As more professionals join the “Great Resignation” or “The Big Quit,” what options are available for journalists who want to be their own boss?
In the past, self-employed journalists primarily became freelancers for bigger publications. However, there are now ample options online for journalists to choose from if they want to work independently.
Paid newsletters
Founded in 2017, the platform Substack has gained popularity among journalists. It’s an all-in-one service that allows writers to design, publish, and send digital newsletters directly to paid subscribers.
In the past year or so, a number of influential independent journalists flocked to Substack in hopes of gaining more editorial freedom. Among them were Rolling Stones contributor and former New York Times journalist Bari Weiss and former Vox contributor Matthew Yglesias.
Journalist Casey Newton wrote about his experience with Substack a year after quitting his job and starting a paid newsletter there.
“I feel like I have more control over my destiny. I own an asset that can grow in value over time. And I love working directly on behalf of readers and interacting with them daily.”
Casey also listed some challenges: “Having to do bookkeeping and accounting — there is so much more paperwork than there used to be. Not having a copyeditor for the daily newsletter — thanks to all of you who point out typos, which I endeavor to fix as quickly as possible.”
Helena Fitzgerald, a New York-based freelance writer, is another example. In an interview with NPR, Fitzgerald said her primary source of income now comes from writing her Substack newsletter “Griefbacon“, which offers a mix of free and subscriber-only posts, a common Substack strategy.
Selling online courses
Several journalists are selling their expertise in the form of online courses or learning cohorts on platforms like Udemy and Maven.
by
Related posts
Magazine Training International’s mission is to encourage, strengthen, and provide training and resources to Christian magazine publishers as they seek to build the church and reach their societies for Christ.
