How freelancers can thrive in a challenging market

By Sharon Donovan, American Cities Fellowship: New Orleans

Persistence, persistence and more persistence is crucial to thriving in a murky economic freelance market, agreed panelists and respondents to a survey on the challenges freelancers face today.

During a panel at Health Journalism 2024 last month, moderated by Sandra Lamb, supplemented survey responses from other AHCJ freelancers about survival strategies.

While persistence pays off over the long term, saying “no” to a potential assignment that could derail other projects, being communicative and staying organized are also paramount.

The  media industry is experiencing mergers and layoffs at newspapers , magazines and websites,  leading to what Fast Company, a monthly business news magazine, describes as a “market failure for journalism,” Lamb said.

The panel of three veteran journalists represented a range of niches including, writing and reporting for major print and online publications, ghostwriting and podcasting.

The survey and panelists focused on topics such as business relationships with editors and relying on fellow journalists for feedback.

Panelist Jyoti Madhusoodanan said six to eight editors are on her repeat list of regulars with whom she prioritizes regular follow-up calls and emails. Although the check-in doesn’t always result in an assignment, communication is vitally important, survey respondents and panelists said. 

Madhusoodanan escalates the communication tip to a higher level by establishing one-to-one accountability meetings with a few journalist colleagues. Those relationships can prevent freelancers from veering away from their goals, she said.

The survey respondents said their most successful tactics for surviving current market conditions included recognizing a story, never giving up on a story you believe in and networking by attending conferences. Panelist Katti Gray agreed, but distilled the issue to a fundamental necessity. Develop and perfect the craft of writing in order to get — and maintain — an editor’s attention. “Editors are short on time — either because they are managing many responsibilities or dealing with their own battles,” Gray said.

Managing fees, income and contracts are always issues. For Gray, having three or four gigs with a regular paycheck can bridge gaps between other slow-paying freelance assignments. Keep growing new relationships and don’t just count on a few clients in your stable of editors, urged Wudan Yan.

Survey respondents also suggested having a daily exercise regime, developing hobbies and seeking out volunteer activities. Panelists’ additional recommendations included establishing specific work hours and occasionally taking Friday and weekends off.

For panelist Yan, being selective of people “you love working with” plays a vital role in job satisfaction and productivity. She keeps an active list of aspirational clients that helps her target future jobs she would like to land.

An editor’s “no” is not “no.” It just means “not now,” the panelists said. Don’t think of a potential job not immediately panning out as a “missed opportunity,” Yan advised. Instead think “maybe it wasn’t a perfect fit and explore how [you] can work together in the future,” she said.

Sharon Donovan is a New Orleans-based freelance writer covering a wide range of health care topics.