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Recap of SPJ’s Freelance Workshop

admin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:30:44 +0000

Those of you who missed out on SPJ South Florida’s recent “How to Build a Successful Freelance Career Workshop” can now watch video of the event on uVu, WPBT2′s video sharing portal. We’ve embedded the first clip below. You can access the rest of the video clips via this link: SPJ Freelance Workshop.

If you’d rather read a review of the event, we’ve also a Twitter archive below. Lourdes Brezo-Martinez graciously agreed to ghost blog the July 16th event from our chapter’s Twitter account (@SouthFloridaSPJ). We’ve gathered those Tweets together a short of transcript, or “twitscript,” of the event. Enjoy!

“How to Build a Successful Freelance Career”
July 16, 2009
6:30 PM
Miami-Dade Public Library, Main Branch
Featured Speakers: Oline Cogdill, Brett Graff, Tristram Korten

VIDEO – PART 1

LIVE BLOG TRANSCRIPT

Journalists in Transition follow @SouthFloridaSPJ Freelance Wrkshp tonight, 6:30-9 Amazing panel! http://tinyurl.com/spjfla

Transparency: #spjfla live event tweeting via @sistermary http://myloc.me/aPym

Successful freelancing requires you to treat it like a job #spjfla

Pitch story ideas to mid-level editors – Brett Graff #spjfla

When freelancing your pitch letter is your resume #spjfla

Senior news editor/sr news editor is best bet for pitching #spjfla

If you can do it well, you can call the editor to pitch. Otherwise e-mail #spjfla

Speakers Oline Cogdill, Brett Graff, Tristram Korten #spjfla

Is it important to have a niche? Yes but also: diversify! #spjfla

Be a journalist – at the end of the day #spjfla

When you develop a niche you may have the opportunity to become an expert #spjfla

Brett – I look at an assignment like shopping – price (pay) vs quality #spjfla

Tristram – I’m building a brand #spjfla

Less-than-ideal jobs can lead to great sources and other assignments #spjfla

Post previous work on your own website – a crucial tool #spjfla

The story may be owned by the publication, but the material/research is writer’s to use again #spjfla

Tristram – New revenue stream – grants #spjfla

Fellowships and grants source: AJR #spjfla

Every client you have could fold tomorrow: look outside the box for other sources #spjfla

Other freelance sources: Universities, PR and advertising firms. Face reality about new era. #spjfla

Apex of freelance pay: Over $3 a word with 3000 to 5000-word stories #spjfla

Question: Do you negotiate: For some, only if you are willing to lose the assignment #spjfla

When you are starting out, you have to “pay you dues” #spjfla

@NeyomFriday Thank you for following along #spjfla

When negotiating, consider research time as well as writing time #spjfla

Question: Does blogging, social media help #spjfla

Tristram: Encourage all to find a way to make technology work for you – but I don’t use social media (paraphrased) #spjfla

Brett: Facebook helps me find people to illustrate my stories #spjfla

Face time with editors is encouraged by panelists – Assignments often go to “friends” #spjfla

Discipline is important – divide time between writing/admin tasks #spjfla

Blogging does not pay as much as print #spjfla

You have to bring your “A” game because of the large pool of good writers available #spjfla

There is no magic trick that makes it all work – freelancing is a lifestyle – Tristram #spjfla

Oline: As you are building your business, don’t forget your personal life #spjfla

Oline: Do not sit in your pajamas all day. Keep friendships. It’s a mindset. Take Wednesdays off!! #spjfla

Oline: If you are working at home, get out of Facebook! #spjfla

Tristram: *Ask him about the submarine and kill fees. #spjfla

Freelancing: A whole new world not knowing where your finances will be in six months. You have to learn to budget. #spjfla

Audience member: if a story is “killed” don’t think “dead” think “recycled”. #spjfla

Alana Roberts from the DBR listens in! #spjfla

Should you incorporate? It may not be the best thing for this situation #spjfla

Working from home: Get your finances in order #spjfla

Save your receipts advises the panel for tax time #spjfla

Ethics: What is your code of ethics? “No strings attached.” #spjfla

Watch your “ethics” situation. Your name is all you have. (Tristram) #spjfla

Thank you to all who attended, spoke and moderated #spjfla

Freelancing Workshop

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:36:41 +0000

Miami, Fla.-Now is a time of transition for journalists and the Society of Professional Journalists South Florida is there to help.

For those who have been displaced from full time careers in journalism or for anyone who would like more control over their careers a freelance career may be just the thing for you. So come learn how to build a successful freelance career at a workshop featuring three successful local freelance journalists and editors and moderated by freelance journalist Julie Kay, president of the Society of Professional Journalists South Florida.

Featured speakers are:

Oline Cogdill who after 30 years left her full time position at the Sun- Sentinel where she worked on the features desk. She still reviews mystery fiction for the Sun-Sentinel. Her mystery fiction reviews appear in more than 250 newspapers and publication sites worldwide. She also writes author profiles, essays and blogs for Mystery Scene Magazine. She also is a freelance copy editor.

Brett Graff is a freelance journalist who contributes to Glamour, Maxim, Ladies’ Home Journal, American Baby, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Harper’s Bazaar and The Miami Herald. Prior to becoming a freelancer she worked as a correspondent for Reuters’ Miami bureau and as a staff writer covering real estate, business and government for Daily Business Review.

Tristram Korten is a freelance journalist who covers regional conflicts and environmental issues throughout the Caribbean Basin and Latin America. He also writes travel and adventure stories. His work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Details Magazine, Salon.com, The Miami Herald and Men’s Journal. Previously he was a staff writer and columnist for the Miami New Times.

This important event will take place on Thursday, July 16 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the main branch of the Miami-Dade Public Library at 101 W. Flagler Street in downtown Miami. Parking is $5 including validation. We’ve created directions you can download and print.

Please RSVP to Alana Roberts at 702-523-4111 or aroberts27@gmail.com by Wednesday, July 15.

Free One-Day Business Journalism Workshop

admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:42:23 +0000

A free one-day business journalism workshop will be held on Friday, September 12, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is open not only to business journalists, but to journalists covering other beats who wish to learn more about business.

The “Private Companies: Reporting, Research and Multimedia Coverage” program will cover critical areas such as private company financials and writing effective private company stories during the morning sessions. A national research report on Private and Minority Business Coverage will be presented over the lunch hour. Multimedia storytelling is the focus of the afternoon, including an exercise in reporting effectively online about private companies.

Presenters will be Chris Roush, associate business journalism professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and former BusinessWeek reporter, and Anita Malik, deputy director of The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

This workshop is sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism and hosted by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The workshop will be held at 200 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

Registration for the workshop as well as the agenda is available at businessjournalism.org. Registration will close at noon ONE WEEK PRIOR to the workshop date.