‘Advice’
Review: Two books that will boost your storytelling skills
by Michael Strickland An increase in my pulse rate accompanies the uptick in my attention. I missed that the first time, in the fall of 2019. Now, less than a year later, I’m watching for the subtlest of changes. I sit up a little bit straighter, pajama-clad legs pushing against the familiar couch cushions, as […]
The Born Freelancer on Knowing When to Leave the Party
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. In my last column I wrote about using the current crisis as a catalyst for change by moving into freelancing. Today […]
People before protons: How to pitch a science story
by Monte Stewart Tim Lougheed has been guarding his secret for years. If he has his way, editors will never pry it out of him. “To other people, I will call myself a science writer,” he said. “If I’m selling a story, I will never use that term.” And Lougheed is adamant that he will […]
4 Pitch Templates for Freelance Writers
by Robyn Roste Although pitching isn’t the only way freelancers find paid work, it’s an important skill to master. As much as I’ve tried to avoid it over the years, pitching in some way, shape or form is a large component of my freelance business and something I need to continually practice and improve at. Industry […]
The Born Freelancer on Going from 9-to-5 to Freelance During a Crisis
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Extreme conditions bring about extreme changes. In many cases, it is the only way to survive. Today I’d like to talk […]
The Born Freelancer Asks, How You Doin’
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. In my last column I talked about how, in many ways, freelancers are equipped for this crisis and its requirements (such as working […]
How freelancers can respond to crisis in a proactive way
by Robyn Roste Freelancing at the best of times is a careful balance of optimism, drive and risk. So when a crisis, like a global pandemic and looming economic recession, hits, this balance is upended, thrusting freelancers into limbo where everything is uncertain, leaving us desperate for stability. At the outset of any traumatic event, […]
The Born Freelancer on the COVID-19 Crisis
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. It seems to me we freelancers are in a unique position during this crisis. Unique, in this case, being both good and bad. […]
The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #43 — Tom Hawthorn
by Monte Stewart Award-winning journalist Tom Hawthorn has spent most of his career as a freelancer. He is well-known for contributing obituaries to The Globe and Mail, but also writes about living people for other media outlets. During the 1990s, he served as a staff reporter with two daily newspapers. He has also authored a […]
The Born Freelancer on “It’s All Been Done Before”
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments. A young freelance writer I know was lamenting the other day how hard it was for her to come up with anything original. “It’s […]