Any freelance journalists out there?

[LyraSilvertongue]

How do you go about getting freelance work? I had some years and years ago but that came about through the job I had at the time in another part of the country.
I currently work for a national news organisation as a part-time news editor/sub but my youngest will be going to school in September so I'm thinking about increasing my working hours. But I need something that fits around school hours/holidays so freelancing seems ideal. I've just invested in a copy of Quark Xpress but I haven't a clue where to start trying to get freelance contracts. Ideally I'd work from home either page designing or copy editing (or both).
Any tips?

bump

I sent my CV directly to people i knew, then called them/emailed them about it. It took a while but once they get to know you are reliable, they call you when they need someone. I think you need to be prepared/offer on your cv to go in to offices if they need you to - that is the best way to become memorable and to extend your contacts. it also shows you to be really helpful and makes you stand out from all the people who only want to work at home.

not sure if agencies are that helpful - they are if you are able to do contracts/maternity cover.

i wonder if saying you can design and edit might be offputting weirdly? you might get a better response doing whichever you are best at?

Thnaks newgirl. My CV hasn't been updated for close to a decade so I'd better get on with it.

Just thinking about this again so thought I'd resurrect this for more input.

Anyone?

No-one? Ok then.

Just to sympathise! Just lost a good regular contract (all freelancer contracts terminated). Been trying to contact editors to get new work but no one returns emails or calls. Very frustrating.

Hi Lyra, I'm a freelance sub and DH is a freelance journo/editor. This kind of work is increasingly thin on the ground at the moment in national publishing, as freelance budgets are being slashed and everything is being taken in-house to save money. You may have more luck in specialist/regional publishing where they find it harder to fill staff positions. Also Adobe InDesign is now much more widespread than Quark XPress.

Contracts involving work from home are even harder to find, I'm afraid. Sorry to be the voice of doom but print publishing is a really tough industry at the moment, especially for those without contacts and who are unwilling to work long hours for crap pay.

Lyra - am not in your field, am in PR, so sometimes have call to employ freelance journos.

One thought might be to speak to any PRs in your sector and see whether they use any writing/publishing agencies. We use an agency which produces most of our in-house newsletters and they often write up advertorials and others for us. They are staffed by ex national paper journos and freelancers when things get busy. We also ask them to sometimes re-write press releases, etc.. because we know that getting a journalist's input can be invaluable - trying to bring the story to light, out of the jungle of acronyms and jargon we use.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I might have to think again. Or just stay in my current job but I've been there for eight years and I want a change.