CMG Freelance September update
Here are a few things CMG Freelance is working on this month…
The state of the travel writing industry
by Monte Stewart
Travel writer Mike Fisher
Mike Fisher has a decision to make.
He is among disgruntled veteran freelancers who say well-paying travel writing opportunities are becoming increasingly rare due to revamped newspaper travel sections with reduced budgets, the outsourcing of editing services, and the proliferation of online publications that expect free stories, among other factors.
“It’s getting to the point where I really have to question whether I can continue doing it,” said Fisher, a Calgary-based writer who has been freelancing for more than 15 years. “In my case, (travel writing) is in addition to a lot of other freelance work, too.”
Full-time freelance travel writers are few and far between. Travel writing, said Fisher, a former newspaper reporter, “has always been an aristocratic hobby to a degree,” but it is becoming more so as technology disrupts traditional ways of reporting and presenting a story.
“I know (travel freelancers) who are on social media platforms,” said Fisher, who has won a number of travel writing awards. “They’re expected to (post content) all day and all night, and it’s a tough gig. It doesn’t appeal to me in any way.”
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Join CMG Freelance and receive admission to Level Up conference in Toronto
CMG Freelance and PWAC, the Professional Writers Association of Canada, are putting on a weekend full of professional development in Toronto on September 21st and 22nd.
This conference, called Level Up, will offer sessions on contract language and negotiation, how to get your book published, networking and mentorship opportunities, and ‘working tours’ of St. Lawrence Market and Kensington Market with a story teller and a photographer. Along with some how-to’s of social media, the conference offers many solid opportunities to ‘Level Up’ your skills.
CMG Freelance is offering full-conference admissions for the first eight new members who join our union for independent workers. A one-year membership costs $150, while the cost of conference attendance starts at $375.
For a full list of membership benefits, visit this page on the CMG Freelance website.
The schedule for the Level Up conference is right here.
To take advantage of this offer, you must first contact CMG Freelance President Don Genova at freelance@cmg.ca by email.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 21-27
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Ottawa union bargaining results may reverberate across Postmedia [J-Source]
- This Mag launches a national talk series [Canadian Magazines]
- CMG steps up fight for fairness in factual TV [CWA Canada]
- Bargaining at Postmedia awaits outcome of Ottawa vote [CWA Canada]
- Growing number of professionals face job insecurity, study finds [The Star]
- Will people pay for hyper-local news? [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How to Make More Money as a Freelance Writer [The Write Life]
- Erica Hayasaki on how to leave the newsroom and kill it as a freelancer [Nieman Storyboard]
- Freelancers Union is launching a hub for freelancers in NYC [Freelancers Union]
- The new freelancer: What it means to work in the gig economy in 2018 [The Freelancer]
- Do you need a science degree to be a science reporter? [Open Notebook]
- 6 tips to help you deal with rejection from editors [Mediabistro]
- Why time is the most valuable natural resource [Freelancers Union]
- The lazy trope of the unethical female journalist [The Atlantic]
- Before the ‘zero draft’ comes the ‘sub-zero draft’ — even a napkin will do [Poynter]
- European journalists stand in solidarity with US journalists [European Federation of Journalists]
- Freelancers aren’t protected by equal employment laws. So what should they do when they face discrimination? [Quartz at Work]
Recently on Story Board:
- Vancouver freelancer social night September 6: Vancouver-area freelancers, summer is coming to a close and soon it’ll be time to buckle back down to a regular work schedule. But before you get serious for the fall, come out to a casual social evening on Thursday, September 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Central City Brewpub…
- CMG Freelance is now on LinkedIn! If you use LinkedIn to promote and grow your freelance business, we’d love to connect with you there. CMG Freelance now has a company page on LinkedIn, where we’ll be publishing Story Board posts as well as other posts of interest to independent media, creative, knowledge, IT and communications professionals…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Vancouver freelancer social night September 6
Vancouver-area freelancers, summer is coming to a close and soon it’ll be time to buckle back down to a regular work schedule. But before you get serious for the fall, come out to a casual social evening on Thursday, September 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Central City Brewpub (871 Beatty St).
CMG Freelance members and non-members are all welcome to drop by this semi-regular gathering for drinks, snacks and conversation. It’s an opportunity to catch up with your freelance friends or meet some new ones.
CMG Freelance president Don Genova will be meeting with the Vancouver and District Labour Council later that week as part of our campaign to find more work for our members. If you have questions about this effort or if you’re wondering what kind of work there is for freelancers with labour councils and unions, come out and chat with us and let us know your thoughts. We’ll also be talking with members about how to fill out your member profile in the freelancer directory on the CMG Freelance website.
Come out for some freelance camaraderie and build your professional network — we’d love to see you there. Please RSVP to freelance@cmg.ca to let us know if you can make it.
CMG Freelance is now on LinkedIn!
If you use LinkedIn to promote and grow your freelance business, we’d love to connect with you there.
CMG Freelance now has a company page on LinkedIn, where we’ll be publishing Story Board posts as well as other posts of interest to independent media, creative, knowledge, IT and communications professionals.
LinkedIn is just the latest addition to our presence on social media. If you’d like to get Story Board updates in your social media feeds, you can find us on Twitter or join our private Facebook group. And CMG Freelance also has its own Twitter account, which you can find and follow right here.
We also post job listings, calls for pitches and other opportunities on our email listserv The ‘Lancer. The ‘Lancer is part of the benefits package available to CMG Freelance members.
For more information about the cost and benefits of membership, check out this page on the CMG Freelance website.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 14-20
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Will people pay for hyper-local news? [J-Source]
- Rogers seeks buyer for magazine assets [Globe and Mail]
- Bell Media signs new long-term broadcast agreement with Vice Media [Financial Post]
- Rogers Communications seeks to sell 8 digital and print assets in a package deal [Canadian Magazines]
- CMG Firing Up Campaign for Freelancers [CWA Canada]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How to Take Hold of the Gig Economy as a Freelance Writer [Freelance Writing Gigs]
- Awesome freelance advice: What 38 freelancers would tell their younger selves [Being Freelance]
- 200+ newspapers will write pro-journalism editorials. Will they also listen? [Poynter]
- Are You Savvy About Digital Security? [The Open Notebook]
- The meaning of freelance community [Freelancers Union]
Recently on Story Board:
- The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #37 — Leanne Allen: Leanne Allen is an award-winning producer, photographer and actor based in Victoria. She produces a television program called Culture Vulture TV, which explores the arts, entertainment, lifestyle and food in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island…
- The Born Freelancer Asks: Do We Ever Dare Take a Holiday? The fear most paramount in our minds is, of course, that during any holiday an offer of work will come up and by missing it we will lose a new wonderful revenue stream…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #37 — Leanne Allen
In this regular feature, Story Board asks Canadian freelancers to share a few details about their work habits and their strategies for navigating the ups and downs of freelance life.
Leanne Allen is an award-winning producer, photographer and actor based in Victoria. She produces a television program called Culture Vulture TV, which explores the arts, entertainment, lifestyle and food in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island.
Her eclectic career led her through the worlds of print and radio before she moved into television production. She previously created and published an alt weekly print magazine and hosted a show on CBC Radio.
Leanne took the time to speak with Story Board recently about the hustle of freelancing, the importance of taking risks, and the power of being small.
Where did your career in media start?
Back in 2000 when I was living in the Okanagan I saw a niche that wasn’t filled and that niche was for an alt weekly. I had seen Monday Magazine in Victoria. That was the alt weekly that I read. And when I moved to the Okanagan for a year – I wasn’t planning on doing anything in media, I was getting some practicum experience for an MA that year – but I really noticed a niche. And it’s the typical story, I felt like my voice wasn’t out there and it needed to be.
It’s called Off Centre Magazine. Off Centre still exists, I think, but just barely. It was bought. I started it in 2000 and sold it in 2007 and then I ran it for another year.
So you decided to publish your own magazine instead of writing for others because you wanted to put your own stamp on it?
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The Born Freelancer Asks, Do We Dare Ever Take a Holiday?
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.
Aside from asking what should I charge, it is probably the question I hear the most often (especially around this time of year) from novice freelancers:
“Do I dare ever take a holiday?”
It is certainly one of the key questions I continually asked myself for far too many years when I first started my professional life as a freelancer.
The fear most paramount in our minds is, of course, that during any holiday an offer of work will come up and by missing it we will lose a new wonderful revenue stream or even worse, that life changing-career making break that will win us that much sought after Pulitzer or Academy award that we secretly dream about night after night.
Reality check! It is much more likely that you will miss no such opportunities. In fact, the chances are much greater of inflicting upon yourself negative consequences regarding your health and creativity as a result of living a freelancing life consisting of all work and no play.
This truth I have learned through a lifetime of painful trial and error. In sharing my experiences I am hoping to spare you some of your own.
My evolving attitude towards holidays
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Aug 8-13
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- CBC Ombudsman: Twitter Turmoil [J-Source]
- Supreme Court will hear Radio-Canada appeal on revealing anonymous sources [CBC]
- Take the J-Source survey on gender diversity in Canadian news media [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- The U.S. needs more worker owned businesses [HBR]
- How to negotiate: A freelancer’s guide [Freelancers Union]
- How to be a better fact-checker in 8 videos [Poynter]
- Writing humor in a time of anger and angst [Poynter]
- Quick and easy self-care tips for freelancers [Freelancers Union]
- Tip: 3 ways to make your voice sound better on air [Journalism.co.uk]
- This “Creepy” Time-Tracking Software Is Like Having Your Boss Watch You Every Second [BuzzFeed News]
- 30 Fantastic Writer’s Conferences for Authors, Bloggers and Freelancers [The Write Life]
- How to delete all of your tweets (or just the worst ones) [Poynter]
Recently on Story Board:
- Media lawyer advises freelancers to beware of indemnity clauses: As indemnification clauses continue to appear in freelance contracts, one media lawyer advises freelancers to be careful what they sign. Daniel Burnett, with Vancouver’s Owen Bird Law Corporation, said the potential consequences of indemnifying a publication against expenses that might arise from a defamation lawsuit could be devastating…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
