The Born Freelancer interviews writer Robin Brunet
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.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have lived precisely the way I always wanted. Very few people can genuinely lay claim to that.” – Robin Brunet
B. C. based writer Robin Brunet has certainly achieved a lot in his 34 years in the business (“a good portion of that freelance”) but surely nothing could beat his assertion that he has lived a life “precisely the way I always wanted”.
Robin Brunet is currently a non-fiction best selling author for his compelling biography of the west coast Canadian broadcasting legend, Red Robinson. Perhaps less well known east of the Rockies, eighty year old Robinson has been referred to as the “Dick Clark of Canada.”
Robinson is still on the air as of this date (although scheduled to retire from Canadian airwaves at the end of the summer to coincide with the sale and demise of his current on air home, CISL 650, as Vancouver’s remaining AM music station).
TBF: So how did someone with no particular love of rock ‘n’ roll become involved in such a fascinating project?
ROBIN: I interviewed Red for another biography I was writing, about the ad man Frank Palmer (which will be published by Douglas & McIntyre next spring under the title Let’s Get Frank!), and we hit it off. We had the same world view.
Read the rest of this post »
The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #34 — Anne Mullens
In this regular feature, Story Board asks Canadian writers to share a few details about their work habits and their strategies for navigating the ups and downs of freelance life.
Anne Mullens is an award-winning freelance health writer, author, editor and health communications consultant who lives in Victoria, B.C.
She has won a dozen awards for her writing, which has been published by Reader’s Digest, the Globe and Mail and British Columbia Magazine among others. Her communications and media relations company Santé Communications Group serves clients such as the Doctors of BC and the government of British Columbia.
She took the time to speak with Story Board recently about how she keeps multiple projects moving, how to avoid business “dry spells,” and how to become the kind of freelancer editors like to work with.
You mentioned to me that you recently went through a dry period with your freelance business. What happened?
I think it was probably two things. I was on a big project that I had been involved with for four years that was coming to an end. And you’re working so hard that you actually don’t have time to put out pitches. If you’ve not been active with some of your other clients — this really was a full-time, all-consuming project — things go dry. They’re not thinking about you because you haven’t been out there.
So then when I finished, I started putting out pitches and I put out tons of them. And then in June everything started coming back and so now I’m incredibly busy again. But it just took that long for stuff to happen.
I also think it’s an increasingly challenging environment for freelancers.
Read the rest of this post »
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer July 18-24
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:
- Global News braces for possible strikes at five stations [iPolitics]
- Lay offs at Vice include cuts at Vice Canada [J-Source]
- CMG to ensure members’ rights respected in VICE layoffs [CMG]
- A guide to writing prizes for Canadians [CBC Books]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Vice Media laying off 2% of staff amid international, video expansion [Variety]
- This tool will help your long-distance interviews feel more face-to-face [Poynter]
- Run your business like a pro! Here are some freelance task management tips [Freelancers Union]
- The Key to Taking on New Clients While Servicing Loyal Ones Is Time Management [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- 7 steps to planning a vacation as a freelancer [Freelancers Union]
- Mobile journalism helps reporters get closer to the story, new Reuters Institute research finds [Journalism.co.uk]
- Errol Morris on catching the interview bug [CJR]
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Freelance Writer Website [The Write Life]
Recently on Story Board:
- Turning your holiday into a travel writing opportunity: As a freelancer, days not worked are days not paid. But that doesn’t you mean don’t get to take holidays, whether in your own backyard or to somewhere more exotic. It just might mean you get creative about how to turn your holiday into future writing opportunities…
- Freelancer Katie Jensen talks about the importance of income transparency in Canadian media: On July 5, freelance podcast producer Katie Jensen publicly shared her 2016 net income as part of a Twitter thread she hashtagged #incometransparency…
- Free spaces in Toronto podcasting program available to CMG Freelance members: CMG Freelance is pleased to offer four free spaces in an upcoming Camp Tech Intro to Podcasting Program in Toronto. On Saturday, August 12th, professional podcast producer JP Davidson will lead you through this 6-hour workshop…
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.
Turning Your Holiday into a Travel Writing Opportunity
By Brittany Duggan
As a freelancer, days not worked are days not paid. But that doesn’t you mean don’t get to take holidays, whether in your own backyard or to somewhere more exotic. It just might mean you get creative about how to turn your holiday into future writing opportunities.
I’ve just emerged back onto the freelance scene after a year and a half of a pretty regimented schedule, so I said yes to a lot of travel this summer. I mentioned feeling a little guilty about all this unpaid adventure to David Beers, a former teacher of mine and the founding editor of The Tyee. His response: don’t. Travel, near and far, just take a notebook.
A lot of reporting and writing involves some form of travel anyway — how else are stories found? — and so I’ve looked into how to approach travel writing and generate stories from travel experience.
Is it best to pitch before or after? Should I set up interviews or just see who I meet? To help answer these questions, I asked a range of Canadian and international travel writers what they do and what advice they have for freelancers interested in turning their summer travel into stories.
Going for the story, or seeing what you find
“Every holiday I do, I write about. Even if it’s just for my blog,” says Luke Darracott, a writer and food-lover originally from the UK who is now based in Spain.
Read the rest of this post »
Freelancer Katie Jensen talks about the importance of income transparency in Canadian media
*Editor’s Note: July 28, 2017. This post has been updated to include an addendum to clarify certain points raised in the Q+A.
by Vanessa Hrvatin
On July 5, freelance podcast producer Katie Jensen publicly shared her 2016 net income as part of a Twitter thread she hashtagged #incometransparency.
The 29-year-old has been in the freelance business for little over two years. She says she decided to be transparent about how much money she makes and what her work experience has been like in order to start a much-needed conversation about the reality of being a journalist in Canada.
She took the time recently to speak to Story Board about working conditions for young journalists and to share some tips for freelancers.
Why did you decide to start a public thread about income transparency?
I wanted to talk about income transparency because I feel like a lot of people overestimate the amount of income that journalists make. If you [do a search online], the numbers that show up are like $60,000, but that number is so foreign to me. Even H.G. Watson, who is the editor for J-Source, said Stats Canada reports that the average income for journalists is $46,000.
The morning I did the thread, I got an email from the CRA telling me I owed $4,000 in back taxes from last year, so I guess I was feeling a little bit candid.
Why do you think income isn’t a topic that most people talk about?
I think people are embarrassed to ask about what other people make. I think it’s a [fear] of being socially impolite rather than a sense of “I don’t make enough money.”
You talked in your thread about working a lot of unpaid overtime. Can you tell me a bit about that?
Read the rest of this post »
Free spaces in Toronto podcasting program available to CMG Freelance members
CMG Freelance is pleased to offer four free spaces in an upcoming Camp Tech Intro to Podcasting Program in Toronto.
On Saturday, August 12th, professional podcast producer JP Davidson will lead you through this 6-hour workshop, complete with audio recording and editing exercises and information on how to publish your podcast once it’s complete. For more details about the program click on the above link.
Two spaces are offered on a lottery-basis for CMG Freelance members in good standing. Send your name and membership number to CMG Freelance President Don Genova at freelance@cmg.ca. Put ‘Podcast Offer’ in your subject line.
The deadline to enter is Saturday, July 29th at 12 midnight ET. (If you are a relatively new member and haven’t been sent your membership number yet, please indicate the date you registered.)
Two more spaces will be reserved for the first two new members to CMG Freelance. Membership for one year is $150. (The workshop is priced at $229.00 so you not only get a membership but a great deal on this workshop.) Prospective new members should write to Don at freelance@cmg.ca to see if the offer is still available and, if so, instructions on how to register.
Spaces in the program are not transferable so please make sure you can attend before entering the lottery.
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer July 11-17
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:
- News health bolstered by local collaborations, expert’s work shows [J-Source]
- Province using rarely used power to help end Chronicle Herald strike [CBC]
- Federal Court Finds in Favour of Writers’ Rights [TWUC]
- The Nova Scotia government is ordering an Industrial Inquiry Commission in the Chronicle Herald labour dispute [J-Source]
- This Canadian rock star and author is starting a monthly print paper for his Toronto neighborhood [Nieman Lab]
- Automatic transcription services compared: Which should you use? [Pop Up Podcasting]
- When rural newspapers fall prey to predatory ownership, local content goes fast [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Writers union sues Ebony for failing to pay $200G 50 freelancers [New York Daily News]
- Why Millennials Should Lead (and are leading!) the Next Labor Movement [New York Times]
- No, You Can’t Use My Photos On Your Brand’s Instagram For Free [Petapixel]
- How not to freelance: Or, why I finally admitted that I was a business owner [Freelancers Union]
- Getting started freelancing? Here are 12 quick tips [Freelancers Union]
- Student journalists are our future — we should start treating them like it [The Nation]
- 3 Ways Practicing Detachment Can Promote Writing Productivity [The Write Life]
- More evidence that freelancers are stronger together [Freelancers Union]
- A Smarter Way to Manage “Pick Your Brain” Requests [The Write Life]
Recently on Story Board:
- Media Mixer — Protecting our sources and ourselves: While working on “Cyberwar” with Vice, filmmaker Dylan Reibling contacted a source for a story. The source was a hacker who had attended the Black Hat information security conference. Shortly after Vice e-mailed him, that same source got a call from the FBI…
- Chris Enns talks financial planning for freelancers: Variable income is one of the biggest challenges many freelancers have to contend with. And Chris Enns understands it all too well. As an opera singer, he struggled himself with the best way to handle his money. Those struggles led him to learn more about finances and eventually get certified as a financial planner…
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.
Media Mixer: Protecting Our Sources and Ourselves
by Abby Plener
While working on “Cyberwar” with Vice, filmmaker Dylan Reibling contacted a source for a story. The source was a hacker who had attended the Black Hat information security conference. Shortly after Vice e-mailed him, that same source got a call from the FBI.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence. But nonetheless, the source was concerned he was being surveilled and was hesitant to speak to journalists. For Dylan and his team, “It was a wake-up call that we have to be more careful,” and take steps to respond to sources’ concerns about digital security.
Reibling joined fellow panelists Annie Sakkab and Nasma Ahmed for a discussion on how journalists can prepare themselves to confront such dilemmas. The event was hosted by the Canadian Media Guild, Off Assignment Toronto, and CWA Canada at Page One cafe in downtown Toronto on July 10.
The panelists
Dylan Reibling is an award-winning filmmaker who recently worked on Vice’s “Cyberwar”, a show that follows subjects connected to cyberwarfare.
Annie Sakkab is a photojournalist and social documentary photographer who lived and worked in Toronto, London, Rome, Dubai and Amman.
Nasma Ahmed is a technologist, developer and community organizer.
The panel was moderated by Susana Ferreira, an award-winning freelance writer and radio producer who is also involved in the Off Assignment Toronto chapter.
Here’s some of the panelists’ advice:
Read the rest of this post »
Chris Enns talks financial planning for freelancers
Variable income is one of the biggest challenges many freelancers have to contend with. And Chris Enns understands it all too well. As an opera singer, he struggled himself with the best way to handle his money. Those struggles led him to learn more about finances and eventually get certified as a financial planner.
Now he splits his time between opera and finances — the latter through his very creative website From Rags To Reasonable.
Lately he’s also been running free financial planning office hours on Friday afternoons on Twitter. He took the time to speak with Story Board recently about getting control of your finances, following your curiosities, and how to be your best creative self.
What led you to personal finance?
Making all the mistakes. I’m not somebody who grew up being good with money. It didn’t come naturally to me. I was doing the very classic artist thing of just ignoring it completely. The arts scene doesn’t really prioritize financial skills. It was fine when I was making nothing but when I started to make money I started to get into trouble. And eventually the situation got bad enough that I just had to face it.
The surprise ending for me was that I found it really interesting and really empowering. I just got hooked on what getting control of that part of my life did for me as a creative person, and how freeing it was and how helpful it was for all of the other things I wanted to do.
How did you decide to make it part of your working life?
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer July 5-10
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:
- This is Worldtown is dedicated to telling the stories of women of colour [J-Source]
- The elusive data behind copyright reform [Policy Options]
- Postmedia turns a $13M net profit in third quarter after cutting costs [J-Source]
- What to do when the pressure is on [J-Source]
- Where are all the Canadian reality TV shows going? [CMG]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Are you rocking the freelance lifestyle or are you merely getting by? [Freelance Writing Gigs]
- Naps, dinner at 4:30 and other side effects of freelance writing [The Write Life]
- Online trolls mustn’t be allowed to intimidate journalists [The Conversation]
- 7 Effective Ways to Bust Through Writer’s Block [Mediabistro]
- Five Ways to Manage Freelance Billing Like a Professional [Freelance Writing Gigs]
- Can learning to draw improve your journalism? Journalists at Reuters are giving it a try [Poynter]
Recently on Story Board:
- A Q&A with freelance writer Cole Kazdin: Cole Kazdin is a writer, performer and four-time Emmy winning television journalist. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she regularly contributes to VICE, MEL Magazine and Refinery29…
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.
