom you'd like to write it for. Maybe you don't have any former employers to hit up for assignments — or you want to cast a much wider, more lucrative net. Where do you start? One option is the Internet, where you'll find a slew of resources to help you hit the ground running. Here are four Web sites that I use and highly recommend.
FreelanceDaily
FreelanceDaily.net is kind of like a Craigslist for freelancers. The site rounds up writing leads from various online sources, including classified ad posts, and breaks them down into categories for easy scanning. These categories include travel and food, medical health, copywriting, scriptwriting, and more. Sometimes dozens of new posts appear daily.
Of course, much in the same way you would test-drive a car before buying one via Craigslist, you should check out potential clients before agreeing to work for them. Some of the posts on FreelanceDaily are dubious. As a freelancer, it's your responsibility to do due diligence: Ask questions, vet contracts, and clarify your terms to make sure that you can collect the fees you have agreed upon for services rendered. Always trust your gut instincts. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Protect yourself from flaky clients by declining work when necessary.
FreelanceSuccess
This members-only site costs about $99 a year to join, which is a small price to pay for the access to valuable resources you'll get in return. My favorite FreelanceSuccess feature is its in-depth weekly newsletter, which provides detailed guides to specific markets. FreelanceSuccess staffers often base their information on actual interviews with editors at the publications profiled, which tend to be those that pay at least 50 cents per word for articles. This gives freelance writers a chance to get inside editors' heads to see what they need, what kinds of writers they're looking for and what deadlines they're working with. Plus, the editors frequently discuss how writers can be most successful in pitching to them. Armed with this knowledge, you can tailor your pitch letters to meet their needs.
FreelanceSuccess also offers:
- A strong community of freelance writers
- In-depth market guides
- News about editorial staffing changes at publications
- A forum for freelancers to exchange ideas and tips
- Subscriber database that helps link editors with writers
Mediabistro
This popular site for media professionals offers all sorts of helpful tools. However, its job listings section isn't always the best place for freelancers to find work. Instead, you may consider trying out its Freelance Marketplace, which costs about $150 a year. In the marketplace, Mediabistro allows members to post profiles of themselves that include contact information, work history, links or attachments of writing samples and other details for editors who are looking for freelance writers.
If 150 bucks sounds steep, it's been worth the investment for me: Editors from publications I'd never thought to approach, including Small Business Banking News and Black MBA magazine, contacted me through its directory. For more on how to succeed with Mediabistro's Freelance Marketplace, check out "Get Found on Mediabistro's Freelance Marketplace" and "Convert Mediabistro Freelance Marketplace Profile Views to Sales."
Mediabistro also recently launched a program called Freelance Connect. This forum has a bidding system that operates sort of like Elance.com. An editor with a particular assignment in mind details it on the site, and then writers bid on the job. In general, I don't like bidding sites, which too often create a race to the bottom. If you're going to bid, present yourself as a better, stronger option rather than low-balling yourself and decreasing the value of your work.
Finally, you may also want to check out Mediabistro's Fishbowl sites, which sometimes contain news about career moves within various publications. Say you've got the perfect story about climate change and you see that a major magazine just lost its best environmental reporter. Now may be the perfect time to send a pitch letter. (Note: You can subscribe to a daily feed, so that you get all of the day's posts in one tidy e-mail.)
Writer's Market
You're probably familiar with Writer's Market, which since 1921 has published a book of opportunities for freelancers to sell their writing. Its newer Web site can be equally helpful. Writersmarket.com primarily supplies information about magazines and book publishers. The site allows you to manage your submissions with various record-keeping tools — if you don't yet have a system for tracking those sorts of things — and helps you stay abreast of the latest publishing industry news.
You can glean additional information from its Q&As with some of its publishing experts. And its pay-rate chart will give you an idea of what to charge for certain kinds of freelance gigs, particularly those that don't use a standard per-word rate.
Posted by Maya Smart on Mon, Apr 05, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
Some advice for making sure your e-mails and other docs don't read like news or feature stories.
by Maya Payne Smart
I recently attended a daylong course on effective business writing for salespeople, ostensibly to give its teacher, Mary Ruth Burton, an outsider's perspective on its content and delivery. As it turns out, I got more out of the seminar than I gave back. The goal of the course was to teach two-dozen professionals how to write easily, accurately and responsibly. As a seasoned freelance writer, my takeaway was a deeper understanding of how important it is to craft routine business correspondence with care, because communiqués as simple as follow-up e-mails have the power to strengthen — or hamper — relationships.
What's more, communicating effectively saves time and money by preventing a string of subsequent queries (and, heaven forbid, in-box clogging "reply alls") to clarify matters. It also bolsters your credibility: A flawless portfolio can be marred by a flip e-mail or flighty status report. To steer clear of pitfalls, here are some guiding principles for corresponding with clients and colleagues.
Form should follow function.
People like us who work with words tend to think that we have it all figured out when it comes to written communication. But the truth is: Communication conventions that work in one setting may be ill suited to another. Don't approach your client correspondence (or other business documents) as if you're writing a news or feature story. Instead, structure your writing so that it's courteous, concise, and easily digestible for busy people who are already inundated with information.
For example, as part of my role in a professional organization, I recently received a bunch of committee reports from fellow journalists. Many of these reports were written as narratives: The authors talked about their committee work as if they were filing news dispatches from the field, complete with colorful anecdotes and telling details. Although they were enjoyable reads, many didn't clearly convey what progress had been made toward specific milestones — or why the work was initiated in the first place. Using bullet points, headings and other formatting tools to highlight key topics, to provide context and to emphasize any further actions required would have been more effective than storytelling.
Don't bury the lead.
Burton's business-writing course offered a four-tiered structure for workplace correspondence, ranging from e-mails and memos to PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets. She advocated leading with a statement of the document's purpose, then providing background information, listing recommendations or benefits, and summarizing conclusions and next steps. Although the specifics of how to communicate this information will vary by document type, the order will not. (For example, a spreadsheet encapsulates its purpose in the title while a memo details the same in the first paragraph.)
Each of the four components is important, but the purpose is indispensable. When you bury the lead — a request, a suggestion, a directive — you reduce the odds of getting what you need. Yet think of how often writers do just that, hiding appeals and other calls to action beneath a sea of pleasantries, details and other distractions. People are busy. They may not grasp the relevance or urgency of your request unless you cut to the chase. They may not even recognize it as a request if they have to scroll five paragraphs deep on a smart phone while stopped at a red light between meetings to find it. Get my drift?
Along similar lines, declare your intent with a specific e-mail subject line. I do a decent job of this, but a quick scan of my Sent Mail folder reveals several messages with vague headlines, such as "Quick question," or replies in which I haven't tweaked the subject line to reflect the thread's current focus. Putting the reader first would lead to a more descriptive subject, like "Quick question re: April editing course." Detail helps recipients prioritize, boosts the likelihood of a reply and makes it easier to find the message later, as needed.
Imagine what a difference it would make in your day if every e-mail you received clearly outlined its point in the first paragraph. Extend that courtesy to your clients and colleagues. Hopefully, what goes around comes around!
Avoid the funny stuff.
Burton's course also reminded me that humor rarely translates well in written business documents. When communicating face-to-face, your tone and body language helps colleagues make sense of what you're saying. But when text alone has to do the heavy lifting, misunderstandings are bound to happen — and it's best to set jokes aside.
The warning about humor, sarcasm and opinion and other ambiguous communication in this particular course was prompted by the company's work in a particularly litigious sector. But even as freelance writers (who are less likely to be prosecuted for inappropriate notes), it's important to resist the urge to joke with clients or collaborators via e-mail. Ask yourself: Is it worth the risk of confusion? Does it cross the line between collegial and familiar? Generally, it's best to keep your written conversations entirely professional.
Posted by Admin Team on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Rebecca Smith Hurd
Q: Is it unprofessional to pitch the same story to more than one publication at a time, or should you wait for a response before moving on?
A: With freelance pay rates on the decline, most writers can't afford not to have multiple pitches in the offing at any given time. After all, the more stories you pitch, the more likely you are to receive assignments and, ultimately, get paid. Bu
t sending duplicate pitch letters — or offering up a single story, told from the same angle — to two or more editors at once is generally frowned upon.
"I think a freelance writer would starve to death if he or she always sent pitches out one at a time, so I don't think it is unprofessional to send out multiple article pitches," says Catherine Craddock-Carrillo, a commissioning editor for Lonely Planet. "What is unprofessional, and a surefire way to either be ignored or rejected, is to send out identical letters to each place, not tailoring your pitch to the particular needs of each publication."
Before you send story ideas to an editor, Craddock-Carrillo adds, make sure you get to know the publication you're pitching. Familiarize yourself with its contents, voice, and audience by reading a few issues (or articles on its Web site). Check out its submission and editorial guidelines for insight into how its editors prefer to receive pitches. Try to find out what the publication's lead times and deadlines are, too. Most editors plan days, weeks, and even months in advance. Armed with this information, present yourself and your ideas accordingly.
Keep in mind that publishing is a competitive business. One reason you shouldn't pitch the same story to multiple editors is that many publications take pride in offering original content. Alex Heard, editorial director for Outside magazine, says that the only real excuse for submitting an article idea to multiple editors at the same time is when your idea is so timely that you can't afford to wait an extra moment. For example, perhaps your pitch involves breaking news or an exclusive interview with an elusive yet sought-after source.
"If you (the writer) really feel this is the case, go ahead and multi-submit, but announce that you're doing so. Reaction to this will vary, depending on your clout and the temperament of the editors you're dealing with," Heard says. "If you're a young writer on your way up, it's likely to irritate people. Editors don't like to be told they need to ‘hurry' and make a decision, so they're likely to just blow you off. If you're Michael Lewis, they may say, ‘Hey, we better hurry and give Michael an answer.'"
Heard stresses that, if you're going to two-time editors, never forgo telling them so and merely hope for the best. "If you get accepted by Magazine A today, and then Magazine B three days later, the editors at Magazine B are going to hate you forever, or at least until they're all laid off and there's a new regime at B who doesn't know about it. But journalism is a relatively small world. Word is likely to get around."
This fear has kept Jenna Wortham, a reporter for The New York Times, from ever attempting the practice. "I've never pitched the same piece to multiple publications, largely because I never worked out what I'd do if that piece was accepted by both places simultaneously," says Wortham, who freelanced for Bust, Frommer's and Wired before joining the NYT staff. "Would I withdraw a pitch and risk burning a freshly forged contact? Or hope I possessed enough creativity to spin the pieces in different enough directions that the stories would be fundamentally different? It always felt too risky to attempt."
Once you've crafted and submitted an original pitch to a publication, wait for a reply before taking your business elsewhere. How long you wait, however, is really up to you. Give editors at least a few days — and no more than three weeks — to respond. "Editors usually can't tell you right away if they can use your story, but I think they should acknowledge receipt of your pitch within a week, even less time," says Craddock-Carrillo. "Writers really need to play this by ear."
Of course, you may never get a response. "If three weeks go by and you don't hear anything, you have a right to assume that the answer is no and you're being blown off, which happens all the time," Heard says. "Obviously, it's OK to re-pitch then. If you want to be extra-courteous about it, let the editor you originally pitched know what's up, in a non-crabby way. ...In my opinion, you can also skip this step and not consider yourself a war criminal."
Do you have a question about freelancing? Ask Writing Coach.
Posted by Admin Team on Fri, Mar 26, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
When attending a conference, it's important for freelance writers to make new connections, strengthen existing relationships, and collect information (e.g., market intelligence). But your newly acquired knowledge and contacts won't matter much until you do something with them. Here's an action plan to turn your time and travel investment into new business.
1. Share what you've learned.
Position yourself as an expert in your field by sharing the insights you gained at the conference. Blog or send tweets, post photos to Flickr, upload a video, or write a story to put your spin on the event. This forces you to synthesize a flood of information into helpful streams and to think about how what you've learned might benefit others.
Last week's Society of American Business Editors and Writers conference in Phoenix offers some great examples. Plug #sabew into search.twitter.com and scroll back to March 19 to 21 to see what attendees were tweeting. You'll find my notes on New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger's keynote ("Railing against Google is like railing against oxygen.") along with others' takeaways. CUNY, BusinessJournalism.org and Talking Biz News offered blog coverage. Some posts featured slideshows, photos and videos. Web columnists like Jeff Bercovici of AOL Daily Finance and Jon Chesto of Wicked Local weighed in on conference content, too.
Also, consider doing additional reporting and packaging your findings into a special report, article or course to sell to publications or directly to consumers.
2. Give thanks.
We're all suckers for a little appreciation. So why not spread the love and thank the organizers of a conference for a job well done? You can do it privately by giving an event worker a pat on the back or sending a thank-you note, or you can do it publicly by posting an open letter on your blog. University of Michigan student Theo Keith told the world via his blog that he was thoroughly impressed with ASU's Cronkite School of Journalism, the conference site. Showing appreciation reinforces what you've gained through attendance and gives exhausted organizers a boost. It's just good karma.
Along similar lines, drop a line via e-mail or snail mail to conference speakers, exhibitors, award winners and newly elected officers to thank them for their contributions to the event. It's a good way to open up a dialogue with new contacts. Refresh your memory of who you met (and who you would like to meet) by flipping through conference and banquet programs. Any of these connections could blossom into profitable partnerships; I've found prospective clients, joint venture partners, mentors and referral sources at conferences.
3. Ask for what you want.
Post-conference follow up isn't just about touching base. If someone told you about a freelance writing opportunity, follow up immediately with a resume, a letter of introduction, writing samples or other requested material. Speed is important because you don't know how many other people are in the running or how soon the prospective client needs to make the assignment.
Of course, sometimes you won't receive an instant response. Send an initial e-mail and then follow up with a phone call a few days later. If you still get no response, send a follow-up e-mail every few weeks with an update on what you're doing, story ideas or helpful resources. I met an editor at a conference in 2008 and didn't get an assignment for six months. I now work for her regularly. Persistence pays. So does enthusiasm.
For more on making conferences pay, read my original blog post.
Photos courtesy of Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business Journalism.
Posted by Maya Smart on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
Freelancers like us were not the focus of the paidContent 2010 conference. But last month’s gathering of “serious stakeholders” in New York to discuss the economics of content generated a ton of information that our businesses can benefit from.
Here are my five top takeaways:
1. Grow multiple “legs” of revenue. For the past 18 months, I’ve been talking with freelancers about the importance of having multiple streams of revenue flowing into our writing businesses, from article dollars and book royalties to speaking fees and blog ads. paidContent founder Rafat Ali, however, uses the phrase “multiple legs of revenue.” I like this expression better because if we envision our freelance writing businesses as sitting stools, it’s clear that they would topple without at least three supporting legs. Major media companies sell advertising, subscriptions, products and services. I sell articles, courses and multimedia. How about you? What distinct, sturdy income sources will give your business legs this year?
2. Follow the money. I had an “aha” moment when James McQuivey, a vice president and principal analyst for Forrester Research, noted that “People don’t pay for content, and they never have.” People pay for access to content. Publishers have been confused about this for years because content delivery used to be so closely tied to gated analog media (books, vinyl, theaters, newsprint, etc.). With the rise of digital information and devices, it’s clear that consumers are paying for access to content. We’re also shelling out more than ever to get the movies, news and music we enjoy. Need proof? Add up your monthly bills for cable TV, broadband, wireless phone data service, Netflix, digital music and gaming services. The average American has a content bill of $96.84 — and $75.04, or 77 percent, of that is for access.
People will continue to pay for access to content, but ad revenue will drop as dollars get spread across many media and content producers (that’s us) will face considerable competition. To profit in this environment, freelancers need to create content that is not easily replicated or duplicated — and sell it to whoever wields the most control over access to content (e.g., cable and telecom companies, monopoly content rights holders and device makers). There’s a pecking order in play: Producing generic news items commands less pay than producing Lost. As entrepreneurial writers, we need to reconsider the types of content we’re providing and start moving up the food chain.
3. Go local. Globalization may be all the rage, but Hilary Schneider, executive vice president of Yahoo Americas, says that Yahoo is focused on localized content delivery. “Local is digital crack,” she said. “Audiences are consumed with understanding local information, local news, connecting with their local community, and advertisers are just as excited about their ability to localize their offers.” She estimates that this market, which includes different levels and definitions of local, represents a more than $15 billion opportunity. Yahoo is focused on the “national local” piece of this — helping large advertisers like McDonald’s use search traffic and consumer data to drive foot traffic in specific locations. In 2009, Yahoo’s Newspaper Consortium, which sends Web traffic to newspaper sites, brought the papers $100 million in revenue, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, she said. Later in the day, Devin Wenig, CEO of Thomson Reuters Markets, outlined his company’s plan to bring in local content by creating a “professional content ecosystem” in which local providers can syndicate content. Ask yourself: How can I create sought after local content? And, more importantly, who’s buying?
4. Get niche quick. Rob Grimshaw, managing director of FT.com, said that the Financial Times’ spate of acquisitions of high-end subscription publications shows that “news journalism is not dead.” The acquired digital media companies include Medley Global Advisors, Mergermarket, Exec-Appointments.com, Money-Media and MandateWire. Notably, all relied on niche content, digital business models and intelligent aggregation to sell content for tens of thousands of dollars a year. In a separate talk, Steven Brill, co-founder of Journalism Online, made a similar point: “Online everyone is a trade publisher in the sense that they have to be tightly focused,” Brill said. Freelancers, take note: Specialization pays.
5. Keep an eye on content farms (a.k.a. super-distributors). Rafat Ali cut to the chase when he asked executives from Demand Media, AOL, Associated Content and About.com: “Are you content with driving the economics of the business into the gutter?” His cynicism gave respondents an opportunity to distinguish their offerings from those of competitors. All content mills, it turns out, aren’t created equal. Pay scales, writer credentials and editorial goals differ dramatically. About.com has been around for 13 years and its writers, with whom the company hopes to forge long-term relationships, make between $600 and $1,200 per month on average. In contrast, writers for Associated Content (“the people’s media company”) can expect $1 to $2.50 per 1,000 page views. Marty Moe, senior vice president of AOL Media’s publishing division, says its Seed.com wants to “produce the highest-quality journalism” it can. Associated Content’s CEO Patrick Keane asserts, “We are not a news site; we are not journalists. But we’re democratic and open.”
What these super-distributors share are impressive platforms for managing a high volume of content and paying a geographically distributed network of producers. Over time, I think we’ll see some of these distributors start developing premium brands that publish better, more expensive writing. So while the pay may be paltry now, they bear watching.
As you navigate the new media landscape, which of these lessons are you likely to apply and why?
Posted by Admin Team on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 @ 10:41 AM
by Rebecca Smith Hurd
Seasoned pros say that writers looking to branch out need to build a strong network and adapt to whatever technology clients use.
Q: Do you have any resources you’d recommend for freelance editors? As a journalist, I have always edited my own work, and I think I have the skills, but have not had the “editor” title. I’m not sure what computer programs are commonly used, especially when working remotely.
A: Breaking into freelance editing can be tough because, as one seasoned editor put it, “there’s more competition than there is meat.” Networking is usually the best resource for finding jobs, and any professional journalism experience — including writing — gives you a huge advantage: You already know people in the field.
“I don’t think of myself as a networker, a schmoozer or a people person, really, but that’s pretty much the only way I’ve ever gotten work,” says Hon Walker, a Portland, Ore.-based editor. “When I started out, it wasn’t about scouring Craigslist or reading classifieds or looking at job listings or sending out resumes. It was about people I had a personal connection to. I talked with them. And before long, I was working.” Over the past 13 years, Walker’s client list has included CNET, PC World,
Wired, Dwell, SFGate.com and O’Reilly Media.
Editorial managers tend to prefer “known quantities” because they often don’t have time to vet freelancers the way they would potential full-time hires. “It’s very rare that I would hire somebody completely cold, with no connection whatsoever, because I have no context for them,” says Karen Zuercher, associate managing editor at Via Magazine in Walnut Creek, Calif. “Sure, I can call their references, but only an idiot is going to provide one that isn’t glowing. So if there is any personal connection at all, I recommend it — schools, professors, whatever they can find.”
If you don’t have any connections, Zuercher, who freelanced for more than two years before accepting her current position last fall, suggests joining a networking or affinity group in your area to establish contacts. In many major U.S. cities, you can connect with other freelancers online through Yahoo or Meetup. You might also consider joining a national industry organization, such as Mediabistro or the Society of Professional Journalists, both of which hold periodic regional events.
In terms of computer programs, there really isn’t a definitive answer about which ones you’ll need to master. The tools of the editing trade vary wildly from job to job and across media — regardless of whether you’re working in-house or remotely. Generally, you should be adept at using a personal computer, email, a Web browser and search engine, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). You’ll likely find yourself working with some sort of publishing software, too, either online or off.
If you’re editing online, be prepared to change software with each new client. “Web publishers have proprietary posting tools, and they all have quirks — weird, kooky things that you figure out through trial and error,” Walker says. “I’ve also worked remotely through a virtual desktop/private network. I was looking at a desktop in their office: I used their software and servers remotely through my machine.”
If you’re editing for print, get familiar with a desktop-publishing program like Adobe InDesign. Amanda Mitchell Henry, a Dublin, Calif.-based freelancer, says you don’t need to be an expert, but understanding what happens to the words on the page after you’re done editing them is beneficial. “I don’t have graphic-design capabilities, and I don’t have the layout skills, but I have paid enough attention to both that I’ve been able to do the best I can with, say, a PowerPoint presentation or blog posts … because now a lot of stuff is in our hands as editors,” says Henry, who’s freelanced for eight years for clients like InfoWorld, NetworkWorld and BWIA Airlines’ magazine, Caribbean Beat.
Zuercher says she doesn’t expect freelancers to be tech experts, but she looks for self-starting editors who feel comfortable with computers and software in general. “It’s more about adaptability than it is about any specific skill set,” she says. “You have to be able to step up and train quickly and figure out stuff on your own.”
Do you have a question about freelancing? Ask Writing Coach.