Brooke N. Estell, MSJ’s Post

Last month, I shared that the end of January marked the first time my website reached 1K monthly users. Now, just over a month later, I'm pleased to see an increase in traffic to 1.4K monthly users - all of which is organic traffic. A post by Kaydine Biscette about whether the decline in journalism publications could lead to a boost in blogging again got me thinking. And seeing the boost in traffic to my website made me think about this even more. So, I pose the same question to my LinkedIn connections: Do you think the decline in journalism publications will lead to a surge in blogs from journalists affected by layoffs or lack of work? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. My blog shares tips for freelance creatives: www.remireports.com #freelancewriting #journalists #creative #freelancelife #seowriter #seo

I read an article that advised not adding the "Open to Work" banner to your LinkedIn profile because recruiters will think you're desperate. As a freelancer, I'm always open to new collaborations because I'm not tied to an employer. Therefore, my banner stays. (Link to article in comments) #contributingwriter #freelancewriter #journalist #contentwriter #copywriter #contentmarketing

Freelance journalism has been so challenging over the last year. Between layoffs, publications shutting down, Google and AI disrupting the ways we used to work, and rates continuing to plummet, earning revenue from this work takes, well, more work than ever before. But it's not all bad news. These challenges have sparked opportunities for creative expansion. Journalists and writers are, by nature, curious, adaptable, resourceful people, with many transferable skills that lend themselves to other services. I've seen my colleagues turn these challenges into opportunities, launching new ventures and expanding their offerings to include: 💼 business coaching ✍️ newsletters 🤝 consulting 🧪content strategy 🎨 web design 📘 brand storytelling 👻 ghostwriting 🎙️ podcasting While there's a deep sense of loss as we witness the decline of journalism—a field so many of us are passionate about—there's also a profound sense of hope and inspiration in the new opportunities emerging. I am truly inspired by what I've seen others create. This is a time where we can own more of our work and our brand than ever before—forging our own paths forward.

This is where good journalism talent will end up. We'll have less reporting and more "content." And content means you're being sold something. You absolutely cannot blame journalists who have to pay mortgages, buy food and pay taxes for taking these jobs. But the world is much, much poorer when journalists, who are trained to detect bullshit, question authority and ask, ask, ask, are forced to turn those talents to selling stuff. Fewer and fewer trained newspeople are holding the powerful to account and telling people what they need to know.

Why are people leaving journalism for marketing and other related fields? I can't speak for anyone else, but I'll tell you my experience. In 2020 I tried to make my living as a freelance writer, doing mostly journalism assignments for magazines and websites. I'd had good success doing this on the side and I thought I could make it work as a full-time gig, too. It was a disaster. Yes, it was pandemic-affected, but the issues I encountered existed before and exist still. I spent so much of my time pitching great ideas to editors who were overwhelmed and/or didn't care to read my pitches. Many of the ideas were forward-thinking and would have been amazing (I pitched multiple pickleball stories in 2020 to pubs that didn't run their first stories on the sport until 2023). If I did get a story I'd spend countless hours on interviews or driving to the location for the story. In the end, I would end up making very little per hour spent on a story, even if the piece was well-paid. Then, I'd spend significant time chasing down unpaid invoices, sending reminders, getting pushed from one person to another to find out where my money was. It would be months before I got the money for my work (in some cases, over a year). Eventually, I had to give up on the freelance dream and get back to a full-time job. I spent the next three years honing my marketing skills. I still had the itch to work for myself, but this time I wanted it to be different. I was done with the journalism world and its poor treatment of people trying to make a living. I started my content marketing business, Bedgood Marketing, in December 2023. Yesterday I signed contracts worth more than I made in the entire year of 2020. And the clients paid their invoices the day they got them. Why do people leave journalism? I'll say it loud and clear for myself and myself only: Money and Respect. If you want to know more about my content marketing services, shoot me a DM. I am completely booked up until May, but have some slots open for work after that. #journalism #contentmarketing #contentstrategy #content #leavingjournalism Pictured: me on an assignment in April 2020 that ended up paying me about $16/hr.

The first 24 hours of my freelance journey were only to Set up clear goals and expectations. #Day1 #journalismforfreelancers Here are 3 quick tips! - Set clear short-term (3 months) & long-term (6 months) goals - Make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, & Time-bound) - Aim for achievable targets to boost confidence. Here’s some resource to start with: - Contently - ProBlogger - LinkedIn - Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) - Journalism.co.uk - Writer's Market Have you ever worked with short and long-term goals? -------- 📌 P.S. Join freelance writers and journalists from all over the group to regularly share insights and grow your impact + revenue. Link in the comments 👇 📌 P.P.S This is a picture from when I was attending Sciences Po, taking a course on 'Media & Politics' from where my journey began!

Just say no In what is a good illustration of the terrible rates today's freelance journalists can expect, I've just been offered £200 from a major UK tabloid for exclusive rights (which means I can't sell it anywhere else) for a real life case study. I'd have to interview them and write the article. They also wanted a 'large selection of photos' thrown in. All in all, probably three days' work and that's before you get to the editor's queries/edits. When I tried to negotiate they offered me an extra 50 quid. To put it into context, if you were freelancing in the 1980s & 90s you'd be looking at around £1,000 and that's not accounting for inflation. On which note, if you're looking for a good writer with loads of experience to do website copy, press releases, White Papers, op eds, advertorials, branded copy, editing, sub editing etc and you're paying more than 🥜 please do get in touch. #copywriting #copywriterforhire #advertorials #brandedcontent #freelancing #journalism #writing #opentowork

Do you have a passion project, almost like a personal community interest idea, rather than a hobby? For me, it’s writing on entertainment for my own website. Why do I choose to do that? Many reasons, some related to Covid. I had started doing celebrity interviews pre-Covid writing freelance for a magazine with a series of editions across the Thames Valley. Because of the Covid restrictions, bang went entertainment and my freelance gig. When the restrictions were lifted, life returned to normal for many, but I was still caring for a mother with dementia. The entertainment website has enabled me to: 1.         Still do celebrity interviews, and have lovely intelligent chats, whilst I was caring for someone with a 90 second memory span. 2.         Do my bit to help the entertainment industry rebuild after an enforced hiatus. 3.         Practice and hone my skills as a freelance copywriter and interviewer. 4.         Occasionally yes, get some nice evenings out, plus raffle & auction prizes to support charities. The link to my website is in the comments. Many thanks to Katy Dunn, Paul Sullivan, Julian Hall, Chloé Nelkin and many others for their help & support. What do you do as a passion project, and what led you to choose that? #freelancecopywriter #contentwriting #passionproject #publicity #entertainmentpr

As a freelance journalist, I love tight deadlines. Am I the only person on the planet to say this? Well, it's true. Here's why I love tight deadlines! ↪️ They help me continually improve my time management skills ↪️ The compulsion makes me want to pre-plan and create effective resources, including mind maps (which I'll be sharing in my freelance community) ↪️ They get me good referrals and testimonials ↪️ They force me to overcome procrastination and stay productive. But here's the challenge I face: balancing multiple tight deadlines without burning out! However, I am working on it by taking a voluntary break in every 15 days. What do you think about tight deadlines? ——- 📌P.S. I’m creating a community of freelance journalists or writers. If you’re interested in joining, comment your email ID below! #freelancer