Modern Journalist Toolkit 8: Saving time with sourcing services
So tell me, are you that incredibly well-connected writer who always knows the savvy, witty person to contact for insight and comment on every story, regardless of topic or audience? Is your contacts list completely up-to-date? Does everyone immediately take your call, or respond within minutes to your messages? No? Me neither. But I am […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 7: Three-minute marketing makeover
[Updated in 2021] The humble email signature is one of the overlooked workhorses of your marketing efforts as a freelance writer. You are more likely focusing on the brilliant idea you’re developing and pitching, but the contact details you provide give you an opportunity to come across as thoughtful and professional—or not. In the worst-case […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 6: Yusuf Omar on Reporting with Snapchat
Yusuf Omar is a cell-phone trailblazer. He finds unconventional uses for apps like Snapchat, Facebook Live, and 360 video for telling serious news stories, most of which are viewed on small screens. Omar is the new mobile editor at the Hindustan Times, one of India’s largest English newspapers, with a print circulation of more than […]
Can I quote you on that?
Quotes aren’t necessary when submitting a query to an editor, which is one reason why including a good one can make a pitch really stand out. A proposal should have the same DNA as the final story. Original reporting brings new insight and life to most articles; even if it’s a given you’ll be speaking […]
Do editors find you irresistible?
Enroll for the next session of Freelance Writer Bootcamp here: www.freelancewriterbootcamp.com Many people are called to the writing life, and many try to freelance. But without a strategy in place, it can quickly become overwhelming. Where do writers get their best ideas? Where are the good markets? What are the formats used for queries and […]
How to read a publication like your future editor wants you to
(Scroll down to watch the video!) Not sure why your story ideas aren’t selling? If you ask an editor for advice on the best way for a freelance writer to break in to his or her publication, they often have the same response: “Read it first.” Unfortunately, some writers don’t take that super simple advice to […]
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