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Per-piece sports writer - $10-$12 per piece

Discussion in 'Freelance/stringer help wanted' started by bpoindexter, May 22, 2012.

  1. Hank_Scorpio

    Hank_Scorpio Active Member

    Taking this job isn't going to help you get your foot in the door. Most newspapers will see this on your resume and go on to the next resume.

    It'd be much better to take a job as a freelancer at a daily newspaper. You get the experience of covering an event, writing it on deadline and getting feedback on your story.

    Or even better, start at a weekly or small daily (even one with circulation less than 10K).


    You will get nothing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING from working at a company like this.
     
  2. blkbamabelle

    blkbamabelle New Member

    First of all Stitch or whomever you are, You don't know me and who are you anyway trying to give advice to anyone on here. All I read from you is a bunch of bitching and moaning, discouraging others and putting other people who don't who agree with you down. So you got an opinion...And. So no one else is allowed to express themselves right? Sir, or madam, sit down. If you can give out lousy advice, I'm going to keep those interested in being a writer encourage and unlike you, give help and if you don't like it, tough. I'm your worst nightmare a big mouth broad with an opinion.
     
  3. blkbamabelle

    blkbamabelle New Member

    I've learned Hank in my experience that almost ANY experience helps. Journatic is now with the Tribune Company which may help improve their standards, so regardless of how I feel about them right now, you still have an opportunity to get a byline with the Chicago Tribune and Houston Chronicle and they are affiliated with several other newspapers around the country. But I will say this, at least I experienced it for myself instead of listening to someone else's opinion.
     
  4. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    I encourage you to be a writer, and also to apply for all full-time news and sports openings out there. The best advice I've been given is don't focus on sports in your job hunt. You are limiting yourself to a handful of openings. A career won't come writing articles for spare change.
     
  5. blkbamabelle

    blkbamabelle New Member

    I am a writer and the problem isn't finding work as you may think it is, it's getting a decent salary. I wasn't saying you can get rich off this job because obviously you won't, but if you need a little extra on the side it would be perfect, plus you get a byline in a major newspaper. They were saying you can get 5-15 stories a week for $10-12 a story which if true, is a nice little extra cash on the side plus you get a byline in a major newspaper which can't hurt. Like I said, it didn't work out for me per say,but it may work out for someone else.
     
  6. Hank_Scorpio

    Hank_Scorpio Active Member

    There is probably .1 percent of people who have gone on to full time jobs after they've worked at this site (or sites like it). It simply does not happen.

    If you believe you're getting a major newspaper byline through this site, you are in for a rude awakening. If (and it's a big if) a major newspaper does pick up a story from here, it won't come with a byline. It will simply say from wire services or something similar.


    And I'll say this as well: hopefully your writing on this forum isn't an indication of your newspaper writing. If it is, that could be your biggest problem.
     
  7. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    Just heard from someone who got a "tryout" and they had glowing reviews of the position.

    If you need some extra cash, that's one thing. It's not a job that will get you anywhere in the business. Any notion that it will is delusional. You are better off working in Roswell or in Hungry Horse to build up an actual clip file.
     
  8. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    You have not been here long, have you?

    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/75748/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/82385/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/79658/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/73856/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/88737/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/88070/
    http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/84713/

    * When I searched for "advice" in ONLY the journalism forum, 48 pages of links came up. These are just a few selected threads from the first three pages. It doesn't count other forums, or other threads that morphed into advice threads, of which there are plenty.

    The veterans on this site should be valued for their input. You might not like it, but you will, in time, discover that most of it is true.

    Oh, and not all of us are employed. I'm not now and will be taking an AmeriCorps position next month. I'd rather my employer be honest about paying the poverty level than consider a gig like the one posted.

    It's not going to advance a true writing career. Yes, you might see your name on a couple of sites (some with sketchy reputations), but even if your stuff is impeccable, it'll be next to someone else's crap, and your name will be affiliated with that crap.

    Take a Chick-Fil-A/Target/Lawn service/Babysitting job. Freelance. And make sure your work goes through an editor before it's put out there for all (including potential employers) to see.
     
  9. blkbamabelle

    blkbamabelle New Member

    My whole main point has been that instead of listening to a bunch of strangers on a job board down play most of the jobs posted,that writers find out for themselves because as I said you don't know the motives of most of the people on here including mine. My other point is stop discouraging people to find their own way.

    Wow gentleman is that so hard to understand?

    A job that may not be for you or me may work for someone else.

    Some of your rude comments especially towards me have been uncalled for and really unnecessary.

    It's like no one can challenge you way of thinking.

    And Hank do us all a favor and stay on topic dude because unless you want someone to come behind you and point out your writing flaws, I suggest you hush about others.
     
  10. writingump

    writingump Member

    Let's everyone just agree to disagree about this one without resorting to taking shots at others, OK? I happen to think it's an embarrassing pay scale and the fellow who posted before me thinks there's nothing wrong with it. To each their own opinion.
     
  11. wicked

    wicked Well-Known Member

    If I had to resort to this, and I can see that circumstances may cajole someone into taking this gig, I sure as hell would use a pen name.
     
  12. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    My buddy still hasn't been paid, yet, so be forewarned that actually making money cuold be an issue.
     
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