Freelancing
Freelancing
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Organizations and Unions
SPJ Freelance Community
“SPJ’s largest and most active community, with events and programs throughout the year and nearly 150 members. We offer tools and resources to help freelance journalists be better at what they do.”
FIRE: Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors
National Association of Science Writers Freelancing Guide
Tips on getting science reporting freelance gigs, etc.
American Society of Journalists and Authors
Society for Environmental Journalists: Freelance Resources
Offers a listserv, resource list and more.
Freelancing for Journalists Facebook Group
American Society of Media Photographers
International Women’s Media Foundation
Business | Other Management and Reporting Resources
SPJ Guide to Freelance Journalism
Resources for time management, productivity, business management and more.
100 Best Freelance Writing Websites: 2020 Edition
MediaBistro: Safety Resources for Freelance Journalists
Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors (FIRE): Legal Assistance
Process for journalists to apply for free legal help.
FIRE Freelance Contract Agreement
Podcast: How LinkedIn Can Help Freelance Journalists
Adobe Essential Documents & Organization Tips for Freelancers
Get Published
Created by freelancer Markus Amalthea Magnuson, Get Published collects and tracks media outlets so that freelance writers can find suitable places to pitch and publish their work. All outlets are categorized, and the complete list can be filtered into these categories, making it easy to find outlets relevant to your area.
How to Set Up an Online Portfolio
GIJN: Freelancing and Media Insurance
Authory
Archive your articles before they’re removed from a site.
Toggl Track
Time-tracking software.
Notion
Great for note-taking, time-tracking, making handouts, etc. An all-in-one workspace.
Fanurio
Time-tracking tool for freelancers.
Freelance Bold: Project Planner for Freelance Writers
Rize.io
Time-tracking software.
ExpertAccess
LexisNexis for freelancers. Access contact info and clip searches. Fee is $240 per year.
Think Like a Business: Survival Skills for Journalists
Links, tools and resources galore.
GIJN Guide: Collaboration and Freelance
Journalism.co.uk: How to Gain Clients Early in Freelancing Career
Freelance Journalism Assembly: Pitching Development Stories
European Journalism Centre’s guide to pitching development stories.
Opportunities of the Week Newsletter
A biweekly newsletter full of freelance writing and writing-adjacent jobs spotted on Twitter.
Rory Peck Trust: Digital Security Guide for Freelance Journalists
Security Guide for freelance journalists will help you make informed decisions about digital security and protect yourself against attacks. Covers web surfing, passwords and more.
GIJN: Journalist Security Assessment Tool
How secure are you? Walk through this process and find out.
Carrd Portfolio Building Site
Very trendy templates for building out a portfolio site.
Hello Sign
Add your e-signature to documents.
GIJN: How to Freelance During a Pandemic
10 Skills You Need to Thrive in the Gig Economy
From Fingerprint for Success: Tips for “solopreneurs” who needed advice on what skills to develop to land a job.
Chelsea’s Guide to Freelancing
A great one-stop resource for tips and tools for getting started from Chelsea Cirruzzo.
Poynter: Are You a Freelancer? Does the Government Agree?
New York City’s Freelance Isn’t Free Law
Five Essential Resources for Freelance Writers
Poynter: Six Questions Every Journalist Should Answer Before Pitching a Story
MuckRack: 18 Newsletters Every Freelance Journalist Should Subscribe to
Pulitzer Center: Freelance Tips on COVID-19 Reporting
72 Tools for Freelance Writers
Dart Center: Guide to Working with Freelancers Exposed to Trauma
54 Resources for Writers
A super list of curated tools and resources from former SPJ President Dana Neuts.
Lili Banking App for Freelancers
Journalism.co.uk: How to Work With International Clients
Lawyers for Reporters
Lawyers for Reporters works in tandem with lawyers at dozens of law firms around the country in various areas of expertise. International, regional, and local firms handle corporate, nonprofit, intellectual property and other matters. The organization provides legal services for journalists.
Great Portfolio Sites for Freelance Writers
FIRE Contract Principles
Outlines principles for freelance investigative reporting work. It also links to information about FIRE’s new contract template.
Nieman Storyboard: Seven Fatal Flaws of Story Pitches
IJNET: 6 Tools Freelancers Should Know to Best Execute data Stories and Pitches
10 Tools for Freelance Journalists and Writers
Six Tips for Independent Journalists Before Deciding to Go Solo
Covers e-newsletter strategy and freelancing.
One More Question Freelance Writers Newsletter
West Coast Media Jobs & More
Contains tips and guides for not just West Coast journalists, but all early career journos starting out as staffers and freelancers. There’s an overview of freelance writing, a guide to journalism job interviews and more. Also available as a newsletter.
Poynter: Journalists are Switching to Freelance. 7 Things They Wish They Knew First
Copyfolio: 7 Freelance Writer Website Examples to Help Create Yours & Get Clients
Dart Center: Guide for Editors Working with Freelancers Exposed to Trauma
Freelancer’s Guide to Solutions Journalism
Available as a .PDF document.
Tools for Reporters Newsletter
Tech tools advice from freelancer and data journalist Samantha Sunne.
Poynter: Tips for Helping Students Pitch Freelance Ideas
Prospology
Prospology provides training and business coaching services to freelance medical writers and journalists who are looking for more freedom and independence. Programs are specifically geared toward individuals who have a background in healthcare or academic research who have never freelanced before or are in the beginning stages of setting up their business. Students learn how to niche and brand their business, create strong writing samples, build a professional website and portfolio, and pitch and negotiate writing services to prospective clients.
RCFP Non-Profits News Guide
Resources for forming a non-profit news organization.
Digital Media Law Project
Forming a business and getting it online.
31 Tools and Apps Freelancers Swear By
Case By Case
Publishes great pitches for journalists, three a week on Substack (and publications to pitch to) on one topic. Anyone can take them, reform them, or simply use them for inspiration for their next pitch––no strings attached.
The Open Notebook Pitch Database
The Open Notebook: The Pitch as Hypothesis: How Stories Evolve through Reporting
The Open Notebook: An International Students Guide to Freelancing in the US
Almanac.io
Document creation tool along the lines of Google Docs.