Last Call for $49 Early Bird Conference Registration!
Don't miss out on our lowest rate ever—register today!
This is your last chance to register for our annual freelance journalism conference for the early bird rate of just $49!
As a former full-time freelance journalist myself, I quickly realized the value in learning about the trade. Being an independent journalist is not just about pitching and selling your work, but rather, knowing who and what to pitch, having a community to share tips and experiences with, and learning about the constantly evolving nature of journalism. Do all this and more at our conference—and please, share with colleagues!
We've put together a fantastic panel of over 50 speakers, including over a dozen editors, reporters, and other industry professionals who can speak to the art of freelance journalism at the IIJ’s 2024 conference. Register today to get our lowest rate!
Hear how to successfully pitch:
Betsy Agnvall, editor at AARP, which is the U.S.'s largest circulation magazine;
Estelle Tang, editor at The Guardian, one of the hottest online publications;
Angilee Shah, the CEO and editor-in-chief of Charlottesville Tomorrow, an award-winning nonprofit newsroom;
Jenny Hollander, digital director of Marie Claire;
Valeria Fernández, managing editor of palabra, a multimedia platform telling stories of Latino and other under-covered communities;
Emanuele Berry, executive editor for This American Life, the quintessential long-form podcast destination;
And with registration comes our bonus bundle, which includes:
Q&As with renowned editors—including Raha Naddaf, story editor, New York Tims Magazine; Mimi Wong, editor-in-chief, The Offing; and Carren Jao, senior editor, Stacker—talking about what they want in a pitch
IIJ-created pitch guides with rates and contacts for outlets featured in our previous webinars, including The New York Times, Business Insider, Bloomberg Businessweek, Science Magazine and many others
Expert guides covering a range of topics, from negotiating contract terms to tracking freelance income and applying for grants and fellowships
We hope to see you at the conference!
—Aarohi Sheth, IIJ newsletter writer
Explore Yahoo’s Inclusive Media Fellowship Program!
The Inclusive Media Fellowship Program application period has been extended to January 2024. During this period, you can introduce yourself to the recruiting team through this form. You can share your resume and give a brief introduction, and let the team get to you know you better before the application period closes.
You’ll be notified when the application opens.
Peek Behind the Freelance Curtain
Will & Way is a monthly newsletter penned by Nikki Carter, a seasoned freelance writer and editor. Nikki's work has appeared in Indeed, Skillshare, and Business Insider, among other sites.
Subscribe to get: the real scoop on the freelance life, a monthly to-read list that you'll bookmark immediately, and discourse on life's bigger questions.
Missed Our Travel Webinar? Watch the Replay!
If you missed our travel webinar, you can still watch the replay and learn about all things travel journalism, from pitching top editors to telling stories effectively.
Speakers included Starlight Williams, travel editor, National Geographic; Tacey Rychter, travel editor, New York Times; Amanda Finnegan, By the Way editor, Washington Post; and Katherine LaGrave, deputy editor, Afar Magazine. The panel was moderated by independent journalist Meena Thiruvengadam.
To pitch the featured editors:
National Geographic: Email only travel story pitches to starlight.williams@natgeo.com.
New York Times: Email 36 Hours pitches to tacey.rychter@nytimes.com
Washington Post: Email amanda.finnegan@washpost.com or deputy editor Gabe Hiatt gabe.hiatt@washpost.com
Afar: Email Katherine directly at klagrave@afar.com and read full pitch guidelines here.
Watch the full travel webinar replay here.
Looking for a Freelance Journalism Community? Join the IIJ’s Slack!
If you want to get in touch with your other fellow freelancers and conference attendees, please join our Slack!
Freelancers introduce themselves, ask questions about all things independent journalism, celebrate career wins, and even reach out for pitching help.
Pitch Callouts, Fellowships, and Other Opportunities
Narratively Call for Pitches
Narratively needs story ideas on Life in the Age of Extremes, or living through extreme weather and climate, violence, economic inequality, food insecurity, and more.
Pay: $2,000+
For more information or to pitch, visit the site here.
The deadline to pitch is Dec. 29
American Craft Magazine Call for Pitches
American Craft magazine’s Fall 2024 issue theme is “Weave.” It’ll explore “the ties that bind, patterns that thrill, and the strength that comes from synthesis” and will include profiles of artists and others honored as 2024 American Craft Council Fellows.
Pay: 50 cents-$1/word
For more information or to pitch, visit the site here.
The deadline to pitch is Feb. 12
Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism
The Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism provides a nine-month-long internship with The Wall Street Journal’s editorial team. Fellowships are open to recent graduates and journalists with less than five years of experience.
Pay: $6,000/month
The deadline to apply is Jan. 19
For more information or to apply, visit the site here.
Vox’s Future Perfect Fellowship
The Future Perfect fellow will write about subjects like animal welfare, AI, biotechology, and global development and health. Fellows get intensive feedback from editors, have mentors, networking opportunities, and skills training sessions with journalists from Vox Media and other outlets.
Pay: $72,000/year
The deadline to apply is Dec. 29.
To apply or for more information, visit the website here.
Interesting Reads
Read Charlotte Klein’s “‘We Wanted to Keep Chasing It’: How Student Journalists at Harvard and Penn Are Beating Big-Time Reporters to the Punch” for Vanity Fair. In it, she writes about how Crimson and Daily Pennsylvanian scribes are providing coverage of the campus antisemitism scandals brewing amid both university presidents.
Read Elias Meseret’s “West African fact-checkers team up to correct falsehoods in coup-prone region” for Poynter. In it, she writes about the power of fact-checkers teaming up, as they fight back against divisive falsehoods that have plagued the region.
Read Nina Ignaczak’s “The threat of future rainfall is underreported. Here’s how we’re covering it in Detroit" for Poynter. In it, she reflects on producing Metro Detroit’s “Rainy Future” and how it resonated with the local community.
We're always eager to connect with freelance journalists of color who'd like to be involved in the work of the IIJ or contribute to future programs. Email katherine@theiij.com to volunteer—or if you have an idea for a partner, funder or topic we should explore.
Calendar
We love growing the IIJ family and connecting with fellow freelance journalists, so please come to one of our events! Here are the upcoming IIJ events and presentations by IIJ leaders:
Jan. 19 insurance for freelancers webinar. RSVP here to attend.
Jan. 31 at 2 pm IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis speaks on an AIR panel about freelance business dilemmas.
Feb. 9 sports and fitness journalism webinar. RSVP here to attend.
Feb. 29-March 1 IIJ freelance journalism conference. RSVP here to attend.
April 12-April 14 presentation at the 2024 Women in Journalism workshop at the Reynolds Journalism Institute. For more information, click here.
