How Do You Become A Freelance Journalist?
Freelance journalism is one of the more “dog eat dog” forms of freelance writing. To become a freelance journalist you must develop your own stories and leads, and cultivate relationships on your own. Freelancing for a newspaper is predicated on events of the day, while magazine journalism is more creative (and more demanding). Developing a reputation takes time, but with an eye to the realities of the business, it is most attainable. Possess great skills in reading, writing, punctuation, grammar and syntax. Have a complete grasp of the language and how it is used to communicate. Learn how to write a story. Develop a journalistic style. Know the markets. Read constantly. Subscribe to several magazines and keep track of trends. Study their design and content and understand the target audience of each. Make good use of the “Writers’ Market” for leads, pricing and submission guidelines (see Resources below). Hone skills and keep them sharp. Write everyday. Set an attainable goal for a dai
