Freelancing thoughts

I’ve recently explored the concept of freelance journalism. Before then, I didn’t know much about it. What I learned is that it is a form of entrepreneurship. Essentially, the writer is working for himself or herself. While speaking with UNH alum Eliza Mackintosh, who now free-lances in London, she tells me “it could be the best job ever or come crashing down.” After a yearlong contract with the Washington Post ended, Mackintosh is set on staying in London, so this month she is attempting to freelance for the first time. I wonder how long this has been an option for journalists. No longer tied down to newsrooms, there is more freedom than ever. Though there is a definite risk in pitching stories to a publication, the opportunity to write for many different organizations is inspiring. Mackintosh told me that while at UNH, her goal was to always to work at Rolling Stone magazine. “You can’t really be a writer for one magazine anymore, it’s all freelance work.” It gave me something to think about, as I’ll be looking for full time work after graduation in May. 

Thinking on your toes and just figuring it out

After I finished creating my first pitch, I had to figure out how to upload it to my Blogger. I really underestimated what a process this was in itself. With the vast majority of journalism being online, I’m convinced that writers have to have the ability to teach themselves. Personally, I am not familiar with Google Doc or the HTML coding of Blogger. It took me a bit of time, but I finally figured it out. However, the sound wouldn’t play on my PowerPoint. It takes a special mindset and thought process to deal with technological complications that seem to be constantly surfacing. If, for example, I did run my own news site, the news would not stop because I was having technical difficulties. Thinking on your toes and knowing how to manipulate the Internet is key to success. Things don’t always go perfectly, it’s all in how you deal with what’s thrown at you.

The art of pitching

Upon making my first pitch, I realized a lot about the process. Coming up with a creative idea is not enough. You have to be able to simplify your thought process, engage, and inform potential investors that you are worth their resources. Ten slides, twenty minutes, thirty-point font was one of the most useful pieces of information I learned from the Kawasaki readings. Being concise is key. You have to say what you mean and mean what you say because investors will question anything that remains unclear. This mini project was definitely a good idea in practicing the art of pitching. I can say that I’m happy with my end result and hopefully I clearly articulated the idea I have for an online photojournalistic news source. I think I did a good job of explaining my idea, but the more difficult part was coming up with a hypothetical, yet realistic way to make it all happen. From investors to advertising to website design, there is so much to consider. If you’re not an expert when you’re making a pitch, it’s unlikely that any progress will be made in taking your business to the next level. It’s a lot of pressure for a presentation that is supposed to feel natural and seemingly unrehearsed.

Political writing class idea

With the government shutdown and economic chaos that has overtaken the United States in recent history, it’s nearly impossible to work for any publication and avoid writing about politics. Every journalist should know the basics and I can honestly admit that I should know more than I do when it comes to government policy and the foundation of our country. My idea is for UNH to offer a “journalism of politics” class. I know that I would benefit from a basic understanding of exactly what is happening. There is a definite terminology and style that comes with political based writing. In recent years, UNH has welcomed the president, vice president, ex presidents, and other highly regarded politicians. It seems that there’s always an election or controversy of some kind going on so the class would have plenty to cover. During presidential election years, New Hampshire is the first to vote in the primary so students could learn what it means to cover and predict the vote. I think my fellow students would agree with me when it comes to learning more in this area. It’s not a topic widely discussed in other journalism classes. 

A tablet just for news

IPads and other tablets have a multitude of uses. Games, notes, TV watching, and the occasional newsgathering are among the most common. However, I think it would be useful to engineer a tablet that is for only news. We can call it iNews for now. Users could download apps of their favorite news sites and get their information that way. The apps would essentially mirror the online versions of publications but maybe an extra incentive could be provided for subscribing via iNews. For example, a free trial or access to more stories before having to buy the app could draw customers to the product. You may ask why don’t people just download news apps on their phone instead? Well, smart phones are often times cluttered and the Newsstand section of the iPhone homepage is often times overlooked. INews would be for those who religiously follow the news and are willing to carry around another device. Another plus side is that anyone who has the device would be completely in the know when it comes to everything from breaking news to longer feature pieces. It would be the quintessential center for news gathering. All of someone's favorite publications would be at his or her constant disposal.

Alumni database idea

This semester I’m writing a long form narrative centered on journalism graduates and what life after college is like. In my research, I have talked to several writers who attended various colleges and universities. Regardless of specific academic experiences, alum from UNH to Emerson all shared the same advice with me. That is: get to know your professors and classmates because it is those relationships that will carry you into a job in the real world. As one of the smaller majors on campus, we all see the same faces almost every day and generally know what each other are interested in. However, ABC anchor Dan Kloeffler told another one of my classes last week during a guest lecture that it gets harder to stay in touch when everyone has full time jobs. It would help if UNH created a database or some way for alum to keep in touch. It could be as simple as keeping contact information and current place of employment up to date. If connections really mean so much, a way for everyone to keep in touch after graduation would be more than useful, especially to journalists. I know that looking someone up on Facebook, Google, or LinkdIn is always an option, but this idea is different because it would be specific to our university and would include everyone. When we're all off on our own paths, looking at the database could spark a remembrance of an old classmate that may otherwise have slipped our minds. After all, there are a few hundred of us. Relative to other majors, it's not many, but will you really remember every person in a few years?