Wanna learn how to write story pitches editors will actually read — and commission? Join me August 9 @ 3 p.m. Eastern for a live workshop on what goes into a fantastic story pitch. How do you structure it? What must be in it, and what should you leave out? How much pre-reporting should you do? How can you head off the follow-up questions an editor will inevitably ask? How do you even find editors to pitch or know what publication to shoot for? We’ll cover all that and much, much more in this session.
Two things I know about you, even if we’ve never interacted before:
You deserve a raise.
The person denying your raise might be you.
I know, I know, this is a monumental oversimplification, but also ... it’s kind of not?
Here’s a story about when I first went independent.
Years ago when I was fresh to the freelance game, I was trying to figure out what the core of my business would be. I had a baby version of this newsletter (and, as we all know, newsletters rarely pay the bills), and no real experience from this side of the equation. I had spent years commissioning freelancers at The Times, which is, of course, the foundation on which FWT is built, but moving from assigner to assignee put me in brand-new territory. It’s a whooole different ball game coming from over here.
So aside from the gracious guidance and advice from fellow freelancers and people in the know, I was more or less flying blind. Sure, I knew some stuff — how to build stories, how to work with editors, how to pitch, and so on — but that was kind of it. I had never owned a business, much less started one, so this was utterly new and incredibly daunting.
Big disadvantage, obviously. But in a weird, upside-down-world kind of way, my ignorance ended up being a huge asset: Because I didn’t really know anything, I didn’t “know” any better.
Wanna learn the art of structuring a longform feature? Join me August 13 @ 4:30 p.m. Eastern for an in-depth live tutorial on how to build, organize, and write a longform narrative feature! This will be a deconstruction exercise of a published story. We’ll analyze it as a jumping-off point and go into detail about what it takes to write at that 3,000+ word count, then I’ll show you how to use those tools and techniques in your own writing.
There are a million unwritten “rules” and things we’re not “allowed” to do or ask for in freelancing that end up holding us back. Most of them are nonsense, but they can very easily turn into fears and roadblocks. We all know them and, to varying degrees, have internalized some of them. Follow up with editors, but don’t do it that way. Don’t pitch that publication because you don’t have the right clips yet.
Or, more to the point: Ask for more money, but not too much more.
But I didn’t really know any of those yet — particularly around the false “rule” that asking for too much money can mess up your chances — so very early on in my freelance career when a major tech company asked me to come in to do some editorial consulting, I was starting from zero. They were clear about what they wanted, and it was well within my wheelhouse, but when it came time to talk about rates, I was totally out of my depth. There isn’t really a database for consulting rates, and even if there were, it would be pretty much meaningless. So, in a moment of confusion, ignorance, intimidation, and a dash of “fuck it, who cares,” I pulled a random number out of nowhere: $12,000 for the gig.
Panic immediately set in. Would they call it off because it was too high? Would they agree immediately because it was too low? Would they see my total lack of insight about the economics of this whole operation and think, “Meh, let’s just get someone else”?
Nope. Fully within budget, and fully appropriate for all parties involved. My ignorance-turned-fear had me panicking that I had royally screwed up, but in the end, my ignorance-turned-advantage landed me a hefty paycheck and a wonderful opportunity.
Which all brings us back to my opening: You deserve a raise. Don’t let any misguided “rule” around money become a roadblock — or any other “rules” around this business writ large — and just go for it, whatever that “it” may be.
Even better: Just forget those “rules,” anyway. What good have they ever done you?
The FWT store is officially open!
At long last, I’ve just launched the Freelancing With Tim Store! This is the spot where you can access recorded workshops, including sessions on Travel writing, launching newsletters, using social media to find work, and much more. I’ll be regularly adding new workshops and other products to it, but take a look around and pick something up if it looks interesting!
Oh, a few other things …
A few posts for paid subscribers recently: The exact text of a pitch sold to STAT for $1,800; Freelance careers are built in the gaps; The only pitch format you’ll (mostly) ever need; A handy guide to sorting out your sources for a pitch. If you’re interested in upgrading, just click below!
Got a pitch that sold recently? I’d love to feature it in a future edition of our #pitchesthatsold series! Email me at [email protected] and put “#pitchesthatsold” in the subject line. Can’t wait to see ’em!
How much were you paid for your last assignment? Feel free to contribute to our ongoing freelance rate database here. I’ll be publishing updated results of this survey next month!
Got a question about freelancing or the wider world of journalism? Let’s hear it, and I may feature it in a future Q&A post! Fill out this form with your question(s).
I offer one-on-one coaching! Is your story falling apart and you need a second set of eyes on it? Want a seasoned perspective on a pitch you’re kicking around? Interested in talking about careers and/or building your freelance business? Maybe just want an edit on a story draft? I’ve got you covered! Click below to book a one-on-one coaching session to talk about pitches, story ideas and development, editing, careers, or anything else you might need help with! (Paid subscribers get 33% off any one-on-one session.)