How Can I Gain News Writing Experience As A Freelance Journalist?

As a freelance journalist, you can gain experience and build your resume. You will be writing for a publication, but you won’t be their employee. Many publications hire freelancers on a regular basis. To find work, send emails to newspapers and magazines pitching ideas for articles.

Once you have written for the publication, don’t stop there! Send more pitches to cover additional stories so that you can build up a body of work and portfolio of published articles.

Freelance journalism is an opportunity to become one step closer to your dream job as a journalist. It allows you to get your foot in the door of the industry and meet editors who are hiring full-time journalists at large publications or other places where they need staff writers.

Here are a few things you can do to get started:

Takeaways
Gain practical news writing experience as a freelance journalist.
Explore opportunities to contribute to news publications.
Pitch story ideas to relevant news outlets and editors.
Develop strong research and investigative skills.
Build a professional portfolio showcasing your news writing work.
Network with journalists and industry professionals.
Stay updated on current events and news trends.
Learn from experienced journalists and seek mentorship.
Adapt to the evolving landscape of digital journalism.
Maintain high ethical standards in your reporting.

Cultivate A Beat On A Regular Basis For A Specific Publication

A beat, in journalism terms, is a specific area of coverage that you are expected to report on regularly. For example, if you have a beat on politics, you might be expected to write stories about the city council every week. If your beat is education, you might write about school board meetings and teacher strikes. The benefit of having a beat is that it makes it easier for an editor to assign work to you.

Rather than having to search for story ideas or dig through piles of press releases and news summaries, the editor can just call up the person who covers City Hall or the schools and say “Hey, get me a story on this issue.” You’ll also become an expert in your field; no one will know more about what’s happening at City Hall than you do!

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Practice Your Journalism Writing Style

Look at journalistic publications and read their articles, especially those that are at or near your intended publication’s level of formality. Practice writing in that style of English and use this English when you write your own news pieces.

Start By Writing For Your College Newspaper Or Website

If you’re a college student, you can gain experience by writing for your school’s newspaper or website. Here are some ideas to get started:

If it’s possible that you might want to write for your campus newspaper or website as a freelancer, begin taking journalism classes as soon as possible. The more journalism experience you get under your belt, the better off you’ll be.

You need to know how to interview sources, use different journalistic styles and formats (like AP style), fact-check stories, and write about controversial topics before going out into the real world.

Start pitching new story ideas regularly. Don’t just do what anyone else can do—go after interesting stories that no one else is telling. Talk to people who are different from you and listen closely to their voices. Write in ways that will resonate with readers far outside of campus walls.

Pitch Stories To Local Newspapers And Magazines

When you’re shopping to write a story, don’t just rely on your own knowledge of the profession; many editors will want to see what kind of stories and angles you’ve written before. Before you decide to pitch yourself, practice your pitches with different publications.

Start by pitching an article idea using the following guidelines:

• Make it about something that happens in your community. If you are writing about something that happens nationally or internationally, but also happening locally, then make sure it fits into your local store.

• Explain why people in your town should care about this issue or event. Is it happening in their backyard? Does it affect them directly? Don’t oversell the piece; if they already know they should be interested, they won’t be impressed with a long explanation of why they should care.

• Find a hook—something unique or interesting about this event or topic—but do not overuse it. If someone has heard of the subject 100 times before and wants to learn more details, they will read past this hook and move along to other sections of the article where they might have more interest.

• Avoid making broad statements (e.g., “This is going to change our world” or “It’s our biggest challenge.”) You might have an interesting point but avoid getting bogged down in sweeping generalizations that make for boring reading. 

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Approach News Organizations Directly

To get started as a freelance news writer, it’s best to approach the news outlets directly. You can do this by sending an email to the organization with your brief pitch and a link to your portfolio or writing samples. (You could also call them, but email is usually preferable.) In the subject of your email, be sure that you indicate that you’re pitching an article.

Then in the body of your email, highlight any past experiences that qualify you for writing about current events. If you don’t have much experience, try to find a way to tie in what you do have with what would make a good story at the moment (like if it’s election season and you volunteered on a political campaign).

As mentioned above, it’s always best if you can pitch articles that are related to something happening in the news because then editors will know your stories will be relevant soon. The worst thing is when someone pitches an article about how great their business is without realizing it doesn’t fit in with anything else going on at a publication.

When looking for publication opportunities for freelance news articles, check out industry-specific blogs or journals where people already working as professionals share their knowledge. The following are some good places to get started:

Apply To Journalism Internships

Internships can provide you with a ton of experience. Not only will they teach you valuable skills, but they are also a great way to strengthen your resume and network with industry professionals.

Look for local journalism internships in your hometown or university town. You might be surprised at how many small publications need interns. As a local writer, you will begin to connect more with the people in your community and increase your visibility as a writer.

Apply for as many internships as you possibly can. The more internships you apply for, the better the chance that you will get one—and the closer you will ultimately get to start your career in journalism!

When it comes time to interview for an internship, remember that this is an opportunity for both sides of the table. If chosen, make sure that this internship offers everything that YOU want out of it: mentorship opportunities, experience covering different topics, and meeting new people in the industry are all great things to gain from an internship!

Access Freelance Journalist Associations

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is the largest organization of its kind, representing more than 24,000 journalists. You can find a complete list of its affiliated chapters and their contact information on its website.

Be Persistent And Contact Local News Organizations

Now you know how not to get rejected from a job, the next question is: what should I do if I get hired? In this situation, you have many options. First of all, contact other journalists and ask them for their advice.

Your local newspaper might be willing to talk with you about your experience and post it on their website, which will help improve your chances of securing a second interview. They’ll also let you blog about your job experience in exchange for giving a quote.

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Talk To Editors

Get in touch with the editor of your desired publication, or find the email address for editorial submissions online (if they accept submissions), and ask if you can send sample work there. Be sure to use formal English when contacting them!

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Use Short Sentences And Short Paragraphs

News writing favors concise language over flowery language, so keep your sentences short and simple. Similarly, don’t pack too much information into one paragraph; keep your content structured well by keeping each paragraph focused on just one main idea.

Keep Your Tone Objective

News writing isn’t necessarily meant to be neutral, but it should be objective—don’t write like you’re trying to convince people of anything or trying to manipulate their emotions in any way. Stay away from superlatives like “best” and “worst,” since they’ll be inherently biased.

Create A Portfolio

The best way to show off your skills in any field is by creating a portfolio of your best work. It doesn’t have to be much—just enough to showcase your best pieces and how you’ve improved over time. This can be a simple website or a document that you send around.

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Wrapping Up

That’s it for now! If you have any thoughts on how to gain news writing experience as a freelance journalist, let me know in the comments! and if you have any questions about anything I’ve written, drop me a comment as well.

Until next time: happy freelancing!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to further explore the topic of becoming a freelance journalist:

How to Become a Freelance Reporter: Learn practical tips and strategies for launching your career as a freelance reporter.

How to Get Started as a Freelance Journalist: Discover the essential steps and advice to kickstart your journey as a freelance journalist.

How to Become a Freelance Journalist: Gain insights and guidance on breaking into freelance journalism, from building your portfolio to finding clients and pitching story ideas.

People Also Ask

How Can I Gain News Writing Experience As A Freelance Journalist?

You should find a newspaper or wire service!

While it might be tough to get your foot in the door with a major publication, there are smaller publications and wire services that can help you develop journalistic skills, such as AP Style.

How Can I Find News Outlets I Could Write For?

There are plenty of resources online, but the best way to find local news outlets is to just look around! Most towns will have their own newspaper, and they’re always looking for dedicated journalists to contribute on a regular basis.

Should I Write For Free In The Beginning?

In most cases, no. But there may be circumstances where it makes sense—like if you’re pitching an idea that won’t take a lot of time or effort to write, or you’re trying out a new outlet where you don’t expect a lot of traffic.

That said, it’s important that you help set the precedent that your time is valuable, so don’t be afraid to ask for compensation when submitting articles.

How Do I Become A Freelance Writer?

In order to become a successful freelance writer, it’s important to develop the skills necessary for writing in different styles and formats across many different genres and subject areas.

Do You Have To Be Accredited To Be A Freelance Journalist?

No, accreditation isn’t required, but it can help.

Are There Different Types Of Freelance Journalism?

Yes! You can be an investigative or feature reporter, or a writer and editor for a news site.

Do I Need A Degree In Journalism?

Not necessarily—a degree in English or Communications often works just fine.

How Can I Turn My Journalism Degree Into A Career?

You can start by looking for in-house work at a publication or news site, or you can go the freelance route and pitch stories to magazines, newspapers, and other media outlets. The key is to get your foot in the door and start building up your portfolio.

What Is The Difference Between Reporting And Journalism?

Reporting involves conducting interviews and gathering facts about a specific event or person, while journalism encompasses all of the processes involved in crafting a written piece about that subject.

Can I Be A Journalist Without A Degree?

In theory, yes—but it’s not easy! You’ll need to be able to demonstrate not only your writing ability but also your knowledge of journalistic ethics, standards of accuracy and fairness, research methods, reporting skills, etc., which are all learned in school.

Are You Looking To Become A Freelance Journalist?

If so, you won’t be alone. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 70,000 self-employed journalists in 2019. Whether you’re just starting out or making a pivot into freelance journalism, we’ve got some tips to help you on your way.

How Can I Find An Editor To Work With?

There are a few ways to go about this. If you’re already part of an organization that hires freelance journalists, they may have editors on staff who could provide some advice and guidance.

You could also look through your network and ask friends who are working in journalism if they know any editors who might be interested in working with freelancers. If all else fails, check out sites like Upwork or Freelancer that let you connect with potential clients online.

How Do You Become A Freelance Journalist?

The most important step is to gain experience—start with a local newspaper or news website and work your way up from there. Networking is also key—there are tons of opportunities out there, but many of them are word-of-mouth and never make it onto job boards. Once you have some experience and connections, you can start applying for jobs at larger publications!

How Do I Become A News Writer?

Well, you’re here, so that’s a great start! The next step is to write your own articles on topics that interest you—the more practice you get, the better you’ll be at it. After that, start looking for small jobs as junior writers—they’re often available even if they don’t get posted online. You can also look for internships with local newspapers or other publications to gain real-world experience.

Where Can I Find Freelance Writing Jobs?

You can find freelance writing jobs on any of the following sites: Upwork, Guru, Flexjobs, Freelancer.com, Fiverr.com, Toptal, and Peopleperhour.com.

How Do I Sell News Articles?

You can sell news articles using one of two approaches: cold outreach or through an online marketplace. When using cold outreach, it’s important to remember that your email should be brief and professional; if your email is too long or unprofessional you risk losing a client before they even read your pitch.