{"id":5067,"date":"2020-05-26T18:04:24","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T22:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fm.hunter.cuny.edu\/journalism\/?p=5067"},"modified":"2020-05-26T18:14:19","modified_gmt":"2020-05-26T22:14:19","slug":"grabbing-a-virtual-coffee-how-to-freelance-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fm.hunter.cuny.edu\/journalism\/index.php\/2020\/05\/26\/grabbing-a-virtual-coffee-how-to-freelance-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Grabbing a Virtual Coffee: How to Freelance During COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hunter Professor Susie Armitage<\/a> (main image) was joined by panelists Daisy Alioto<\/a> (second from top, at left), Caroline Lewis<\/a> (third from top), Yana Paskova<\/a> (bottom) on May 13 in a Zoom discussion about the freelance life during coronavirus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Working as a freelancer during the COVID-19 pandemic can pay off \u2014 if you know the focus of your story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the advice, along tips and tricks, for beginning freelancers in a Zoom webinar May 13, moderated by Professor Susie Armitage with panelists Daisy Alioto<\/a>, Yana Paskova<\/a> and Caroline Lewis<\/a>, sponsored by the Hunter Journalism program. All panelists belong to the Freelance Solidarity Project<\/a>, a recent addition to the National Writers Union that aims to protect freelance media workers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The webinar encouraged young journalists to make virtual connections, fearlessly pitch publications and follow up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou never know where those conversations or those relationships will go \u2014 and that\u2019s true during a pandemic, and it\u2019ll be true when all of this hopefully passes,\u201d said Alioto, a freelance reporter and social media strategist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding a beat <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Finding connections and sources through social media can get story ideas flowing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTalk to people and make connections with them,\u201d said Lewis, who covers health journalism for Gothamist and WNYC. \u201cThat\u2019s how the stories come to you, as opposed to every time thinking, \u2018Oh my God, what am I going to write about next?’ \u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lewis also suggested \u201cspamming yourself\u201d with sources and information that interest you. If you have a specific storyin mind, she added, read everything available on the topic, sign up for Google alerts and newsletters from publications that cover it, and follow sources on social media to find more information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The art of pitching<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For young journalists, pitching can be uncharted territory. Brainstorming a specific story <\/em>and not just a topic, is an important distinction to make before sending out your idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I\u2019m not going to pitch a story until I know what the headline is.”<\/p>\u2014 Susie Armitage<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to pitch a story until I know what the headline is,\u201d said Armitage, adding that knowing the \u201cdeck,\u201d or the sentences below the headline, is also helpful in finding the essence of the piece. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bones of a good pitch include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n