We’re very excited this week to launch the first of our projects for this year with our £10 lunchtime webinars.
In a flurry of New Year organisation we sat down and planned out what 2021 would look like for FFJ including our podcasts and training courses.
And that meant we could get ALL the dates in the diary for our new webinar series. There will be ten in total covering five topics and you can sign up for them now at our Ticket Tailor site. Each is 60 to 90 minutes and if you can’t make the date but are interested you can sign up anyway and we will send you a recording.
Some, like the How to find freelance work we ran last year and we also have some new topics including How to launch a successful podcast and The business of freelancing.
Attendees will have lots of opportunity to ask questions and put dilemmas to us. All the webinars are suitable for journalism students and graduates, those just starting their freelance journey as well as more experienced journalists who want to expand on or improve their skills in certain areas.
All the details are on the events page but here’s a taster of what to expect.
How to find freelance work
This is probably the thing we get asked about the most. In this online session we will equip you with the skills to find paid freelance opportunities at websites, newspapers and magazines. We will cover:
How to use social media efficiently and effectively
How to make the most of freelance jobs newsletters
How to find and contact commissioning editors
How to secure shift work
How to start generating your own income
Developing ideas and pitching
The second most common question we get asked is how to write the perfect pitch. This webinar is all about honing those pitches and getting them in front of the right editor. You will find out all about:
Where to find inspiration for story ideas
How to turn an initial idea into a newsworthy article
How to differentiate between news, features and opinion
How to use experts and case studies to support your pitches
How to find the right commissioning editor to pitch to
How to write a pitch
How to follow-up on pitches and build an ongoing relationship with editors
Journalism Work Experience Initiative
This webinar is a bit different to the others in that it gives you access to our Journalism Work Experience Initiative which provides the opportunity to work remotely with freelance journalists working across a range of media and specialisms.
Once you have done the webinar, which explains how the scheme works and how to get the best out of it, you will receive our private database of work experience and mentoring opportunities across the UK and beyond.
Don’t let the pandemic stop you from getting on-the-job experience. This is your chance to learn from working freelance journalists about how to research, interview, write and promote content.
If you have any questions feel free to ask before you sign up.
How to launch a successful podcast
Have you always wanted to launch a podcast but just don't know where to start? Come along and learn how to produce, market and monetise your own series . The interactive webinar will include:
How to create great audio content
How to use podcasting platforms and directories
How to identify the best tools for recording and editing online
How to brand and market your podcast
How to monetise your series
The webinar session will be suitable for those new to podcasting and those with an existing podcast looking to boost their downloads or develop their brand.
The business of freelancing
If you want to set yourself up as a freelancer but don't know where to start, this is the webinar session for you. We will talk about how to organise yourself when working as self-employed, covering:
How to pay tax and organise your finances
How to get to grips with time management
How to set up effective workflow systems
How to identify the best online tools and apps to get you organised
The session is suitable for those new to freelancing or staffers wishing to gain a clearer understanding of how self-employment works and as with the other webinars, attendees will get a list of useful resources.
We have some bursary places set aside for each webinar so if you need support to access the sessions please get in touch with us at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Triumph of the week
A publication Emma had last worked for in 2011 got in touch to ask if she would be free to do some editing work. Turns out it fits perfectly around home schooling. Just goes to show, random wins can appear when you least expect. Also a reminder to stay in touch with those you have worked for in the past, however long ago.
That feeling when…
You have a ton of good pitch ideas but are not sure you would actually have the time to write them if they got picked up.
Do keep sending in your listener dilemma’s for the next series of the podcast which are are starting to record very soon. Either in our Facebook Community or to freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com.
If you like what we do at FFJ or have found our resources useful then perhaps you would like to buy us a virtual cuppa. Click the button to be taken straight to our Ko-fi page.
Bye for now!