Freelancing for Journalists
Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson 117 episodes Oct 7, 2026
Freelancing for Journalists is a podcast about building a career as a self-employed journalist. Hosts Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson share practical advice on finding work, getting paid, and managing freelance life. Episodes feature guests who have succeeded in freelancing, from film reviewers and travel writers to broadcasters and specialists. The show mixes trade secrets, top tips, and anecdotes for anyone interested in freelance journalism.
Episodes
Andre Lombard
In the final episode of the series broadcast journalist Andre Lombard talks about stepping into freelance life after working as a news editor for BBC Africa. He talks about the challenges of international reporting as a freelancer and his hopes for the future.Guest linksLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrelombard91/Journalist.net https://journalist.net/andre.lombardRecommendationThe Wembley
Vikki White
In today's pod Vikki White talks about taking the leap into freelance journalism and how her first year is going. She regularly writes for the Sun, Metro, Bella and Chat and moved into freelancing after 13 years in a staff role. Find out how she is making it work.Guest linksLinked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikki-white-8276b746/RecommendationDonkeys stolen and slaughtered to make wellness prod
Tom Matsuda
In series 17 we chat to new freelancers about how they are developing their journalism careers. In today's episode we chat to Tom Matsuda about his range of income streams, why he went freelance and the skills he is learning along the way.Guest linksLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommatsuda/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_tommatsuda/Resource linksThe Freelance Writing Network https://ww
Mariam Amini
In this week's show we chat to Mariam Amini who is a new freelancer writing about faith, travel and diaspora culture. She talks about starting out as a freelance, how she has built up her portfolio and the challenges of creating financial stability when starting out.Guest linksLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-amini/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aminiarchives/TikTok https://www.tik
James Banyard
We continue our series delving into the working lives of new freelance journalists finding their way in the first couple of years. In this episode we speak to James Banyard about securing bylines with the Guardian, i and Positive News and setting up his own newsletter Pitch Fail Club to help other freelance writers.Guest LinksWebsite https://jamesbanyardwriter.wordpress.com/LinkedIn https://www.li
Emma Truscott
In the latest series of the podcast we're digging into what life is like for newbie freelance journalists. We kick off with Emma Truscott who works permanently as a house sitter while pursuing her career as a travel journalist. She tells us about her breakthrough article and what it's like to always be on the move with no fixed abode. Guest linksSubstack https://wheresems.com/LinkedIn https://www.
Annual Appraisal 2025
In this special bonus episode Lily and Emma sit down to do an annual appraisal together. They discuss what went well over the past year and what their ambitions are for 2026. They also scrub out previous goals and chat about what is important to them in the short and long term going forward.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for our FFJ community. Sign up via the link abov
Best Investigation Will Coldwell
Today we speak to the winner of Best Investigation at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2025. Will Coldwell's investigation into the death of an offshore worker raised important questions about industry safety and was highlighted by judges as a significance piece of freelance work. Will discussed how to win the trust of sources when reporting sensitive subjects and how to craft long reads to keep th
Best Feature Harriet Grant
We are kick starting the New Year with a fascinating discussion with Harriet Grant, winner of Best Feature in the 2025 Freelance Journalism Awards. Harriet impressed judges with her deep dive into the impact of porn algorithms on men. In today's episode she explains how she tackles issues of online child abuse as a freelance journalist and the ethical and legal issues she has to grabble with.Get y
Best Specialist Journalist Rebecca Pitcairn
Just in time for New Year's Eve we speak to freelance English wine writer Rebecca Pitcairn. A regional journalist turned wine writer, Rebecca was winner of Best Specialist at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2025. She explains how to develop a niche, within a niche and the benefit of hosting your own podcast series.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for our FFJ community. S
Best Early Career Journalist Yvette Cook
Today we speak to Yvette Cook who was winner of Best Early Career Journalist at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2025. Yvette, a former civil servant, has made a successful shift into travel writing, and is loving her new career. She is brimming with enthusiasm and great advice, including how she secured her award-winning feature on tourism and women in Saudi Arabia.Get your free portfolio today. W
Best News & Opinion Journalist Hannah Fearn
On the podcast today we talk to the first of our Freelance Journalism Awards winners from 2025. Hannah Fearn won Best News Story and Best Opinion Writer for her work on social affairs. In this episode she talks about how she investigated a report from inside a children's prison. She also shares her invaluable tips on how to pitch to opinion desks.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a speci
Interview with a book publisher
In this special bonus episode we chat to Martin Hickman the director of Canbury Press. The independent publisher specialises in working with journalists and publishes a range of non-fiction books. Canbury Press championed Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport - the book written by podcast hosts Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson. In this episode Martin shares trade secrets on how to im
Using AI
In the podcast today we dig into the hot topic of using AI as a journalist. We have expert advice from AI Media trainer Harriet Meyer and award-winning freelance health journalist Rosie Taylor. We talk about AI generated content, whether the robots are coming to take our jobs and how to use AI to your advantage. It's a meaty episode!Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for o
Transcription apps
In the podcast today we talk to two experts about transcriptions apps. How, where and why to use them, and what some of the pitfalls may be. Sage Lazzaro a freelance tech journalist shares her tips on getting the best out of Otter.ai while Jack Dearlove explains why he developed a transcription tool for Journo Resources.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for our FFJ commun
Freelance Rights Guide
This week we have two returning guests to talk all about the new best practice guidelines for editors working with freelancers. These vital guidelines are a benchmark for freelance journalists to use when discussing rates of pay, contracts, briefs and more, with commissioning editors. Donna Ferguson from Women in Journalism and Jem Collins of Journo Resources discuss the best way to use the guidel
Financial support for freelance journalists
This week we look at the financial and practical support available for freelance journalists. We speak to Mary Kearns of the Journalists' Charity and Sophie Pacellini of the Rory Peck Trust to understand how they can help freelance journalists and the wide range of grants and workshops they offer.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for our FFJ community. Sign up v
Accessing paywall and membership-only content
In today's episode we discuss how to access paywalled content and membership-only resources. We glean useful tips and tricks from Ellie Broughton, an award-winning freelance journalist - and hear about the fascinating work of David Clarke who has spent many years researching in the National Archives.Get your free portfolio today. We also have a special offer for our FFJ community. Sign u
Using trends to find stories
We're back for series 15 and kick off with a great episode all about using trends to find stories. We get excellent advice from Fleurine Tideman, a freelancer who specialises in trend-driven stories and Malvika Padin who has bags of experience using SEO for a range of national titles. Find out how to distinguish between a fleeting fad and a rising trend, and the best places to find trending topics
We've Written a Book!
In this special bonus episode Lily and Emma discuss the big secret project they have been working on for the past two years. They have written a new book! It's called ULTRA WOMEN: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport and it combines their passion of endurance sport and advocacy. The book tells the hidden stories of female endurance from the first hunter-gatherers to the modern athletes pushing
Best Broadcast Journalist: Bhavani Vadde
This week we speak to the winner of the Best Broadcast Journalist category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Bhavani Vadde tells us about her work on local television and how she juggles working across multiple platforms.GuestBhavani Vadde https://x.com/BhavaniVaddeInstagram https://www.instagram.com/bhavanivadde/?hl=enYouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5TwMpw5afyQKSvRIE09jEwBrillian
Best Print and Specialist Journalist: Liz Cookman
This week we speak to another double award winner at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2024. Liz Cookman won the best print journalist and best specialist journalist awards for her incredible reporting on the Ukraine war. She talks to us about the difficulty of generating interest in an ongoing conflict and how to ensure your safety as a freelance journalist.GuestLiz Cookman https://x.com/liz_cookma
Best Opinion Writer: Melissa Parker
This week in our special award series we chat to Melissa Parker winner of the Best Opinion Writer category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards.Melissa speaks about her shift to opinion writing during the pandemic and her passion for disability rights. GuestMelissa Parker https://x.com/MelissaKParker1ResourcesOne of Melissa's award winning pieces https://www.stylist.co.uk/health/mental-health/d
Best News & Feature Journalist
In today's episode we speak to double award winner Nicola Kelly who scooped up two prizes at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Nicola won the best news story and best feature categories for her work on Turkish border forces, and Deliveroo drivers. We found out how her previous career as a diplomat set her on the path to freelance journalism.GuestNicola Kelly https://x.com/NicolaKellyhttps://ww
Best Campaigning Journalist: Liz Perkins
This week we sit down and chat to Liz Perkins, winner of the best campaigning journalist category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Liz led the End This Injustice campaign which called for an overhaul of the family court system. She talks about working on the campaign and the challenges of changing the law.GuestLiz Perkins https://x.com/lizperkinsmediaLinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/li
Best Investigation: Sahar Zand
In this week's episode we speak to the winner of the Best Investigation category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Sahar Zand won the award for her investigation into interpol's misuse of power which was released as a podcast series for Sky News. She discusses fleeing Iran as a child and her drive to uncover abuses of power, often in hostile environments.GuestSahar Zand https://x.com/Sahar
Best Early Career Journalist: Hatty Willmoth
In the latest series of the podcast we speak to the winners of the 2024 Freelance Journalist Awards. We start with Hatty Willmoth who won the Best Early Career Journalist category. She wrote a stunning observational feature for The Independent about why some Gen-Z Christians are making the decision to give up all their money and possessions to join a radical group.GuestHatty Willmoth https://
Public Speaking
In the final episode of this series we speak to two freelance journalists who have carved out a side income as public speakers. Award-winning podcaster Hannah Ajala and BBC freelancer Dhruti Shah discuss how they find work as inspirational speakers and take us behind the scenes of the planning process.The guestsHannah Ajala thisishannahajala.comTwitter hannah_ajalaDhruti Shah www.dhrutishah.com/Ne
Newsletter publishing
In this week's episode we chat to two freelance journalists / authors who also make a living via self-publishing on Substack and Patreon. Adharanand Finn, award-winning author of Running with the Kenyans, and former Telegraph Women editor Claire Cohen, author of BFF: The Truth About Female Friendship, discuss the appeal of writing direct to an audience and why they decided to set up their own news
Social media management
Ever wondered what social media management actually is? On the podcast this week we talk to two freelance journalists who also work in social media marketing and SEO writing. Nicole Letts is a lifestyle journalist based in Atlanta who works with clients on Instagram and Britt Jones is a UK freelancer who provides bespoke social media services.Guests Nicole Letts https://www.instagram.com/nicolemel
Report writing and translation
On the podcast this week we delve into the world of report writing and translation. We speak to experienced health journalist Priya Joi who has written global reports for the World Health Organisation, United Nations and Global Vaccine Alliance, and freelance journalist Judith Zerdin who also works as a Spanish/French to English translator. We discover how to use transferable skills to get freelan
Copywriting
In the podcast this week we discuss the world of copywriting and how freelance journalists can find work in this field. We chat to journalists Peter Ranscombe and Ella Delancey Jones about the difference between copywriting and content writing, and how to flit between writing for the audience and writing for a client.Guestshttps://www.peter-ranscombe.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ranscombe
Breaking into lecturing
Welcome to series 13! This season we discuss how to diversify your income stream when working as a freelance journalist. The first episode delves into the world of lecturing and how to break into it. We share tips and experiences with entertainment journalist Jamie Body and lifestyle writer Beth Neil who both teach at a number of universities.The guestsJamie Body https://www.jamiebody.co
Arts and Culture Journalism
In the final episode of this series we speak to Precious Adesina about arts and culture journalism. Curating an interest in the arts from an early age, Precious went on to work for The Telegraph before going freelance. She talks about the challenges faced by black journalists, how she champions arts writing and her passion project as a radio presenter.The guesthttps://www.preciousadesina.com/https
Motoring Journalism
In the penultimate episode of the series we speak to award-winning motoring journalist Charlotte Vowden. She tells us how inheriting a classic car dramatically changed her career and how she has built a niche in a male dominated industry. She also speaks candidly about calling out sexism and discusses her exciting new challenge of presenting a television series.The guesthttps://twitter.com/charlot
Science and Technology Journalism
In our journalism specialism season we speak to science and technology reporter Chris Baraniuk who regularly writes for the BBC, New Scientist, BMJ, the Economist and Wired.Chris discusses how to write about complex issues when you have no scientific background and how he comes up with story ideas like farming fish on the moon.The guesthttps://chrisbaraniuk.com/https://twitter.com/chrisbaraniukFis
Music Journalism
In the pod this week we chat to Arusa Qureshi about carving out a career in freelance music journalism. Arusa talks about diversity in the industry, transferable skills and life as a night owl covering gigs in Edinburgh.The guesthttps://www.arusaqureshi.com/https://twitter.com/arusaqureshiResourceshttps://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/should-you-work-for-freeRecommendationhttps:
Travel Journalism
This week we speak to award-winning travel writer Shafik Meghji about press trips, country specialisms and how to write a guide book. He shares his top tips for breaking into travel journalism and tells us what he's currently working on.The guesthttps://www.shafikmeghji.com/https://twitter.com/ShafikMeghjiCrossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia https://www.shafikmeghji.com/#/crossedoffthemap/Resou
Court Reporting
We launch our specialism series by chatting to court reporter Charlie Moloney. We discuss how to cover Crown Court trials, how the commissioning process works and just how fast your shorthand needs to be. Charlie also talks about media law and how to challenge your right to report.The guesthttps://www.charliemoloney.com/https://twitter.com/CharlieMoloneyhttps://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2021/news
Time Management
In the final episode of the series we discuss the elusive art of time management. How can we get better at managing our time as freelance journalists and what are the best tricks and tools to employ. We seek advice from radio and YouTube presenter / personal trainer / ultra marathon runner Anna Harding and freelance journalist / author / agency co-founder Sally Howard.The guestshttps://www.instagr
What commissioning editors want #2
In the podcast this week we quiz two commissioning editors about what they want to see from freelance journalists. Rebecca Liu, commissioning editor at the Guardian, and Mun-Keat Looi international features editor at the British Medical Journal, discuss the winning formula for pitches plus how to make yourself indispensable as a freelancer. They also chat about pet hates, negotiating rates an
Rejection and resilience
In the podcast this week we talk about practical solutions to help cope with rejection as a freelance journalist. How can we become more resilient and turn rejection into positive action? Expert advice is on hand from freelance marine science writer Melissa Hobson and rural affairs and human interest reporter Kate Chapman.The guestsMelissa Hobson www.melissahobson.co.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com
Rethinking social media
With Elon Musk seemingly destroying Twitter, we decided it was time to ask two experts whether we need to be rethinking social media as freelance journalists. Can we live without Twitter and what are the alternatives? Should we be more mindful about how our data is used? And how on earth does Mastodon work? We spoke to tech and internet journalists Chris Stokel-Walker and Steven Asarch to find the
Long Reads
On the podcast this week we discuss the art of Long Reads and how to pitch, research and write them. We receive excellent insights from GQ features editor Oliver Franklin-Wallis and Guardian writer Samira Shackle.The guestsOliver Franklin-WallisWebsite: https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/Book: The Wasteland https://oliverfranklinwallis.com/wasteland/Twitter: https://twitter.com/olifranklinSamira Sha
Freelance Rights
We're back for another series and in our first episode we talk about the nitty gritty of freelance rights. What can you do about late payments, poor contracts and unfair rates? We discuss the problems and the solutions with Sheron Boyle, founder of Can Pay Won't Pay Facebook group, and Natasha Hirst, president of the National Union of Journalists.The guests@hirstphotosNatasha's website https://nat
Best Specialist: Hannah Summers
In the final episode of our awards season special we speak to the winner of the Best Specialist Journalist category. Hannah Summers talks about the challenges of family court reporting and how she has curved out a niche in this unreported field.Show noteshttps://twitter.com/hansummershttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/hannah-summersHannah's award winning work https://www.theguardian.com/global-de
Best Feature: Amelia Tait
The winner of our Best Feature award, Amelia Tait, spoke to us about how she researches and writes her quirky features. She also gave some top advice on how to keep editors happy.Show noteshttps://ameliatait.com/https://twitter.com/ameliarghAmelia's winning article https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/04/its-a-control-thing-why-are-we-so-fascinated-by-super-organised-homesAmelia's com
Best Investigation: Lucy Osborne
In this episode we talk to journalist Lucy Osborne about her award winning investigation into sexual abuse in the fashion industry. She explains how the story unfolded in both print and broadcast media.Show notesLucy Osborne https://twitter.com/Lucy_OsborneLucy's Guardian profile https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-osborneLucy's Guardian report https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/may/28/
Best Early Career Journalist: Lara Olszowska
Today we speak to Lara Olszowska who won the Freelance Journalism Awards prize for best piece of work by a student or early career journalist. She talks about reporting on Ukrainian schools during the war and how her journalism training is developing.Show noteshttps://twitter.com/LaraOlszowskahttps://laraolszowska.wordpress.com/Lara's award-winning article https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/
Best Print Journalist: Gabriella Jozwiak
In the latest Freelance Journalism Awards series we speak to the winner of the Best Print Journalist category Gabriella Jozwiak.She tells us how she ended up in Ukraine reporting on the impact of the war on young children and the challenges she faced as a freelancer.Show notesWebsite http://www.gabriellajozwiak.com/Twitter https://twitter.com/GabriellaJ Rory Peck Trust who provide safety training
Best News Story: Rachael Healy
In this special Freelance Journalism Awards series the winner of Best News Story, Rachael Healy, talks to us about her exclusive investigation which led to David Walliams leaving Britain's Got Talent.Show notesRachael Healy https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rachael-healyTwitter https://twitter.com/ohrhealyWebsite http://www.rachaelhealy.co.uk/Britain's Got Talent story https://www.theguardian.co
Best Broadcast Journalist: Anna Lawlor
In this episode we talk to Freelance Journalism Awards winner Anna Lawlor who won Best Broadcast Journalist 2023. She chats to us about moving from print to radio broadcasting and developing her award-winning documentary Typical!Show notesAnna Lawlor https://www.weareluminescence.com/our-team/anna-lawlor/https://twitter.com/AnnaL_Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/annalawlorNCTJ journalism training
Broadcast journalism
In this special bonus episode we talk to two members of the Freelancing for Journalism team, Madeleine Drury and Helen Quinn, who are both freelance journalists working in the broadcast industry. Maddie works as a freelance journalist and audio producer for broadcasters such as BBC World Service and Sky News, and Helen divides her time between writing health-related articles as a journalist and wr
Writing for your dream publication
In this week's episode we ask how do you get a byline in the publication you’ve always wanted to work for? We discuss this with award-winning freelance journalist Donna Ferguson who writes regularly for her dream publication The Guardian, and Karen Edwards, a freelance journalist, editor and author who started in the entertainment industry and made a conscious choice to move into travel journ
Negotiating rates
This episode looks at how to negotiate rates and when to push back against poor rates. We chat with Elle Hunt, who writes for the Guardian but also has bylines in Tortoise, New Scientist and Grazia and Tayla Blaire, a freelance content and copywriter based in South Africa. They both have excellent tips and strategies about the best way to negotiate.The GuestsElle HuntTwitter: @elle_hunt 
One story multiple ways
This week we look at how to sell one story in multiple ways. How do you get more bang for your buck, maximise your income and make the most of a topic you have been looking into? We have Gabriella Ferlita, a journalist writing about women’s health, sex and entertainment and Florian Sturm, a freelance journalist based in Germany writing about science, conservation and travel, to share how they
Supercharge your pitching
In this episode we explore what makes a winning pitch and how to improve your chances of getting a commission.Learn about the most common mistakes freelancers make when pitching as we chat with two experienced freelance journalists, Punteha van Terheyden who specialises in true-life stories and Flic Everett, a self-employed journalist and editor. The GuestsPunteha van TerheydenTwi
Generating ideas
In this week’s episode, we look at how to generate ideas for stories. Writer and lecturer Ellie Levenson and freelancer feature writer Amelia Tait talk us through how they get some of their best ideas and where they find inspiration. The GuestsEllie LevensonTwitter: @EllieLevenson Instagram: @ellie_levensonAmelia TaitTwitter: @ameliargh Website: https://ameliatait.com/ResourcesMuseu
Going Freelance
It's series 9 of the podcast and we are going back to basics. In the first episode of the new series we discuss how to go freelance.How do you take the leap into the freelance world? What is the best way to do it, and how do you overcome the freelance imposter syndrome? Our guests this week, Laura Cooke and Charlotte Scotland, are experienced journalists who have both recently gone freelance.The G
An interview with Terri White
In the final episode of the series we chat to Terri White the former editor of Empire magazine and Time Out New York, about her first book, Coming Undone. The book is a brutally honest and moving memoir about her breakdown in New York and how her early life experiences shaped where she is today, both professionally and personally. Terri is currently a freelance journalist writing for a range
An interview with Angie Simms & Stuart Quinn
In the latest episode we speak to photojournalists Angie Simms and Stuart Quinn about their photography work and their self-published cookbook. The Australian couple, who are currently travelling across Oz, talk about taking control of their passion project and the importance of hiring a strong team and calling in favours.The AuthorsAngie Simms and Stuart QuinnInstagram: @stradbrokeislandphotogra
An interview with Polly Morland
In this episode we speak to Polly Morland, a documentary maker turned writer, about her new book which she wrote during lockdown. The book documents the life of a GP working in a rural practice. Polly chats about the benefits of long research chats and how to maintain the anonymity of contributors when needed. Polly is a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines and also teaches part-ti
An interview with Lucy Waterlow
In this episode we speak to the author Lucy Waterlow about the process of ghostwriting. Lucy has ghostwritten four books including Nell McAndrew’s Guide to Running plus an additional guide to running and two running memoirs. Lucy is also a freelance journalist and writes for a number of different outlets including the Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Women’s Running and OK! Magazine.The authorLu
An interview with Chris Stokel-Walker
In this week's episode we speak to prolific freelance journalist Chris Stokel-Walker whose work regularly appears in WIRED, The Economist and Newsweek. Chris has written two tech-based books, and we chat with him about the importance of making your ideas relevant and timeless when switching from journalism to book writing. The authorChris Stokel-WalkerTwitter: @stokel Instagram: @cstokel
An Interview with Lisa Bradley
In our ‘Summer Reads’ podcast series, we chat with freelance journalists who have written successful books. Bringing the first episode of series eight back with a bang is Lisa Bradley, the author of two psychological thrillers – Paper Dolls and The Lesson. Lisa began her writing career in local news and subsequently worked as a freelance journalist for national papers and magazines. She is no
An interview with Saima Mir
We have a very special bonus episode of the podcast this week. We sat down with award-winning freelance journalist and writer Saima Mir to discuss the paperback launch of her fantastic novel, The Khan, which is currently Waterstones Book of the Month. We talked about diversity in publishing, the writing process and what journalistic experience she was able to draw on.The GuestTwitter: @SaimaMir&nb
Funding
In this episode, we talk about how to get funding for a project with Amanda Nunn, a freelance broadcast journalist and co-founder of the Off the Record newsletter and Warren Nettleford, an ITN television presenter and reporter and co-founder of Need to Know, the UK’s first youth news service built purely for the digital generation.Amanda NunnTwitter: @AmandaNunnC5Off the record newsletter: h
Side hustles
In this episode we talk about side hustles, should you have one and how do you explore your interests alongside your freelance journalism work? We speak to Dean Sterling Jones, a chef from Northern Ireland, who works as a freelance journalist when he’s not cooking, and Waseem Mirza, a sci-tech journalist and presenter who is also a screen actor and voice artist. Waseem MirzaTwitter: @waseem_m
Shorthand
In this episode, we ask whether you need shorthand as a freelance journalist. We talk to Marc Shoffman, a journalist and podcaster, and Rachel Charlton-Dailey, a health and disability journalist, about the pros and cons of shorthand, when it can be useful, as well as considering alternatives tools. Marc ShoffmanTwitter: @marcshoffman Instagram: inforapennypodcastWebsite: Https://cavendis
Trust
Trust is an essential part of journalism. In this episode, we find out why it's important and what you can do as a freelance journalist to gain it. We talk to Steve Nowottny, an editor from FullFact, who discusses how his work exposes and counters the harm false information can cause, and Jennifer Sizeland, a UK-based freelance journalist, who talks to us about how journalists can build trust with
Sort your pension!
In this episode, we talk about pensions and savings, and how we should all be thinking about saving for the future. We talk to Brendon Maton an experienced freelance journalist who writes about investing and savings and Hannah Smith, a freelance financial journalist specialising in investment management and personal finance, about the best options out there for freelance journalists. Brendon
Photojournalism
In this episode we talk about photography, how to get into photojournalism and how it works when you are both writing and taking photos for features. Joining us we have Craig Stennett an experienced photojournalist who specialises in political and social change and Nori Jemil, a freelance photographer, writer and videographer who has worked for Nat Geo UK, BBC Travel, and The Telegraph among
How to appraise yourself: Part 2
In this bonus episode Lily and Emma return to the appraisal they conducted on each other six months ago to hold one another accountable. We find out how many of their action points were achieved and how useful the process was. ResourcesHow to appraise yourself original podcast episode https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/how-to-appraise-yourselfOriginal appraisal form by Laura
Changing profession later in life
What does it take to switch to journalism later in life? In this episode, we find out how to move into freelance journalism after starting off in an alternative career. We talk about the rewards and the hurdles of changing careers with Rachel Steinberg, who worked in the theatre in Canada before moving to London to become a sports journalist and Rachel Murray who is an ex-lawyer turned freelance w
Moral choices
In this episode, we speak to two freelance journalists, Miranda Levy and Alice Draper about the moral choices you can be confronted with as a freelance journalist. We discuss how to set boundaries and how to avoid conflicts of interest. The GuestsMiranda LevyWebsite: https://mirandalevy.co.uk/Twitter: @mirandalevycopy Instagram: @mirandalevyinstaAlice DraperWebsite: https://www.alicedrap
Saying no
In this episode we discuss the difficulty of saying no to work as a freelance. We talk to freelance journalist and Career Collective founder Lateefah Jean-Baptiste and i like networking founder Isabel Sachs about how, and when, to walk away when a commission or project is not working for you.The guestsLateefah Jean https://www.lateefahjb.com/Twitter @_LateefahJB https://www.instagram.com/car
Securing steady work
Securing steady work, long term contracts or building up a relationship with an editor in order to get regular work can be a great security blanket for freelancers. In this episode we talk to Mel Stern, freelance journalist, editor, producer, and charity communications consultant and Tufayel Ahmed, a freelance journalist, editor and journalism lecturer about how to do this . The GuestsMel Ste
Blogging
In this episode, we talk to two freelance journalists who also blog. We ask how blogging can service freelance journalists and how you can make it work for you. Andy Webb is a freelance journalist who runs the award winning blog ‘Be Clever with your Cash’ and Marisa Bate, who was shortlisted for the inaugural Freelance Writing Awards for her newsletter and blog ‘Writing about Women’ is a free
Ghosting
In the first episode of series 6, we speak to two freelance journalists about how to handle editor ghosting. What can you do when an editor, who was initially keen, is now ignoring your emails? We get advice from Solape Alatise, a freelance journalist with business and financial reporting experience, and Joel Snape a fitness writer and former commissioning editor at Men's Fitness. The GuestsS
How to appraise yourself
In this bonus episode podcast hosts Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson conduct an appraisal on one another.They set out how to do a performance review and the importance of assessing your work and setting yourself goals as a freelancer.ResourcesOriginal appraisal form by Laura Oliver, Society of Freelance Journalists: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oy5YhMO1pBxIyXj6phUr_ApEorqT1OIPi7tIm45aMb4/edit
