As a freelance journalist, you should always be on the lookout for fresh work. Of course, you should never overburden yourself and enter a situation in which you cannot fulfill clients' deadlines.
But the need to maintain a number of irons in the fire is to ensure you always have work. It allows for multiple streams of income and, in an ideal situation, you are slave to no one. As I say, "I need all of them but I can afford to lose any one them".
Anyway, in my pursuit of fresh clientele, I responded to an ad for copywriters that appeared to promise quite a lucrative gig. The person asked me to provide Skype details and get in contact. This I did. The employer seemed a bit abrupt when I called but I felt that was okay because he was hiring and he was not obliged to impress anyone, least of all me.
He was busy at the time I pinged him so he asked me to call him again the next day, seven hours earlier than the time we were speaking. This was 7am my time. So I got up early, prepared previous work that I could show him and was ready to answer any question.
At the stated time, I logged on to Skype and sent him a message asking him to alert me when he was ready. He replied with an "ok". Now, I didn't know if meant "ok, I'll call when I'm ready" or "ok, I'm ready now".
So, after a few minutes, I sent another message asking if he was free now. He replied "yeah". So, I called him. He answered and I introduced myself as the hopeful from the previous night. He was quite angry and said I should give him warning before I call and that he was not available to talk.
I apologised and said I would call when he was ready. However, at this point, I realised that this was not going to work. Even if the pay was going to be good, the relationship is also important.
He told me he was ready for the interview and then blasted me for calling at an impromptu time. Serious red flag. So I decided against calling again and removed him from my Skype list. There will be other work, at least I hope so.
It is not only freelancers who must fulfill certain qualifications but employers as well. I'm blessed to have had some great employers and clients and I hope to keep it that way.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
How to write: the consensus is to kill the general
In our continuing series on annoying journalism word blunders, we come to one of my favourites ... or should that be most despised. This is a primary school error that I still read or hear from written and broadcast journalists on a regular basis. Even experienced writers continue to perpetuate this irritating piece of tautology.
I'm talking about the phrase "general consensus". Amateur writers or rookie journalists can, if they ask nicely, be forgiven. However, there should be no excuse for seasoned journalists who insist on using phrase in sentences such as "the general consensus is that there will be elections next month". Grrrrr!
Stop! This is a numbing piece of redundancy because we all know that the word "consensus" itself implies that it is general. You do not need to put "general" in front of it.
I am sure that the same people who pepper us with general consensus are also responsible for the equally reprehensible "general public". As opposed to what other public?
Anyway, now you know. Let us draw a line under our past follies involving general consensus and general public and, from now on, writers and journalists all over the English-speaking world will restrict their use of the word "general" to military issues or other general matters.
I'm talking about the phrase "general consensus". Amateur writers or rookie journalists can, if they ask nicely, be forgiven. However, there should be no excuse for seasoned journalists who insist on using phrase in sentences such as "the general consensus is that there will be elections next month". Grrrrr!
Stop! This is a numbing piece of redundancy because we all know that the word "consensus" itself implies that it is general. You do not need to put "general" in front of it.
I am sure that the same people who pepper us with general consensus are also responsible for the equally reprehensible "general public". As opposed to what other public?
Anyway, now you know. Let us draw a line under our past follies involving general consensus and general public and, from now on, writers and journalists all over the English-speaking world will restrict their use of the word "general" to military issues or other general matters.
Monday, February 20, 2012
News writing for developing stories
 |
| Lex and students in the background. |
As a story develops, new information comes to light and the article must change to reflect fresh scenarios, updated figures or changing viewpoints of the players, among other factors.
When teaching how to write a news story, sometimes I use information of a story that is at an highly developed stage. So, the other day in my Media Writing Class, I asked students to identify potential angles from a single set of notes.
They did a fine job of extracting angles, some of which were relevant to when the story was at an early stage. However, they struggled when I asked them to tell me what the difference is between two angles, one involving immediate information and the other containing updated material.
All I was looking for was an answer related to time and it was Lex (that's her email name) who finally managed to get it right after about 15 minutes of probing.
Lex's correct answer helped her to win this week's Cadbury's Fruit & Nut chocolate bar prize. This, by the way, is the best chocolate in the world.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
When facts breed opinions
News writing, ideally, involves reporting the facts as they happen, focusing on nouns and verbs and allowing the readers to form considered opinions based on the information in the article.
Of course, writers are able to influence opinion by focusing on certain facts and data while ignoring others. However, a hard news story would never include an opinion from the writer itself.
This is something I like about news articles because offering views is difficult. It is much easier to simply lay the facts on the table and let the reader wonder off into opinion-land.
However, my newest gig involves offering views and opinions on financial instruments. I have to write about certain companies and then tell the reader what I think about its prospects.
I have to admit, it wasn't easy for my first assignment. It took me a long time to write just one article because I was totally untrained on making judgments based on data. All I did before was report the facts. I was also worried that I would make a fool of myself.
However, after looking at similar articles, I realised that many other writers offer diverse and opposing views on the same piece of information. So anyone following what I say has an equal chance of being right or wrong.
In any case, it is a decent gig and I'm confident the more I do the more proficient I'll get at writing nonsense ...er, I mean eye-opening analyses that could change lives.
Of course, writers are able to influence opinion by focusing on certain facts and data while ignoring others. However, a hard news story would never include an opinion from the writer itself.
This is something I like about news articles because offering views is difficult. It is much easier to simply lay the facts on the table and let the reader wonder off into opinion-land.
However, my newest gig involves offering views and opinions on financial instruments. I have to write about certain companies and then tell the reader what I think about its prospects.
I have to admit, it wasn't easy for my first assignment. It took me a long time to write just one article because I was totally untrained on making judgments based on data. All I did before was report the facts. I was also worried that I would make a fool of myself.
However, after looking at similar articles, I realised that many other writers offer diverse and opposing views on the same piece of information. So anyone following what I say has an equal chance of being right or wrong.
In any case, it is a decent gig and I'm confident the more I do the more proficient I'll get at writing nonsense ...er, I mean eye-opening analyses that could change lives.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
How to write: the enormity of an evolving language
Teaching people how to write a news story, or any other kind of article, often requires upholding a purist stance. This is especially so when it involves words that have been bastardised.
Some words have been skewed to such an extent that it is impossible to convince those who utter such heresy that they are part of a linguistic conspiracy that would drastically change the way we communicate. Dramatic? Definitely, but someone has to stand up for tradition.
The focus of our irritation today is the word "emormity". How often are we bombarded by phrases such as "he has not really appreciated the enormity of his achievement" for a person who may have won a sporting title for the umpteenth time.
However, enormity, in its original meaning, does NOT mean huge. It is not the noun for enormous, which is actually "enormousness". Enormity means the quality of being outrageous, or wickedness. A phrase such as "we don't understand the enormity of war until we experience it ourselves" would be more appropriate.
Still, as mentioned before, English is an evolving language and enormity has been so ingrained into the lingo as the noun for enormous that even dictionaries appear to have given up the fight. Indeed, I have seen some dictionaries using both definitions for the word enormity.
A big kick in the guts for the traditionalists. But we continue the protest.
Some words have been skewed to such an extent that it is impossible to convince those who utter such heresy that they are part of a linguistic conspiracy that would drastically change the way we communicate. Dramatic? Definitely, but someone has to stand up for tradition.
The focus of our irritation today is the word "emormity". How often are we bombarded by phrases such as "he has not really appreciated the enormity of his achievement" for a person who may have won a sporting title for the umpteenth time.
However, enormity, in its original meaning, does NOT mean huge. It is not the noun for enormous, which is actually "enormousness". Enormity means the quality of being outrageous, or wickedness. A phrase such as "we don't understand the enormity of war until we experience it ourselves" would be more appropriate.
Still, as mentioned before, English is an evolving language and enormity has been so ingrained into the lingo as the noun for enormous that even dictionaries appear to have given up the fight. Indeed, I have seen some dictionaries using both definitions for the word enormity.
A big kick in the guts for the traditionalists. But we continue the protest.
Friday, February 10, 2012
News carrier still going strong in Hong Kong at 86
Newspapers and the people they employ change over time. The folks who deliver newspapers, however, sometimes remain the same. I was recently in the city I grew up in, Hong Kong, and was delighted to see that the man who used to deliver our papers was still plying the corner of Hankow Road and Peking Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.Mr Tam (pictured), who says he is 86 years old, is of small size but always muscular. He was often seen hauling huge piles of newspapers that would have a man twice his size wobbling at the knees. He still looks as fit as a fiddle even though he leaves some of the heavy lifting to his assistants.
The English newspapers he has carried for the past 40 years, in my memory at least, have changed quite a bit. The Hong Kong Standard is now a free tabloid, having once been a paid-for broadsheet and a strong rival to the former British colony's leading daily, the South China Morning Post.
The SCMP remains a broadsheet but its news agenda has changed significantly since Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. The news is heavily political and the design has veered towards allowing for more white space. I'm not sure if I like the new look.
As late as the 90s, there was heavy and healthy competition between the two newspapers but, from my brief reading of one edition, I think the Standard can no longer offer any real threat.
Whatever the case, there is room in Hong Kong for two English-language dailies and, hopefully, Mr Tam will be around for many more years to carry the news.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
What writing fee denotes a 'Money-scavenger'?
Greetings Fellow Freelance Journalists
Surely there needs to be solidarity among us to prevent these kinds of job ads. At $1 an article, who is the scavenger?
(Seen in online ad)
Hello Freelancers!
Here is a project for all of you.
I am going to make a team of writers and I have a perfect plan in My Mind to do that.
This project is for all those who wanna join my team.
But You "MUST AGREE" to the following terms before bidding.
I need Quality writers not Money-scavengers.
You Should be able to produce 8-10 articles of 500 words daily.
You Should be able to follow the rules and regulations and be strict to them.
You have to prove your ability for joining my team.
Payments will be made via MoneyBookers, PayPal or Freelancer.com as best suits.
Payments are $1/500 words at the start and I will increase the rates according to the good quality of the articles.
No Milestone or Escrow Payments.
These Rates will continue for 2 weeks and In that Period, I will select the best of the writers from those.
If you are agree to the above terms then you are welcome to bid otherwise please don't BID here and go somewhere else.
Happy Bidding!
Surely there needs to be solidarity among us to prevent these kinds of job ads. At $1 an article, who is the scavenger?
(Seen in online ad)
Hello Freelancers!
Here is a project for all of you.
I am going to make a team of writers and I have a perfect plan in My Mind to do that.
This project is for all those who wanna join my team.
But You "MUST AGREE" to the following terms before bidding.
I need Quality writers not Money-scavengers.
You Should be able to produce 8-10 articles of 500 words daily.
You Should be able to follow the rules and regulations and be strict to them.
You have to prove your ability for joining my team.
Payments will be made via MoneyBookers, PayPal or Freelancer.com as best suits.
Payments are $1/500 words at the start and I will increase the rates according to the good quality of the articles.
No Milestone or Escrow Payments.
These Rates will continue for 2 weeks and In that Period, I will select the best of the writers from those.
If you are agree to the above terms then you are welcome to bid otherwise please don't BID here and go somewhere else.
Happy Bidding!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Chocolate bar for Media Writing Skills student
It was an important class because students were taught the fundamental structure of a news story as used in major outlets in the world such as Bloomberg, Reuters and Wall Street Journal.
During the class, I asked the students to identify the main function of one of the key layers in a standard news article. They struggled for a long time, coming close on many occasions. However, it was Fajjar who came up with the correct answer.
For this, he received a bar of Cadbury's Fruit & Nut chocolate, which I insist is the best chocolate in the world. That's me on the left and Fajjar on the right.
Next week, the students will watch the move, The Paper, after which they will be asked to write a news article based on the events of the movie using the system they learned today.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
How to write: avoid getting into a dilemma
Writing to a set style is not always easy. Every publication or outlet has its own style guide, many of them endless lists of words and spellings that make for laboured reading.
It is not always easy or practical to remember how every single word in your company's guide is spelled or in what context it should be used.
I remember there was a time in the newspaper I worked for that even the sub-editors, the supposed guardians of style, had become weary of ensuring we were right every time. It seemed we were changing every day. I once asked a colleague: "What is our style for 'fufill' [one 'l' or two]?" He sighed and replied: "Today ... it's two."
Despite this, I am a big fan of style guides because, when followed, it brings consistency to a publication and enhances its identity. Whether it is American or British style does not really matter (I use British, mostly). The main thing is that there must be consistency across all media platforms.
Today, I'm starting a series on style. This is not really about spellings or meanings, it is mostly about words that are often misused. I get riled when I see words, phrases or even suffixes used wrongly when journalists and copywriters, above all people, should know better.
Before I start, however, a word about bastardisation. This is the process in which a word is misused so often for so long that even the protectors of the language, whoever they may be, have resigned themselves to its new meaning.
An example is the word "awful". This word is derived from "awe". However, awful these days is something negative whereas it was originally a word that expressed admiration for something.
English is a living, breathing and evolving language and some of the words I highlight may already have been bastardised. But I don't care. I'm a traditionalist!
Anyway, the first word in the annoying list is ... dilemma.You see it all the time. For example: He faces a dilemma on whether he should go to Harvard or Yale. Many writers think that if a person has two choices or more, it is referred to as a dilemma. I've also read dilemma being written as synonymous with problems.
Actually, dilemma is when you have only TWO choices and both are UNDESIRABLE. So, if you have to choose between walking through a pit full of venomous snakes or a river full of hungry crocodiles, you are in a dilemma.
If you have a choice between a promotion in your job or more money with another offer, then this is not a dilemma because both paths are attractive.
Stay tuned for the next annoying writing habit. Your comments are welcome.
It is not always easy or practical to remember how every single word in your company's guide is spelled or in what context it should be used.
I remember there was a time in the newspaper I worked for that even the sub-editors, the supposed guardians of style, had become weary of ensuring we were right every time. It seemed we were changing every day. I once asked a colleague: "What is our style for 'fufill' [one 'l' or two]?" He sighed and replied: "Today ... it's two."
Despite this, I am a big fan of style guides because, when followed, it brings consistency to a publication and enhances its identity. Whether it is American or British style does not really matter (I use British, mostly). The main thing is that there must be consistency across all media platforms.
Today, I'm starting a series on style. This is not really about spellings or meanings, it is mostly about words that are often misused. I get riled when I see words, phrases or even suffixes used wrongly when journalists and copywriters, above all people, should know better.
Before I start, however, a word about bastardisation. This is the process in which a word is misused so often for so long that even the protectors of the language, whoever they may be, have resigned themselves to its new meaning.
An example is the word "awful". This word is derived from "awe". However, awful these days is something negative whereas it was originally a word that expressed admiration for something.
English is a living, breathing and evolving language and some of the words I highlight may already have been bastardised. But I don't care. I'm a traditionalist!
Anyway, the first word in the annoying list is ... dilemma.You see it all the time. For example: He faces a dilemma on whether he should go to Harvard or Yale. Many writers think that if a person has two choices or more, it is referred to as a dilemma. I've also read dilemma being written as synonymous with problems.
Actually, dilemma is when you have only TWO choices and both are UNDESIRABLE. So, if you have to choose between walking through a pit full of venomous snakes or a river full of hungry crocodiles, you are in a dilemma.
If you have a choice between a promotion in your job or more money with another offer, then this is not a dilemma because both paths are attractive.
Stay tuned for the next annoying writing habit. Your comments are welcome.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Have English, will write for peanuts
The job ad starts promisingly. "Looking for high quality article writers. Must have excellent grasp of English and must produce error-free articles that will pass copyscape. Must meet deadlines and be willing to rewrite articles that do not meet my high standards."
Fair enough, I say. All employers would want these qualities in a writer. However, then comes the kick to the guts. "I pay $2 per 500-word article."
The sad part is that this job ad has several bidders. Why do people accept writing articles at $2 a shot? It only serves to bring the market down. If the employer is asking for assembly-line BMR and SEO articles, then one could just about, at a stretch, accept this. But to demand high quality? Please!
About five years ago, a freelance writer could expect to be paid from $7 to $10 an article. Going back even farther, people would pay as much as $15 to $20 an article. These days, a decent gig would be about $5 an article.
However, we now have an influx of writers from all over the world, many of them whose English writing skills are on par with native speakers. Many of them, also, cannot string two sentences together. Whatever the case, they are willing to write for ever-decreasing prices.
Great for webmasters but not so great for the freelance writing community as a whole.
News writing and print-quality writing that demands solid news angles remain better paid options but that requires more leg work in terms of building contacts, building reputations and, ultimately, building a viable freelance career.
The cheaper-paid jobs are the ones available en mass on the many websites that ask you to bid for work. However it is you earn your living as a writer, I hope your hard work is not devalued by those who write for peanuts and we can all band together and set certain standards so that our skills are appreciated financially and aesthetically.
Fair enough, I say. All employers would want these qualities in a writer. However, then comes the kick to the guts. "I pay $2 per 500-word article."
The sad part is that this job ad has several bidders. Why do people accept writing articles at $2 a shot? It only serves to bring the market down. If the employer is asking for assembly-line BMR and SEO articles, then one could just about, at a stretch, accept this. But to demand high quality? Please!
About five years ago, a freelance writer could expect to be paid from $7 to $10 an article. Going back even farther, people would pay as much as $15 to $20 an article. These days, a decent gig would be about $5 an article.
However, we now have an influx of writers from all over the world, many of them whose English writing skills are on par with native speakers. Many of them, also, cannot string two sentences together. Whatever the case, they are willing to write for ever-decreasing prices.
Great for webmasters but not so great for the freelance writing community as a whole.
News writing and print-quality writing that demands solid news angles remain better paid options but that requires more leg work in terms of building contacts, building reputations and, ultimately, building a viable freelance career.
The cheaper-paid jobs are the ones available en mass on the many websites that ask you to bid for work. However it is you earn your living as a writer, I hope your hard work is not devalued by those who write for peanuts and we can all band together and set certain standards so that our skills are appreciated financially and aesthetically.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Paper is close to how newspapers really work
The Paper, a 1994 movie directed by Ron Howard, is an entertaining film that, in my opinion, most accurately reflects the workings of a real newspaper.
When I watched it, I noticed that almost all incidentals, such as journos struggling for spellings, tricky paragraphs or dealing with readers wanting apologies, is something that you see in papers all over the world.
News writing is universally similar and it was heartening to see that what happens in newsrooms all the way in the US is the same as what we experience in Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia.
I show this movie every time I teach Media Writing Skills at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpr so my students can understand the importance of quotes in news articles.
It stars Michael Keaton, Robert Duvall, Marisa Tomei, Glenn Close, Randy Quaid and other fine actors.
I'm still not bored by this movie even though I've seen it more than a dozen time.
By the way, Ron Howard, to me, will always be Richie Cunningham. I'm happy he has become a world-class director.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
When I watched it, I noticed that almost all incidentals, such as journos struggling for spellings, tricky paragraphs or dealing with readers wanting apologies, is something that you see in papers all over the world.
News writing is universally similar and it was heartening to see that what happens in newsrooms all the way in the US is the same as what we experience in Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia.
I show this movie every time I teach Media Writing Skills at UCSI University in Kuala Lumpr so my students can understand the importance of quotes in news articles.
It stars Michael Keaton, Robert Duvall, Marisa Tomei, Glenn Close, Randy Quaid and other fine actors.
I'm still not bored by this movie even though I've seen it more than a dozen time.
By the way, Ron Howard, to me, will always be Richie Cunningham. I'm happy he has become a world-class director.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Media finds 'Captain Coward' guilty
I'm not here to judge Francesco Schettino, the captain of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which wrecked off the shores of Ligurian island, causing deaths and major financial loss for the owners of the stricken vessel.
But I don't have to. The world's media already have. He is now nicknamed Captain Coward for the way he reportedly abandoned his post while making token attempts to save passengers after the ship crashed into the rocks. Reports say he refused coastguard orders to return to the ship.
Schettino, in defending himself, says he actually saved more than two thousands lives.
Whatever the scenario, the media have already branded him and the whole world now has someone to target. Maybe he is to blame, maybe he is not. Whatever the case, his trial by media has guilty written all over it.
*Learn news writing the easy way. Click here to discover how you can learn to write like a journalist in six steps.
But I don't have to. The world's media already have. He is now nicknamed Captain Coward for the way he reportedly abandoned his post while making token attempts to save passengers after the ship crashed into the rocks. Reports say he refused coastguard orders to return to the ship.
Schettino, in defending himself, says he actually saved more than two thousands lives.
Whatever the scenario, the media have already branded him and the whole world now has someone to target. Maybe he is to blame, maybe he is not. Whatever the case, his trial by media has guilty written all over it.
*Learn news writing the easy way. Click here to discover how you can learn to write like a journalist in six steps.
Friday, January 20, 2012
No such thing as unbiased
It is inspiring and annoying to see young, budding journalists eager to enter the profession in their quest to change the world.
They go in convinced they will be unlike the writers they read and will only write objective, unbiased news based on truth, justice and with both sides of the story.
I say it's time to wake up and face reality. News writing is not and will never be unbiased. By simply choosing an angle, you are already taking a stance.
Of course, I'm not a complete cynic. Journalism is a great avenue for highlighting injustice, calling for equity and giving all parties a voice. However, each publication has an agenda, most of the time based on financial considerations. And journalists must adhere to the themes that boost advertising revenue.
More on this later...
They go in convinced they will be unlike the writers they read and will only write objective, unbiased news based on truth, justice and with both sides of the story.
I say it's time to wake up and face reality. News writing is not and will never be unbiased. By simply choosing an angle, you are already taking a stance.
Of course, I'm not a complete cynic. Journalism is a great avenue for highlighting injustice, calling for equity and giving all parties a voice. However, each publication has an agenda, most of the time based on financial considerations. And journalists must adhere to the themes that boost advertising revenue.
More on this later...
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