By Amy Abrahams, Freelance Journalist
BA English & Drama 2004
No freelance writer’s experience will be the same and making it ‘out there’ relies on many factors: some of it within your control, some of it left to the fickle gods of luck and opportunity. You need to be OK with unpredictability, you need to be prepared to hustle, you need to not take things personally. You need to connect with people, network, mingle, persevere, make yourself known (though it isn’t always about being the loudest person, or having the biggest, most sensational opinions, though that works for some). And of course, you need to have talent. Without that, you’re not going to get commissioned again. But I’m sure you have talent in abundance, so let’s take that one as read.
I have been freelancing for seven years and I have no desire to go back to a staff job. I love freelancing – the freedom and flexibility it brings, the variety of work I get, and I love having control over my day-to-day in a way an office job would make difficult (especially since I’ve had children). I can’t see myself going back. BUT… I only went freelance after nearly ten years working in the magazine industry (specifically women’s magazines). I only took the leap once I was sure I was in a good position to do so. I had made good connections, I knew I would get commissioned by my former editors, at least to start with, I knew I had a proven track record of delivering the goods. It’s very hard for busy editors to take a risk on someone without any published work to show for themselves.
But (another ‘but’) – things are different to how it was when I started. The world has changed, fast – the routes you can take into journalism are greater because there’s now more opportunity to prove your writing chops outside of traditional media. Write something meaningful online – on Instagram, or start a Substack, show what you can do. Believe in something. Find a niche. I ended up becoming a health and wellbeing journalist – this is where my interests took me, and often I will get approached because a commissioning editor is looking for someone specifically to cover this area. I don’t, for instance, write about entertainment or culture, though I probably could if I really wanted to. But there are plenty of brilliant ents writers out there, so I leave it to them. So I think part of it is also thinking about what you want to write about. And why.
There’s something important I should add: freelance journalism does not pay well. It’s a sad fact, but rates are low – some places seem to totally undervalue the skills of a writer, and that’s a shame. This is why many freelance journalists actually do things other than straight journalism. Be prepared to be a multi-hyphenate. Write for papers or magazines, but also do some copywriting, content writing, brand work, corporate work, customer magazines, website copy, ghost writing, even. I started off in the industry as a sub-editor, and for a long time I would regularly do this as well as feature writing. It’s not all about the bylines, either – there’s nothing better than seeing your name in print and feeling a connection with your reader, but you’ve also got to pay the bills. There is no shame is writing and editing for a variety of titles and places. Sometimes you have to park your ego outside.
If I had my time again, would I start off as a freelancer instead of taking that staff job? In truth, probably not. I learnt a lot by working in-house, I had a lot of fun too and made some brilliant, lifelong friends. Freelance writing is a solitary occupation – it can be lonely. You might realise you thrive more when surrounded by other people, and that’s OK. But what I would do differently if I could do it all again is put myself out there sooner, with more confidence. I was insecure, I didn’t believe in myself – and to be honest, I still think I could hustle harder and pitch more frequently.
So follow key journalists online: Twitter, if it survives the year, is still a great place to hear from commissioning editors looking for pitches. See what people are looking for, read their titles, get a sense of what their appetite is for stories. And do work experience, if you can. It’s incredibly illuminating. (For instance, two weeks stuck in a fashion cupboard was enough for me to learn I didn’t want to go into fashion writing.)
As time has gone on, what I am interested in writing about has changed, and freelancing gives me the opportunity to pursue these new interests. It doesn’t lock you into anything – in fact, it opens up the world. Quite literally, sometimes. I know plenty of freelance writers who travel from country to country, setting up their office wherever they go. So freelancing certainly has its charms – and for all its challenges, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Except for better pay – that could definitely be improved.
To all the students, wishing you an abundance of luck! There’s an exciting career path out there that has your name on it only. So believe in yourself. But also be open to learning and absorbing the wisdom of others. You’ll be surprised by what you learn, as well as who will help you on your way.
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