{"id":8086,"date":"2016-05-23T06:00:58","date_gmt":"2016-05-23T11:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=8086"},"modified":"2016-05-21T21:19:54","modified_gmt":"2016-05-22T02:19:54","slug":"7-helpful-resources-new-freelance-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/7-helpful-resources-new-freelance-writers\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Must-Have Resources for Your First Year as a Freelance Writer"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I kick-started my freelance writing career last year, I scoured the Internet for resources. I asked every freelancer I knew well enough for their recommendations. <\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know much about how to make it in this field. I needed every piece of advice I could find!<\/span><\/p>\n

Although I\u2019m close to my first anniversary as a paid writer, I\u2019m still constantly searching for these resources.<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve compiled a list of resources that have benefited me professionally for other novice freelance writers looking to improve their skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Your dream publication\u2019s website<\/span><\/h3>\n

This seems obvious, but it\u2019s so-often overlooked. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes, publication editors offer specific directions on how to pitch to them, such as <\/span>Jessica Reed from The Guardian<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Rachel Krantz at Bustle<\/span><\/a>. Although these editors can be specific, the basic principles apply to others. <\/span><\/p>\n

You might be making some mistakes these editors don\u2019t like, and guess what? If both The Guardian and Bustle don\u2019t like it, chances are other editors won\u2019t, either.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. <\/span>Jessica Reed\u2019s Pitch Clinic<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Every week, Guardian editor Jessica Reed reviews a pitch submitted by a freelancer to Medium. If you want to someday score a byline in the British publication, pay close attention. \u00a0Reed breaks down each pitch and provides critical feedback section by section. <\/span><\/p>\n

At the end, she\u2019ll grade the pitch from A to F. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in submitting a pitch you\u2019re working on, you can email her \u2014 your query will remain anonymous.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. <\/span>BinderCon<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

BinderCon is a professional-development conference for women and gender-nonconforming writers. Its nonprofit, Out of the Binders, holds conferences twice a year in New York City and Los Angeles, offers workshops, and hosts a podcast,\u00a0<\/span>The BinderCast<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the first BinderCon ever, held at NYU\u2019s campus in Manhattan, I signed up for speed-pitching sessions with prestigious editors at The Atlantic and Guernica. It was my first experience pitching an editor, and it happened to be in person. <\/span><\/p>\n

As expected of a newcomer and a college senior, I completely flunked both opportunities. But, I received some critical feedback I likely wouldn\u2019t have gotten over email.<\/span><\/p>\n

To better understand BinderCon\u2019s sessions, check out <\/span>Women Who Pitch: Freelancing In The Digital Age<\/span><\/a> on Medium. It\u2019s a recap of a freelance writing panel from the most BinderCon in Los Angeles in March 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. <\/span>Morning Coffee Freelance Writing Newsletter<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Although this isn\u2019t exactly a pitching resource, it\u2019s an easy way to find and score freelance gigs to supplement your income. If you\u2019re lucky enough to land one of these side jobs, the experience will likely benefit you as a novice freelance writer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The newsletter recently experienced an ownership change. Curator Brian Scott, who recently revived <\/span>Online-Writing-Jobs.com<\/span><\/a>, has passed the torch \u2014 and while there are some changes, you can still expect to learn about paid opportunities. <\/span><\/p>\n

In between jobs last fall, I responded to a Morning Coffee listing for a fashion blogger. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although I already had solid blogging experience, I wasn\u2019t well-versed in fashion. But the site invited me on as a contributor based upon previous writing samples. I\u2019m paid a small fee, and my posts go through very little revision and editing. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s an excellent source to create my own passive income, based upon however many posts I decide to publish.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. <\/span>Poynter Institute<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

The Poynter Institute is a journalism education nonprofit located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Its News University offers training, both online and in-person, at varying prices. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, there are a ton of free webinars available with a free membership.<\/span><\/p>\n

I started listening to free webinars while completing homework in college.<\/span><\/p>\n

By day, I work as a copywriter for a real-estate marketing firm. I\u2019m attracted to real estate-based webinars like <\/span>How to Use Your Housing Data on Your Beat<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>How to Cover Housing Stories in Your Community<\/span><\/a>. Because of Zillow\u2019s sponsorship, these replays are available free of charge.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. <\/span>Pitching Shark<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

A college friend who also happens to be a freelancer shared this email newsletter with me early on in my freelancing career. It\u2019s written by <\/span>Sulagna Misra<\/span><\/a> once a month. <\/span><\/p>\n

Last fall, I reached out to Sulagna about a pitch that was rejected a dozen times: A few months prior, I interviewed a woman tribal activist while studying abroad in India. She provided me a few tips, but it wasn\u2019t until her next newsletter that I found the biggest advice: She introduced <\/span>The Establishment\u2019s<\/span><\/a> call for pitches.<\/span><\/p>\n

Based upon what I had learned from this newsletter and its creator, I honed my pitch and sent it over to an editor at The Establishment. Despite previous rejections, <\/span>my story<\/span> found a new home with a warm welcome. It took me ten months to find a home for this one!<\/span><\/p>\n

7. <\/span>The Freelancer by Contently<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Alongside The Write Life, I started following Contently\u2019s blog, The Freelancer, when I started my career. The site\u2019s articles constantly help me improve how I pitch stories. <\/span><\/p>\n

I frequently find fellow freelancers covering topics I never considered, such as the best email subject lines and why an editor isn\u2019t responding to my pitch. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here of some of my favorites.<\/span><\/p>\n