Webinar: Working the Conference Circuit

Conferences are among the very best resources for freelancers, but only if you take the time to understand the conference circuit and how to put that understanding into practice.

Conference Circuit

Our experts panel will lead you through the pros and cons of the conference circuit, the ways you can benefit from choosing the right conferences, and how to connect with the various players you’ll need to make your efforts pay off.

Working the Conference Circuit

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on October 28, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

3 tips for making the most of an overseas conference as a freelancer

This article on making the most of overseas conferences is written by Becky Zimmer who is based in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. She has experience in farm, community, small business and sports reporting.

As someone who has always wanted to travel, the fact that I am now able to go overseas for six wees for a conference as a freelancer is a blessing. But I will not ever assume to be so well-seasoned that I cannot learn from my best laid plans.

I went to Europe with a plan. Now that my Switzerland International Federation of Agricultural Journalists conference is over, I am taking some time to reflect on what I can improve for the next time.

A photo of a woman taking a photo with her phone of a bridge in London, England. This is to illustrate the points in the article called 3 tips for making the most of an overseas conference as a freelancer

How to make the most of an overseas conference as a freelancer

The best thing about trips like this is not just about what you learn at the conference itself, but the people you meet that make the conference special. Like I did before I left, I was constantly talking with the people in my network during and after the conference.

This is one reason why my schedule was like wet sand—I didn’t know who was available and where I could potentially go and that’s was by design.

I wanted my colleagues from the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists to hook me up with their colleagues at a moment’s notice.

I wanted someone I just met to suggest cool places to see.

I had five days in Devon with a colleague graciously throwing farmers at me left and right. She also tipped me off to a press tour in Edinburgh, where I was able to have supper with a different colleague. Then there was a trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland where two colleagues showed me the ropes of their work within the ag sector—one as a reporter in Belfast and another as a researcher at the University College Dublin.

I’ve realized I’m the worst at just being a tourist, but having local friends to show me cool places and introduce me to interesting people has been the best part of this journey.

Unfortunately, the list of amazing people to talk to got a little overwhelming and it was impossible not to leave people floundering in the throes of my inbox.

However, I know they will understand that organizing yourself after a big conference is both a joy and a pain.

Now that I’m heading home, I’m looking forward to the prospect of helping someone else when they come to Canada.

Tip 1: Be flexible

One of my other plans was to focus on different agriculture topics. I picked five areas I wanted to look into, including topics like rural reporting and community news in different countries, as well as waste reduction or reusability strategies in the ag sector.

As someone who already takes on too much I should have known that this was a far greater workload than I was able to tackle during and after the conference.

Out of all the stories I pitched to editors, only half fit these were subject goals I set for myself while the others were stories of opportunity that have ended up being financially beneficial with much of the work already done during conference tours, for example, interviewing, photos and Q&A sessions.

Next time, I will try to narrow that focus more, but the joy of freelancing is being able to tackle any story that peaks your interest.

Tip 2: Be kind to yourself

How do you work best?

Is a busy reception desk in Belfast with your headphones on the way to go?

Do you need a silent library reading room at the National Library of Scotland to get some editing done?

Can you edit photos as your laptop balances precariously on a train tray table?

You may have to fight for every scrap of work time you get, but set that schedule for yourself, find a place where you can be productive, set your goals for success and go.

On the flip side, enjoy your time of just being a tourist. When you’re touring the Scottish Highlands and reminding yourself that your husband said no touching weird rock formations, looking up at Big Ben from the top of a bus and wondering how much gold he’s made out of or watching Swiss cows graze at 3,000 metres above sea level, don’t take away from the experience by answering emails or arranging meetings with clients.

Let yourself just be in that moment.

That said, keep a notebook handy for potential blog ideas and your camera ready for those inspirational shots that could get your fingers flying later. Write the note, take the picture and then go back to enjoying yourself.

Tip 3: Schedule breaks

Travel isn’t always fun and comfortable. It can be exhausting and painful and you need to give yourself time to recover from that. No work, no tours, no day trips, just time in bed with Netflix and takeout. The only must-have for any well-deserved break is acceptance. Keep the guilt away and let yourself enjoy your Outlander and Thai food in peace.

There is far too much to see and do in one lifetime, let alone a single six-week trip.

Don’t ever beat yourself up for not doing everything you set out to do.

Don’t ever feel like you haven’t done enough.

Have you travelled overseas for a conference and tacked on a vacation? What are your tips for making the most of it?

Posted on October 22, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

Webinar: Practical Use Cases For AI

Dr. Nadine Robinson and George Butters are back with another update on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on freelancers, and how we can use these tools safely and effectively to work smarter.

CFG Experts - Practical AI

This weekend workshop will focus on practical use cases: routine tasks that can be made easier with help from publicly available chatbots.

You’re bound to find some handy solutions among their tested list of more than 80 use cases for communicators and administrators.

Our Presenters

Dr. Nadine Robinson first learned about ChatGPT from her college students, and works hard to stay one step ahead of them.

George Butters uses multiple bots daily to speed up routine tasks for the Canadian Freelance Guild, and works hard to reign in rogue virtual assistants.

Practical Use Cases for A.I.

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on October 18, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

Webinar: AI’s Impact on Media Freelancers

Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact on freelancers in media-related fields such as journalism, photography, videography, blogging, podcasting, live streaming, graphic design and coding.

For some, AI has caused market shrinkage or disappearance, while others face the challenge of adapting to rapidly changing markets. A few see AI as an opportunity to expand their skillset.

A panel of AI-engaged professionals will discuss these challenges: digital arts researcher Owen Brierley, PhD, who helped start us on our AI journey; Tony Stubblebine (CEO, Medium.com) who refused to license his users’ content to OpenAI and demonetized AI-generated content on the platform; and data journalist Jon Schleuss of the Los Angeles Times, president of The News Guild/Communications Workers of America, and lead of that group’s national AI committee.

The CFG’s George Butters, an advocate for the safe use of AI tools by freelancers, will moderate.

NOTE to Members: Watch your email for a short survey about your experiences with AI in your freelance work.

AI’s Impact on Media Freelancers

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on October 15, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT · Tagged with: ,

3 ways freelancers can build trust with clients

This post about how freelancers can build trust with clients is written by Robyn Roste, a freelance writer in Abbotsford, BC. Her new book, Marketing for Freelance Writers is available now.

An overhead photograph of a woman sitting cross legged on a couch with a laptop. This is to illustrate the article 3 ways freelancers can build trust with clients
As a new freelancer, nothing was more exciting than bidding on and winning an assignment.

I’d do a happy dance and bask in the initial adrenaline rush. And then I’d get on with my day.

I’d work on assignments and turn them in when I was finished, but every now and then I’d receive an inquisitive email. The inquiries were always the same, just checking in, wondering how things were going, would I be hitting my deadline?

When I got serious about freelancing I recognized my approach to client communication left room for improvement.

Before jumping into a new assignment I’d check with my editors about their communication expectations and make a point to adhere to them. While some clients preferred weekly updates, others only wanted to hear from me if there was a problem.

On top of doing a better job of meeting client expectations, I also began looking for other ways to build stronger relationships.

Here are three areas that have made the biggest difference for building trust with clients, reassuring them that I’m working hard for them

Read the rest of this post »

Posted on October 9, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT · Tagged with: ,

Webinar: Finding New Markets

Finding new markets is part of a strategy called pivoting. The longer you’ve been freelancing, the more likely you have pivoted at least once. It might mean narrowing your focus and drilling deeply into an area of expertise to become tops in that topic.

Or, more traditionally, finding new clients for what you’re already doing or shifting your entire focus to a new enterprise.

CFG Finding New Markets

And this is a fun one: the longer we’ve been doing the same something, adding and extending our skills and knowledge, we often fail to realize our increase in market value.

Finding New Markets

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on October 3, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

Can a journalist ever truly be objective? And, if not, what are they to do instead?

This article about journalistic objectivity is written by Vanessa Chiasson, a freelance writer based in Ottawa who specializes in travel and human interest stories.

A stock image of a broadcast journalist holding a microphone and smiling. She is standing in front of a "breaking news" sign. This is to demonstrate journalistic objectivity.

Can a journalist ever truly be objective?

This question was at the heart of the annual Power and the Press lecture from the Canadian Journalism Foundation, held in May at Toronto’s Massey College (and available online via CPAC). I attended the lecture in person as I was hugely interested in what the keynote speaker, legendary American editor Marty Baron, had to say about the state of our industry.

Baron was most recently the editor-in-chief at the Washington Post, an experience he shares in his new book Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and The Washington Post.

You may also recognize his name from the movie Spotlight. Baron held the top job at the Boston Globe during their landmark investigation of child abuse in the Catholic church.

As such, he is no stranger to having to make difficult decisions. Baron spoke passionately about the importance of objectivity, emphasising that journalists should never cease seeking it, even if perfect objectivity is impossible. More controversially, he also spoke about what he sees as the inherent conflict between being an activist and a journalist, citing both as important but reinforcing his belief that they should be separate roles. It’s interesting food for thought but where do freelancers fit in?

Baron’s editorial experience is unparalleled, but he has precious little experience as a freelancer. We exist as teams of one, with no copy editors, section editors, or editors-in-chief in the next office to temper our opinions and encourage multiple avenues of investigation. True, many of us report to editors via whatever publication we happen to be on assignment for at the moment. Their guidance is invaluable but it’s a much different relationship than a newsroom where you are supported by a broad team. When it comes to objectivity, we’re often on our own.

While Baron might advocate a separation of journalism and activism, freelancers rarely have the luxury of separating our personal and professional lives. We are encouraged to write about what we know. Editors put out calls for pitches that specifically target journalists with in-depth, lived experience in certain subjects. Read any advice for landing pitches and you’ll be encouraged to find an angle that puts you, the writer, front and centre. Write personal essays to shore up your bylines. Research-based work isn’t enough.

In some newsrooms, this tricky balance might work. Perhaps it’s the way things ought to work. End parachute journalism. Have people close to stories report on them—and rely on colleagues and editors to help you navigate the tricky dance of objectivity. But what can a freelancer do? Who will tell us we’re getting too close to a story or a source? Who will point out the gaping holes that we cannot see? And—let’s face it—how can we afford to be objective when time is money and publishers are routinely offering $200 an article or less?

Baron didn’t offer any advice for freelancers (which, to be fair, he wasn’t explicitly asked about, but perhaps you shouldn’t have to be asked about it when the number of freelancers is rising exponentially as newsrooms shutter at an alarming rate.) However, in a funny twist, his advice may prove helpful for freelancers.

Objectivity advice for freelancers

We can’t be perfectly objective. No journalist can. But we can sure try.

Here are some considerations for a freelancer who strives for objectivity in such challenging conditions.

Posted on October 1, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

The state of Canadian publishing, from a Wiley veteran

This article is written by James Gilbert. You can reach him at travelwriter.blog.

These are the excerpts from an interview I conducted with Matt Adamson, Senior Accounts Manager with Wiley Publishing, best known for their “Dummies” series of books. He currently manages a group of reps across Canada and the US that promote and distribute books by Wiley. Always technically savvy, Matt is looks to new technologies to collect information on his book sales and those of the publishing industry. Matt has had a long and distinguished career in the publishing industry. He has also worked with Oxford University Press as well as Cambridge University Press.

JG: How is the publishing industry doing?

MA: It’s doing really well. Not that long ago, about a million titles were being produced per year. Now with ebooks, self-publishing and print-on-demand, that same number is done every month. Even with all the media and streaming services available, books remain very popular.

JG: What is considered a successful book project?

MA: Five thousand books sold is considered a bestseller in Canada.

JG: Who buys books in Canada, what’s the demographic?

MA: Ten per cent of the population buys books on a regular basis. Their demographic is a true democracy. There is no one segment of the population represented more than any other. Ebooks carry 15 per cent of the market which rose to 34 per cent during the pandemic, then settled back down to 15 per cent.

JG: What’s getting published?

MA: Fiction is number one. Non-fiction books dealing with politics, war, biographies and history are down. Canadian history isn’t selling well at all.

JG: What are the hot topics in the publishing world?

MA: Social media for one. TikTok is driving the marketplace big time and it’s not just for kids as was once believed. People are looking for simple, curated content that will help them choose a book. BookTok, a sub community of TikTok, is a driving force in the marketplace and influencers are influencing purchases. If you have a following of 3,000 people on LinkedIn, publishers will notice you. They will seek you out and offer you a book deal. They want to work with people who are influencing opinions and potentially driving book sales.

Discoverability is a popular industry buzz word. Publishers need to know who the competition is and how well it’s doing. If you’re going to publish a book of blueberry muffin recipes, you need to drill down through the data on Google and find out who’s out there making similar books and how well they sold. Recently one of my sales reps started using ChatGPT to do this time consuming work and came up with some astounding results in mere minutes.

Of course AI itself is a hot topic because all publishers want to sell a book about AI. The problem is, AI and technology in general is moving at such an alarming rate, that AI books, if published in the traditional time consuming way would be long out of date before they hit the bookstores. Print-on-demand might be the only way to solve this problem since print-on-demand books can be revised fairly easily.

The other hot topic in the publishing industry is DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion). Black Lives Matter, The Me Too movement and in Canada, Truth and Reconciliation have been huge wake-up calls for what has been a pretty non-diverse (white, well-educated, middle/upper class) industry.

JG: Where are the profits in publishing?

MA: The return on investment in publishing used to typically be four per cent. Corporate expectations are much higher now. The biggest profits come from reprints. For example, Octavia Butler’s Parable of a Sower was originally published in 1993. It’s current Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Group edition was published in 2000, reissued in 2019 and that paperback reissue is now in it’s 12th printing. Publishers love this. All the leg work and investment is done. They just need to call the printer and ship the orders.

JG: How many pages and what physical dimensions should books be?

MA: Publishers prefer books to be in standard dimensions. Our new Dummies Guide to Sustainable Travel is 14cm x 22cm. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches) or half a sheet of standard paper. We don’t do coffee-table books. The number of pages depends on the subject. The first draft of Barbra Streisand’s new autobiography was 1,200 pages. Her publisher got her to parse it down to 900 pages. It also comes with a hefty $60 price tag. I’m not sure how it’s going to do.

JG: Would her book have done better say, 15 or 20 years ago?

MA: Absolutely. There’s a generation out there that has no idea who she is. Barbra’s 80 years old now. A lot of her fans are no longer alive.

JG: As an author, should I consider getting an agent?

MA: Absolutely. If nothing else, a meeting with an agent can help you decide whether your project is feasible or not, that is, if book is going to sell.

JG: What does an agent do other than negotiate a deal?

MA: Agents find the appropriate publisher, get them interested in the author and proposed book, arbitrate expectations, negotiate the terms/contract, organize payments, track royalties and track sales.

JG: Do publishers still give advances?

MA: They like it when they don’t have to but depending on the author and subject of the book they do provide advances.

JG: Authors complain that their publishers do nothing to help with book sales. Who is supposed to do the marketing aspect? Does the agent ever get involved?

MA: Publishers are supposed to market and sell the book. But with the rise of social media authors are asked and expected to do participate more and more. The agent would get involved if things are not going well on the marketing and sales front with either the publisher or the author.

JG: Are there budgets for advertising?

MA: When someone like Michelle Obama writes a book there is no advertising budget because the book sells itself. If a little known scientist writes a book on astronomy, we’ll allocate $30,000 for advertising.

JG: Other than writing the book, what are the writers responsibilities?

MA: Writers complete the manuscript on time, make the changes as suggested and discussed with the editor, may be required to pay for a finished index, may be required to pay for an initial outside edit before the manuscript is submitted. The writer also would usually agree to participate in marketing efforts with the publishers publicity and marketing staff.

JG: What advice do you have for a new writer?

MA: Develop a social media presence. It helps to appear as the expert on your favourite topic that you’re going to write about. Practice writing in different styles, whether it’s advertising copy or prose for a piece of fiction. Write every day.

Consider self-publishing. Your book will get out there much faster. Amazon has a really good platform for self-publishing as well as print-on-demand. You can decide on your own pricing and if your book’s a runaway success, you can raise its price!

Having a website is a good idea because a publisher will have their staff check out your writing and more importantly, check your following and engagement to see if you have any presence.

Daily updates to your website and maximizing your SEO (search engine optimization) set up are vital so Google can find you (discoverability). Google tends to ignore stagnant websites. It can be as simple as adding the current date and the word updated to a post on your site. AIOSEO and Yoast are popular plug-ins for search engine optimization. They’re relatively simple tools you can use to boost your site’s chances of being found. Both plug-ins tell you right away if your updates have helped or not.

Watermarking any of your own photos is also important as AI is now in the habit of stealing content from websites. Watermarking can easily be done with free utilities like Watermarkly or Batchwatermark, which add a fully customized and subtle copyright mark to your photos.

Using filenames for your photos that are more descriptive also helps Google find you. Instead of naming your photo “Waterfall 1,” use the specific location in the filename like “Coppermine Falls Blow Me Down Newfoundland Canada.” With WordPress you can also add a caption to each photo, a description as well as an alt text description, which adds another element increasing your site’s chances of being found. Google can also read text in your photos. If your photo shows a sign for Bob’s Restaurant, Google will read it and then becomes another search element.

Using an AI tool like ChatGTP is a great way to generate hashtags specific to Instagram and TikTok. AI can also generate keywords and longtail keywords for your website. Just write a specific prompt asking for keywords. For instance,

You’re an SEO expert tasked with finding keywords and long tailed keywords for a Newfoundland travel book. Please provide me with 20 keywords and 20 longtail keywords for my book’s website (travelwithme.com).

Keywords will be simple: Newfoundland, travel, vacation, etc. Longtail keywords will be more descriptive: travel adventures in Newfoundland, travel stories about Newfoundland, etc.

ChatGTP 3.5 is easily accessed via Microsoft Bing. Copilot is the official name of the service. Just click on the blue and green logo in the top right hand corner of the screen and you’re in.

JG: If Matt Adamson wrote a book how would he go about getting it published?

MA: If I was an author I would:

So there you have it, the good news is that the Canadian publishing industry is alive and well. If you’re writing falls into a popular genre, you could find yourself with an agent, a book deal, a newly published book and a travel schedule taking you across the country to promote your work.

Posted on September 24, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT · Tagged with: 

Webinar: Contracts and Negotiations for Freelancers

Join panelists and long-time freelancers Paul McLaughlin and Don Genova with moderator George Butters to talk about trends in recent contracts for media freelancers, the new twists AI has added to the already difficult topic, and how you can get what you want from negotiations…or know when to walk away.

CFG Experts Contracts Negotiations

Ask your questions about this important part of a successful freelance career to a trio with more than 100 years experience in everything from handshakes and email agreements, to multi-chapter paper dumps.

Contracts and Negotiations for Freelancers

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on September 23, 2024 at 6:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT

Webinar: CFG Books and AACB Present: Author Mark Kearney and Al Christie

Author Mark Kearney’s latest book explores the life and times of Al Christie he describes as Hollywood’s forgotten pioneer.

In discussion with Crystal Fletcher of All About Canadian Books.

CFG Authors - M Kearney

We’ll find out more about Mark’s latest book, and not just what’s between the covers: the publishing and promotions journey, the challenges in reaching audiences in Canada and elsewhere, and the required hard work needed to promote and sell a book—in all its forms—in our modern digital world.

CFG Books and AACB Present: Author Mark Kearney and Al Christie

You can register for this webinar right here.

Learn more about the cost and benefits of membership in the CFG on this webpage.

The link to the Zoom webinar will be sent to you via email about half an hour before the start time.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you can’t find the email, and contact organizer@canadianfreelanceguild.ca if you haven’t received the link 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. This webinar will be recorded and posted to the CFG Video-On-Demand site. Once posted, all paid registrants will receive a link and instructions on how to view.

Posted on September 22, 2024 at 8:00 am by editor · LEAVE A COMMENT