Don't Let Scope Creep Surprise You – Here's How!
Plus: a NEW podcast episode with Slate Senior Editor Isabelle Kohn on pitching her stories about sex, relationships, and work
As a freelancer, it’s easy for scope creep to creep up on you. I work in the podcast world, where this seems especially pervasive these days. Freelance producers like me typically sign project-based contracts, as opposed to pitching individual stories (although occasionally I do that too). I also make podcasts for people who are not in media themselves, who might not be aware of the time it takes to create the product they want. That means I actively manage expectations to keep each of these projects from ballooning into more than I bargained for.
Scope can creep before you even realize it, burying you in unrealistic expectations and tanking your hourly rate. No one wants that – it’s not only a recipe for burnout, but also for bad blood and soured relationships with clients. Here are some of my strategies for heading this off:
Always schedule an initial exploratory call. This can save so much time and heartache and weed out bad clients. Don’t fall into the trap of conducting all of your business over email!
At the each project kickoff, I assemble a kind of “bible” for every task that’s required to get from project start to finish. Podcast producers do so much work that is invisible to a listener, so it’s important to lay it all out on the table for the client.
Make sure your contract includes a detailed scope and specifies elements of the process that will NOT be your responsibility. Those guardrails come in handy later on. If you and the client agree on an expansion of your role, you can always negotiate a new contract!
Not only have these strategies protected me, but they’ve led to longer-lasting relationships with the clients I work with. I have not suffered for setting boundaries!
Bestest,
-Ann
New Podcast: Let’s Talk About Sex
Isabelle Kohn is a senior editor for Slate’s Life section, specializing in stories about sex, gender, relationships, and work. Kohn sat down for a conversation with the IIJ’s Erika Hayasaki about how to pitch a story on any of those beats. Kohn shares several examples of successful (and sexy) pitches, along with guidance on how to make yours stand out and where she scouts for new writing talent.
School’s Out for the Business Course!
Last week marked the end of the IIJ’s spring Business of Freelancing Course! Congratulations to our latest cohort of journalists who are leveling up their freelance business. Your next opportunity to get down to business with the IIJ is in Chicago at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference and Expo in July! We’ll be hosting a full-day Business of Freelancing workshop that’s free for NAHJ25 attendees and only $69 for others, until June 30. More information here.
Pitch Calls and Other Opportunities
📡 Hands-On Radio Training Intensive
NPR’s Next Gen Radio is taking applications! This free week-long training takes place at various NPR member stations throughout the year. Cincinnati Public Radio will host the next one July 13 to 18, although it’s possible to participate remotely. This is a program designed for anyone breaking into narrative audio storytelling – recent college grads, career changers, or even independent podcasters. Participants pair up with a professional journalist who mentors them through finding, reporting, and producing a short audio story. 💰 Participants receive a stipend for the week. The deadline to apply for Cincinnati is June 15; don’t miss upcoming projects in Texas and upstate New York. More information and application details here.
🏆 Fellowship for Public Service Journalism
The Eugene C. Pullman fellowship from the Society of Professional Journalists awards up to $100,000 to at least one journalist to pursue in-depth projects. If more than one journalist wins, the prize is divided among the fellows. The Pullman fellowship is awarded to reporters who specialize in fact-based commentary or analysis. The deadline to apply is June 19, 2025. More info here. NOTE: This fellowship is not to be confused with the Pullman First Amendment Award, which honors a journalist or organization that upholds the First Amendment with a cash prize of $10,000. More information on that award can be found here.
💪🏼 Pitches Wanted on the Body-ody-ody
MIT Technology Review Commissioning Editor Rachel Courtland is looking for pitches for the magazine’s November/December issue. The theme is “the body;” the Megan Thee Stallion reference is mine. Rachel is looking for narrative features, profiles, compelling investigations, or reported essays with a tech hook. 💰 Rates range from $1 to $2 per word. Send pitches to rachel.courtland@technologyreview.com by May 30 and include “Body Issue Pitch” in the subject line. P.S. Rachel shared insights about what she looks for in a pitch during our webinar last fall on pitching business, tech, and science stories.
🩺 Prize for Medical Science Reporting
The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing is accepting applications for their Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting. Individuals can nominate themselves or a colleague. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize and a paid trip to the award ceremony. More information and application details here.
🔩 Always Accepting Pitches: Bolts
Bolts, the online publication devoted to covering voting rights and criminal justice, is always on the lookout for freelance pitches. The outlet holds an expansive view of these beats, and accepts pitches across a variety of formats, including investigations, features, and explainers. 💰 Rates start at $800 per story and may increase depending on the level of reporting involved. See their submission guide for more information and send your pitches to pitches@boltsmag.org.
🏔️ Pitches Wanted from Appalachia
100 Days in Appalachia recently called for pitches from writers, journalists, photographers, and videographers to contribute to their upcoming coverage. Generation Zeitgeist seeks young Appalachians to report stories about politics, life, and identity in their communities. Another area of focus is reporting that shows the religious diversity of the Appalachian region. Finally, an upcoming series called the New Rural Landscape documents the changing terrain of rural America through photography, short documentaries, and other kinds of reporting. 💰Rates start at $100 to $150 for opinion pieces and increase for reported work and multimedia, depending on the project. See the full (very detailed) pitch call here, and submit your pitches using this form.
🌱 Sierra Magazine Editorial Fellowship
Sierra Club is hiring a part-time editorial fellow for Sierra Magazine. For up to six months, this fellow will write weekly articles for the magazine’s online and print editions, as well as work on research projects, fact-checking, and audience engagement. This is a role geared towards an early career journalist, and can either be on-site at the magazine’s Oakland, California, office, or remote. 💰Pay is $20 per hour. More information and application details here.
🚔 Public Safety Training for Southern Journos
The Center for Just Journalism is offering a virtual training program for early-career journalists based in the South who wish to strengthen their reporting on public safety and rethink the way they cover crime. The Building a Better Beat cohort is a four-month-long virtual program running from August through November that includes regular trainings, discussions, and workshops around issues of public safety. On top of that, participants will receive opportunities to develop story ideas with peers. Find more information here.
Interesting Reads
📖 The job market really sucks, as we know. For the full picture of exactly what the 🤬 is going on, Nitish Pahwa pulled together a great deep dive for Slate – from automated hiring systems to “ghost” jobs. If you’ve been applying, this story will definitely feel validating, if not infuriating.
📖 Anna Medaris put out this handy guide for three common freelance pitfalls over at the Association of Health Care Journalists. This advice comes from the AHCJ freelance community and includes helpful tips for expanding your services and finding new clients, as well as dealing with issues that may come up after a freelance story is published. (See below for our freelance mixer at the AHCJ convention on Saturday!)
📖 On May 1, many staffers at the video game website Polygon were laid off after Vox sold the site to Valnet. On Aftermath, former Polygon staffers said goodbye.
Calendar
🗓️ THIS WEEK 🚨 May 29 to June 1 - Join IIJ leader Shernay Williams at the Association of Health Care Journalists' annual conference in Los Angeles for a freelance meetup on Saturday, May 31 at 5:30 pm PT. RSVP here!
🗓️ June 19 to 22 - The IIJ will present a panel at the Investigative Reporters and Editors conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Join IIJ Editorial Director Ann Marie Awad and New Orleans-based freelance journalists Rita Harper and Carolina Murriel for a discussion on building systems that work for independent journalists. We’ll also be hosting a networking event – RSVP here!
🗓️ July 8 to July 12 - IIJ leaders will speak on a panel at the 2025 National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference and Expo in Chicago, host a freelance meetup, and present our popular full-day Business of Freelancing Workshop. Register for the workshop before space runs out! Free for #NAHJ25 attendees. Don’t forget to RSVP for our freelance meetup hosted by IIJ leaders Valeria Fernández and Katherine Lewis.
🗓️ July 30 to August 3 - Join IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis for a freelance meetup during the Asian American Journalists Association's annual convention and look for her panel during the conference. RSVP to receive details as soon as we announce them!
🗓️ August 6 to 10 - IIJ leaders Shernay Williams, Benét Wilson, and Katherine Lewis will host a freelance meetup at the National Association of Black Journalists Conference and speak on multiple panels. RSVP for details!
🗓️ August 13 to 15 - IIJ founder Katherine Lewis will speak on a panel at the Indigenous Media Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and host a freelance meetup. RSVP for details!
🗓️ September 4 to 7 - The IIJ is presenting a panel at NLGJA: the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists’ convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Join IIJ Editorial Director Ann Marie Awad, Atlanta-based freelance journalist Christina Lee, and the Association of Independents in Radio for a freelance meetup during the conference. RSVP for details!
🗓️ September 5 to 7 - IIJ leaders Katherine Lewis and Shernay Williams will host a freelance meetup at the Journalism and Women Symposium Camp in Washington, D.C. -- RSVP for details!
ICYMI
Want more of the Freelance Journalism Podcast? Check out these recent episodes!
🎧 Sex, relationships, and work: pitching Isabelle Kohn at Slate
🎧 Wudan Yan on adding new services to your freelance business
🎧 Pitching Alan Henry at PCMag your cybersecurity stories
🎧 Finding your niche with freelance journalist Gil Asakawa
🎧 Can you make $3k a month on a newsletter? Lex Roman explains how
🎧 What to do when you've been sued, with freelance journalist Lisa Kwon
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