Freelance journalists - how's it for you at the moment?

[MollyCherry]

Was working for local paper (in a production rather than journalistic role, although am qualified journo) until made redundant end of June.

Have spent the last few months sorting out domestic stuff that's been laying dormant while I've been a working mum, but need to get my finger out now and am hoping to freelance rather than get a 'proper' job (had a couple of things published in 'glossies' before having DD, but was v. ill after having her and couldn't keep up the momentum, so went back to day job).

Really, was just wanting the heads up on how things are in the world of freelance with the credit crunch. Are you finding publications are using more freelancers rather than being tied to all the extras they need to fork out for permanent staff, or flogging their permanent staff rather than paying out for freelance commissions?

Any views much appreciated...

Know what you mean MB. Sorry to hear your DH is having the same trouble with another company, I thought it was mainly just the particular bunch of bastards I work for (who have an awful track record: the magazines/editorial teams have remained the same through about three liquidations. I get sick of them, stop working for them, they go bust then reappear with lots of reassurances and the cycle begins again.)

And how is it now, at the beginning of June?
Right now, I'm on course for this to be the worst month I've had since going freelance nearly four years ago, even though things held up until very recently. I've got two features from one regular but that's it.

One big project I was supposed to be doing this month has been postponed to September - and other publishers I was working for this time last year just haven't had much work going for months. I write business features, for background.

I've just emailed Private Eye begging enquiring about a job.

Very, very quiet here, although that's also to do with not having a wide enough client base - I have not kept in touch with some folk who might have given me some bits and pieces and that has bitten me on the bottom. What has totally dried up is the copywriting - I did a fair bit of leaflets and web copy for small businesses and, not surprisingly, no one is forking out for a copywriter for that kind of thing at the moment. Am waiting to hear if a book I would contribute to is going to go ahead for an Xmas publication. Fingers crossed.

This is just a thought and some of you are probably not going to be interested, but have you tried contacting any local PR companies to see if they need help? I made a great living for four or five years doing nothing but writing press releases and stuff. I am still getting offered work now but I've gone back to my old newspaper so no time to do it. It wasn't the most interesting stuff to write , but it paid very well. And you can get regular days too sometimes depending on the PR company etc.

Diversify!

Will have my fingers crossed for you both. Lots of journos coming on the market around here thanks to redundancies locally, so there's more competition - but noone that I'm aware of who does what I do. I think probably there's less on in general - but also I should be marketing myself more professionally. Will have to do some emails and if it stays quiet get a website together at last.

I half don't mind - DH (also freelance, fortunately has more work on at the mo') and I spent last Wednesday afternoon at the cinema while DS was at the childminder's - and now it's such good weather... but the mortgage and tax bill have to be paid, unfortunately (and the childminder come to that!)

x-posted with puppymonkey - good idea, I have done that, and a fair amount of copywriting their businessy publications, but should probably put myself around a bit more in that area.

Puppymonkey - good idea. I used to do a lot of stuff for a marketing freelancer but she has closed shop for the duration of the recession. Should def get out there and see what other PR or marketers there are about here.

DH picked back up in April and overall this quarter (April, May, June) looks to be better than the first quarter (about 80% of last years levels as opposed to 40%). But he has had to work much harder to get the commissions, and a lot of work is disappearing more or less permanently - eg one newspaper section he writes for has been dropped completely and another reduced considerably in size.

It's dire. I diversified into other things. My problem is that I cannot work inhouse and I'm not an aggressive seller of ideas.
I moderate a forum, I'm member of lots and many people (even those better at selling) say the same. Reading Gorkana is painful, there is a long list of staffers going freelance, so the supply is huge. Even the top earners are not earning as much.

Me again (was MollyCherry!). Haven't really broken the back of freelance in all this time tbh, but am going to have to knuckle down. I do a lot of craft work and am planning to approach those magazines and build up my little cottage industry making cards, gifts etc.

Am not overly optimistic about how it'll turn out, but need to do something. Although I trained as a journalist I worked in the production side before I was made redundant and have just found out that the remainder of my team have also lost their jobs due to computerisation and worked being outsourced abroad.

If this is the way of things it's not likely I'll get back into that kind of work once DD starts school in September and the thought of working for someone else in some soul-less office doing admin type stuff makes me want to stick pins in my eyes.

On that note - does anyone know of any cheap, reliable website hosting services? Can build my own site, just need the space to publish it on?

Moonfruit is very good...someone on here recommended it to me.

Just a suggestion but reading another thread yesterday I came across this - mummomia.wordpress.com/33/32/

which has what i believe is an online mag (not clear if it's actually printed hard copy) and the ed was looking for writers...worth a try...I have a question though - how do you balance childcare with your freelance roles? is it hard?

I will be working every evening this week and every moment that ds is at nursery....so maybe I don't balance it very well. It's hard to get just the right amount of work ime.