Archive for June, 2011
New Star freelance contracts raising eyebrows
The Toronto Star has been issuing new agreements to its freelancers that contain broader language than previous ones. According to some freelancers we heard from, there was less pressure to sign and return the contracts when they were first distributed, but after questions were raised about its wording, a hard deadline was set. There are […]
Personal branding: a new “must” for journalists?
If there are any social media marketing types on your radar, especially the sort who call themselves “gurus,” you’ve likely already heard of personal branding. For those unfamiliar with the concept, it’s “the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands.” Simply put, it’s a way of molding and manipulating the way people […]
Gothamist‘s venture into long-form
Joining other digital-only publications and projects, such as Byliner and The Atavist, that are hoping for a rebirth of long-form journalism online, Gothamist, a NYC news site, has announced it will pay a freelancer $5,000 to write a 5,000- to 15,000-word feature. A post on FishbowlNY pointed us to Gothamist‘s call for journalists who can […]
Evolve or die: Survival in the ever-changing freelance biz
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer will share personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? Your input is welcome in the comments. Reader “Spanky” commented on one of my previous posts, “What a sad state of affairs our business is in. The model is […]
Picking a price point for your e-book
Being able to slap whatever price tag you want on your own work is one of the most freeing things about self-publishing, but it can also be the most challenging. Not all writers are marketing experts, and, as far as we know, a guide on How to Compete in the E-books Marketplace — with its […]
“Free” freelancing: is it ever worth it?
The past couple days, a post about unpaid internships has been making the rounds on Twitter, and its writer, Bethany Horne, has been getting a lot of support for declaring that she will never (again) work for free, after completing an internship as part of her school program. She argues that unpaid work is detrimental […]
Ebyline: freelancers rejoice, or beware?
The 10,000 Words blog on MediaBistro.com gives freelancers four reasons why they should try out Ebyline, a new platform that “brings together news organizations and freelance journalists.” Describing it as a “virtual newsroom,” the post notes that Ebyline has just added video and audio capabilities to the site (it launched in September last year, but […]
“Hamsterization” and what it means for freelancers
Matthew Lasar, writing for Ars Technica, asks: “Has the internet ‘hamsterized’ journalism?” Coming across an article examining what the internet has done to journalism is as easy as finding LOLcats online, but this one is worth a closer read. The headline’s terminology piqued our interest, so let’s start there. What is “hamsterization”? It’s a term […]
So, what happened at the NMAs?
Ah, the National Magazine Awards. A night that begins with expectations and ends, so the legend goes, with a chocolate fountain. For an authoritative roundup of the night from an attendee, award winner, and all-around NMA expert, read DB Scott’s highlights on the Canadian Magazines blog (you can also read a portion of his acceptance […]
Canadian Magazine Freelancers Survey: The results
The big day is here! Tonight, the National Magazine Awards will be handed out at the annual awards gala, where Canada’s journalists will sashay down the red carpet in their designer duds and borrowed gems from Tiffany’s, wave to the screaming crowds and pose for the paparazzi, stopping now and then to sign their fans’ […]
