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One way to earn a living (or part of a living) as a freelance journalist is doing shift work.
We often get asked about how this works, so we handed the reigns over to our research assistant Helen Quinn to answer all your questions.
What is shift work?
Most news publications, national newspapers and more specialist publications will hire freelancers in two capacities. One would be freelancers commissioned to write longer feature articles, another would be for freelancers hired to cover news shifts.
What will I be doing on a news shift?
News shifts are usually pretty intensive days (or nights) where you write up news for the day and can vary depending on what kind of publication you are writing for. Pre-pandemic, you would almost certainly have been office based but in more recent times, you may be working remotely or have a choice about where you work.
For online news, you may be expected to write between four and six short news pieces of around 400 words (but sometimes more). Some will require comment or further research, whereas others may come directly from a press release and will be faster to turn around.
A news shift in a national newspaper for print may involve spending the day writing a piece of between 800 and 1000 words, including research, contacting people for comment and a couple of detailed interviews.
How can I prepare for my news shift?
Start the day with a clear head as it is likely to be full on and high intensity. Wake up early and check all your news feeds and Twitter to see what’s happening. Make sure you are up to date on everything going on in your field on the day of your shift and any recent developments.
Go in with ideas and mini-pitches and be ready to suggest ideas for news stories. Make sure all your equipment you need is working; take your own laptop and recording device and bring useful contacts if you have any that are relevant.
How can I find out about news shifts?
Often publications of all kinds will need extra journalists over busy or holiday periods. If you notice a particularly hectic time in your specialism, take advantage of this to get in touch with editors and let them know you are available for shift work. For example, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a lot of shift work available for health journalists as publications needed much more health-related content than normal.
Another good time to get in touch with editors is during holiday periods, such as Christmas and summer. If you can be available when other people are not, you are more likely to pick up shifts. This is also true of weekend and night shift work.
Keep an eye on the freelance job newsletters, which often highlight editors calling out for shift work. Excellent places to start include Sian Meades-William’s newsletter, ‘Freelance Writing Jobs’, the jobs newsletter from Media Beans or Journo Resources job listings. Editors often use Twitter to put out calls for shifts too.
What are the rates of pay?
Shift work can be a real mixed bag and sometimes can be poorly paid. Rates range from around £120 to upwards of £300 a day, depending on the type of publication you are working for and whether you are writing for online or print.
What are the pros and cons of shift work?
Shift work is not for everyone. It is a demanding day and often goes against all the things we value about being freelancers. You are absolutely on someone else's timeframe and cannot work in the flexible way we are often used to. It can also be poorly paid for the amount of work you are undertaking, especially in the digital world.
But it can be a great way to build experience quickly without committing to a full-time job. You will get lots of bylines and meet a large number of people quickly. There are often weekend shifts going at national papers, which can work as an alternative way into journalism if regular hours are tricky for you. Once you build a rapport with an editor you may be able to switch from shifts to commissioned work, which usually pay more handsomely and are more flexible.
Shifts also exposes you to the newsroom, the pressures, and the roles of each journalist, and it is exciting work. The fast turnaround can give you a big adrenaline rush, and it’s very satisfying to end the day knowing that your work has been published online or will be published in tomorrow’s paper.
The best thing about shift work is that you can try it, and if it’s not for you, you are not bound by any long-term commitment.
Our tips for a good day on a shift
Arrive ready to go: Make sure you know who the news editor and deputy news editor are (or the person you will be working for). Get on straight away with whatever you are given to do. If stories are still being decided on, find some more ideas of your own.
Chat to your colleagues: Although you are likely to be flat out all day, if you are in an office, find little opportunities to talk to the full-time journalists and learn more about how they work and what they are interested in. It is harder in a remote setting but phone calls and emails can give some opportunity to connect.
File early if possible: If you can file your story early, do it. Nothing makes a news desk more frantic than stories that are late, even if it’s only by a few minutes. If you are working on several stories at once, file each one as you are done and don’t wait until your deadline to file them all at the same time.
Communicate: Make your editor aware of any issues you are having with the story. If the story doesn’t appear to stand up, tell them as soon as possible and offer potential solutions. If you struggle to get a comment for a story, keep them updated and tell them you are trying more people.
Check everything: Check all your spellings, particularly the names of anyone in the story, however much of a rush you are in, it is never good to have to go to the subs after you have submitted your copy and tell them you spelt a name wrong.
Offer to help: After you have filed your copy or your final story for the day, be sure to ask if the editor needs any other research for tomorrow or if any other journalist needs a hand to meet the deadlines.
Keep in touch: If it was your first shift at a publication, drop the editor a line to say how much you enjoyed the day and that would love to be considered for further work. Shift work can be a great way to expand your network and connect with editors, journalists and other freelancers in the same position as you, so stay in touch with the colleagues you met by connecting on Twitter or LinkedIn.
New podcast episode
We have another fantastic Summer Reads podcast episode out today! In this one we speak to photojournalists Angie Simms and Stuart Quinn about their photography work and their self-published cookbook. The Australian couple, who are currently travelling across Oz, talk about taking control of their passion project and the importance of hiring a strong team and calling in favours.
Triumph of the week
Getting some great feedback from someone who helped out with a feature who also copied in your editor.
That feeling when
One invoice is paid quickly but another with the same company is still not sorted after weeks…
We love to hear your feedback on everything we do, so feel free to drop us an email anytime at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Bye for now!