CMG Freelance mixer in Toronto on Friday May 25
Hey Toronto freelancers, CMG Freelance executive members and delegates from across the country are convening in Toronto later this week to take part in the Canadian Media Guild’s national biennial convention — and we’d love to meet you while we’re in town.
CMG Freelance members and non-members are all invited to an informal, happy hour get-together. Come and join us for a drink at the Matisse Restaurant and Bar at the Marriott Bloor Yorkville (90 Bloor St. E.) this Friday, May 25 between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.
It’ll be a chance to meet fellow freelancers for some socializing and networking. And if there are issues that concern you as an independent worker, we’d like to hear about them, too. The CMG’s biennial convention is our chance to set our branch’s goals and priorities for the year ahead. If you work as a freelancer we’d like to hear your perspective.
When you get to the bar, just look for the CMG Freelance banner and CMG Freelance president Don Genova (both pictured above). Hope to see you there!
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer May 15-22
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:
- 2018 Indigenous Voices Awards finalists [Indigenous Voices Award]
- We shouldn’t allow online hate to silence diverse voices [J-Source]
- Giving readers a stake in the story [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How to Supplement Your Freelance Income [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- 5 Habits of Highly Successful Negotiators [Devon Smiley]
- 5 reasons why all freelancers need a daily routine [The Write Life]
- Jacqui Banaszynski’s Literary Forensics: A Diagnostic Tool to Improve Writing [Open Notebook]
- Freelancers strike back: #FreelanceIsntFree [Freelancers Union]
- NWU and Jacobin Reach a Freelancer Agreement [NWU]
- Does having a blog really matter for your business? [Freelancers Union]
- 6 Must-Haves On Your LInkedIn Profile For Freelancers [Bloglovin’]
Recently on Story Board:
- Why freelancers in marketing and communications should have an email list: If you spend any time studying online marketing you’ve come across advice to start an email list. And if you’re a typical freelancer who gets most of your work from referrals you may think you don’t need one…
- Webinar – Legal advice for journos on defamation, privacy concerns and reporting in conflict zones: Do you know your legal rights and responsibilities as a freelance journalist? If you could use a refresher, tune in to CMG Freelance’s upcoming webinar with lawyer Mark Donald…
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.
Freelancers gearing up for 2018 CMG convention
CMG Freelance is gearing up to take part in the Canadian Media Guild’s 2018 biennial convention on May 25, 26 and 27 in Toronto. Every two years a large group of CMG members meets at the convention to discuss the needs and priorities of the union.
Freelance branch members who’ll attend this year’s convention include the branch’s executive: Paolo Pietropaolo, Alison Motluk, George Butters, Scott Edmonds, JP Davidson and branch president Don Genova. Also, CMG Freelance members Leanne Allen, Trevor Beckerson, Shauna Rae, Sharon Riley, and Gerry Whelan were elected by the membership to attend the convention as delegates. In addition to the delegates and the executive, Story Board editor Rachel Sanders will attend the convention as an observer.
We’ll be participating in the union’s plenary sessions, but we’ll also have a chance to spend time together as a group discussing various campaigns that CMG Freelance is working on. We’ll also be setting our goals and priorities for the year ahead.
And we’d like to hear from our members and other Canadian freelancers on this: what do you think we should be discussing during this convention? From advocacy campaigns to creating and improving services for our members, what priorities should we pursue over the next few months? What are the most important concerns that you have as an independent worker?
Leave us a note in the comments section below or email us at freelance@cmg.ca. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
CMG Freelance is the freelance branch of the Canadian Media Guild, which represents 6,000 workers in Canadian media. Other branches of the union include CBC, The Canadian Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, TVO, TFO, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, ZoomerMedia, Corus and CKOI Radio Gatineau.
Webinar: Legal advice for journos on defamation, privacy concerns and reporting in conflict zones
Do you know your legal rights and responsibilities as a freelance journalist? If you could use a refresher, tune in to CMG Freelance’s upcoming webinar with lawyer Mark Donald.
He’ll share information on journalists’ legal rights when covering protests or reporting from other high-conflict zones, including what to do if you’re arrested and detained. His presentation will also address defamation, privacy and online harassment of journalists
The webinar “Legal Advice for Journos: Reporting in conflict zones, dealing with defamation & privacy concerns“ is scheduled for Tuesday, May 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. You can register for it right here.
Mark possesses an extensive background in civil liberties, media law and human rights litigation. As former summer law student at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Mark was on the front lines of the 2010 Toronto G20 protests. After being arrested and detained, Mark represented the CCLA’s position on the CBC.
Mark received his training from one of Toronto’s top litigation boutiques, and since being called to the Ontario Bar in 2013, he has personally handled numerous cases from downtown Toronto, to California, to Nunavut. Armed with this experience, Mark maintains an active practice involving defamation, privacy and online harassment matters.
You can register for the webinar at this link. CMG Freelance and CWA Canada Associate Members can use their membership numbers to register. For a limited time, CMG Freelance is making live viewing of our webinars available to non-members. If you’d like to watch this one, you can use the special code “Storyboard” in place of a membership number.
Archived webinars are available for viewing by CMG Freelance and CWA Canada Associate Members on this members-only page on the CMG Freelance website. Subjects of previous webinars include social media, contract negotiating and financial planning for freelancers.
Students, volunteers and emerging media workers can sign up for a free CWA Associate Membership right here.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer May 8-14
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:
- Vocal Fry Studios aims to create an inclusive podcast space [J-Source]
- Inside the Toronto Star’s bold plan to save itself [The Walrus]
- La Presse goes non-profit [Globe and Mail]
- Montreal’s La Presse to become non-profit entity [CBC]
- COPA awards announce categories for 10th anniversary year [Canadian Magazines]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- 3 Pieces of Client Feedback That You Can Address Immediately [The Freelancer]
- Does pay transparency have the potential to transform freelance work? [Freelancers Union]
- Spring cleaning: 3 things to avoid as you ramp up your business [Freelancers Union]
- The Cohort: We launched free coaching for women in journalism [Poynter]
- 5 Industries Freelance Writers Should Be Targeting [Freelance Writing Jobs]
Recently on Story Board:
- Why freelancers in marketing and communications should have an email list: If you spend any time studying online marketing you’ve come across advice to start an email list. And if you’re a typical freelancer who gets most of your work from referrals you may think you don’t need one…
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.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer May 1-7
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:
- There are fewer journalists in Canada than 15 years ago — but not as few as you might think [J-Source]
- Journalist charged in criminal, civil courts wins press freedom prize [Ottawa Citizen]
- Mag awards finalists announced: Leading the pack L’actualité, The Walrus and Report on Business [Canadian Magazines]
- Inside the push for pay transparency and equity among Canada’s freelancers [This Magazine]
- Understanding the publication is key to successful freelance pitches [J-Source]
- Announcing the Nominees of the 2018 National Magazine Awards [Magazine Awards]
- 2017 National Pictures of the Year Winners [NPAC]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How Often Do Freelancers Get Paid Late? It Depends on a Lot of Factors, Including Gender [Priceonomics]
- How to balance freelancing with a full-time job [Freelancers Union]
- It Took 17 Years: Freelancers Receive $9 Million in Copyright Suit [New York Times]
- Is This a Story? How to Evaluate Your Ideas Before You Pitch [Open Notebook]
- Ask Yourself 3 Questions Before Spending Your Freelance Income [The Freelancer]
- Behold, the marticle (a primer on how to avoid only quoting men as sources) [Poynter]
- Three tips for beating freelance fatigue [Freelancers Union]
- Could you be more empathetic in your reporting? [Nieman Lab]
Recently on Story Board:
- Ten reasons to join CMG Freelance: Freelancers, have you been looking for a good reason to join our freelance union? From contract advice to professional development opportunities, CMG Freelance president Don Genova gives you ten reasons in this new video…
- Non-fiction book publishing advice for freelance writers: Have you ever thought about writing a non-fiction book? It’s a daunting undertaking, but for many published book authors, it’s also a rewarding one…
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.
Ten Reasons to Join CMG Freelance
Freelancers, have you been looking for a good reason to join our freelance union? From contract advice to professional development opportunities, CMG Freelance president Don Genova gives you ten reasons in this new video.
For more information on the costs and benefits of membership, check out this page on the CMG Freelance website.
Non-fiction book publishing advice for freelance writers
By Lesley Evans Ogden
Have you ever thought about writing a non-fiction book? It’s a daunting undertaking, but for many published book authors, it’s also a rewarding one.
In April 2018, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada held their annual conference in Vancouver. During that conference, I moderated a session on book publishing. The three authors on the panel have all written books with science-related themes, but their advice and experiences are useful for anyone considering non-fiction book publishing. Below is some of their advice to wannabe book writers. These conversations have been edited for length and clarity.
First, a quick introduction to the panelists:
Mark Winston is a Professor and Senior fellow at Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue and is also a Professor of Biological Sciences. Mark is one of the world’s leading experts on bees and pollination and is a recipient of the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Award for his nonfiction book Bee Time: Lessons From The Hive. Winston also works with student scientists and other professionals and writers to develop nonfiction writing from proposals and newspaper opinion pieces to manuscripts and books.
Adrienne Mason is managing editor at Hakai magazine and was previously a freelance writer and editor. She helped launch and was the managing editor at KNOW: the science magazine for curious kids. Mason writes for adults and children. She has authored over 30 books on science, natural history and the cultural history of the West Coast. Her most recent book is Long Beach Wild published by Greystone in 2012.
Christopher Pollon is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist who covers business environment and the politics of natural resources. His special interests are energy, mines and oceans and he has written for National Geographic, The Walrus, The Globe and Mail. He also works for the Tyee where he’s been a contributing editor since 2008. Pollon’s first book, The Peace in Peril: The Real Cost of the Site C Dam, was published in late 2016.
Can you walk us through the process from idea in your head to securing a book contract. What’s the first step?
Read the rest of this post »
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer April 24-30
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Atlantic Journalism Awards — magazines win 5 gold and 10 silver [Canadian Magazines]
- Canada back in the top 20 of World Press Freedom Index — but concerns remain [J-Source]
- The 2018 nominees for the Digital Publishing Awards [DPA]
- No union at National Post after CWA Canada loses certification vote [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- No Work at the Moment? Use Downtime to Further Your Freelance Career [The Freelancer]
- A freelancer’s guide to wireless security [Freelancers Union]
- The six best freelancer hacks for meeting project deadlines [Freelancers Union]
- How I Learned to Freelance Again [The Freelancer]
- Peter Madsen, Danish inventor, is convicted of killing freelance journalist Kim Wall [New York Times]
- How to Use Reporting Skills from Any Beat for Science Journalism [Open Notebook]
- Journalists, it’s unethical to ignore your online security [Poynter]
- 6 Signs It’s Time To Turn Your Side Hustle Into A Full-Time Business [Forbes]
- So you’re not going to believe what happened to me on this freelance assignment… [Poynter]
Recently on Story Board:
- 2018 Access Copyright Payback Claim Period Open Until May 31: If you’re a writer or visual artist who is affiliated with Access Copyright, it’s time to submit your claim for works published between 1997 and 2016. The 2018 Access Copyright Payback claim period is open until May 31…
- CMG Freelance Member Rachel Sanders named Landsberg Award finalist: Rachel Sanders is one of five finalists for this year’s Landsberg Award, given out each year by the Canadian Journalism Foundation in association with the Canadian Women’s Foundation…
- Webinar — Handling the Physical and Emotional Realities of Journalism: Journalism can be a risky business – not just in conflict zones but in many domestic settings as well. The risks have grown steadily across the years, and no one is more vulnerable than the freelancer…
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.
2018 Access Copyright Payback claim period open until May 31
If you’re a writer or visual artist who is affiliated with Access Copyright, it’s time to submit your claim for works published between 1997 and 2016. The 2018 Access Copyright Payback claim period is open until May 31.
All creators who were affiliated with Access Copyright as of December 31, 2017 are eligible to submit a claim this year for all written and visual work published in books, magazines, journals and/or newspapers between 1997 and 2016. Works published in 2017 will be eligible for a claim next year.
If you’re not yet registered with Access Copyright and you have published work that fits the claim criteria, take a few minutes now to register via Access Copyright’s online affiliation portal so that you’ll be ready to submit your claim during next year’s claim period.
For a full explanation of how Access Copyright and the Access Copyright Foundation could contribute to your income stream, check out this Story Board post.
For more information or to submit a claim go to the Access Copyright website.
