Happy Vomitine's Day
One Feb. 14 during high school, when I was bitter about not having a boyfriend, I decided to throw a party — but with a slight twist on the lovey-dovey theme. I proudly renamed the holiday Vomitine’s Day, and invited a bunch of single girlfriends over, made us all black heart necklaces out of pipe cleaners, and even whipped up a “Happy Vomitine’s Day” banner in black paint (yes, I was listening to The Cure a lot back then). Of course, it ended up being a blast.
This year, I should have thrown a bitter bash of sorts for fellow freelance journalists who are just as discouraged as I am about the state of the industry these days. You’ve probably seen some of those doomsday headlines, but I’m here to personally assure you that yes, it’s really, really rough out there, y’all. I generally try to stay positive about my beloved profession (I’m a proud J-school grad with a specialization in print, after all), remembering that there will always be a need for good storytelling, but things just feel extra precarious right now. And while there are the hustlers pulling in six figures (and never missing a chance to tell anyone who will listen all about it), there are plenty more of us who are, well, not pulling in six figures and are seriously worried about the state of affairs. (I, for one, am following up my best month ever in January (hooray!) with a very sparse February (*&^!). Assignments are scarce, rates have not at all kept up with the times, editors are even less responsive than usual, and it’s all just incredibly disheartening.)
So today, I’d like to offer 14 easy ways you can show a little love to the freelance journalists in your life right now. Some of these tips are directed toward PR peeps, but all are relevant for any journo (especially independent ones) — whether they’re struggling (raises hand) or flourishing at the moment.
14* Easy Do’s and Don’ts to Show Your Fave Freelancer a Little Love Right Now (Trust Me, We Need It)
Did you recently read something they wrote that you loved? DO let them know! It takes 60 second to fire off a quick email or tag them on social with a link to their work. So few people do this, and it’s always so nice when it happens.
DO spell their name right. Journalists worth their salt go to great lengths to make sure critical info like this is always accurate. Misspelling a name is not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it is off-putting. If I had a dollar for all the times I’ve been addressed as Blaine, Blain, Blayne, Blake, Blair, Blanche … well, I could add a nice supplement to the paltry pay rates these days.
DO make it easy for all journalists (and especially freelancers who are not on staff and need to be as efficient as possible) to find you or your client online. This means having a dedicated media contact with an email address (and, ideally, a phone number). And please, for the love (it’s Valentine’s Day, after all), do not make us (or anyone trying to get in touch with you, for that matter) fill out those ridiculous contact forms. I’ll bet you Cupid’s quiver of arrows they’re almost certainly costing you or your client coverage opportunities.
DON’T frame webinars as the big deal invite that they certainly are not. I.e.; sending an email with the Subject line: “Your Exclusive Invitation to [Insert Beautiful Scenic Destination]!,” then, lo and behold, come to find said invitation is an invite to a webinar about said Beautiful Scenic Destination.
DON’T add journalists to client newsletters or distribution lists without explicit permission. Every day, I unsubscribe to at least 2-3 of these. (Oh, and here’s a bonus DO: Make those unsubscribe buttons actually functional – not like the nonsense below that just showed up in my inbox.)
DON’T pull a bait and switch on media invitations. As in: Yes, we’d love to have you join us on this amazing press trip! Then, a few days later, after your editor has already sent a contract: Oh, hi, our client doesn’t think your outlet(s) is/are prestigious enough, thanks, sorry, byeeeee! (I’ve heard about this a lot, but I’m happy to say it’s only happened to me twice. However, one was so egregious I still remember the agency involved — one of those big New York-based acronyms — and how horribly it was handled.)
DO ease up on asking over and over when a story will run. A better idea? Set up a Google Alert with the name of your client (a good practice regardless of whether you’re keeping an eye out for upcoming coverage). More often than not, that’s how I find my own stories have pubbed. Trust that a journalist has already asked their editor (politely but repeatedly, if necessary) about when something will be published (a situation I’m dealing with as we speak; and remember, we usually don’t even get paid until then, too). This is one of the most challenging aspects of freelancing: We have little to no control over when our stories run.
DO keep pitches short, sweet, and on point. Attention spans are shorter than ever these days, so emails with a giant column of copy generally cause our eyes to glaze over — aim for 250 words or less. I’m also a big fan of bullet points.
DON’T disappear when journalists need info for fact-checking while on deadline.
If their editorial policy allows, DO offer to take a journalist out for lunch, coffee, or a drink (or three), no strings attached. Ask about their beats, what they’re working on, what they think about the current state of affairs, and if you can help in any way — you know, like a conversation between friends. This is the kind of professional support and networking so many of us crave right now.
On press trips, DON’T nickel and dime on expenses. All the assorted extra costs really add up — and take a massive chunk out of our hard-earned rates. If you can afford to pay for airfare, meals, and accommodations, you can afford to pay for a journalist’s Uber to the airport. (I just found out about a surprise $220 fee on an upcoming trip that I’m expected to cover. Granted, the PR herself didn’t know about it herself, but here we are.)
DO make your communications with journalists as streamlined and helpful as possible. (In other words, exactly the opposite of what I’m dealing with at this very moment with the PR team for one of the world’s largest companies, regarding an opportunity they reached out to my editor about in the first place. After more than two weeks and 20 emails, despite having a confirmed assignment in hand — a rarity these days — and repeatedly expressing my interest/availability, I still don’t have a clear answer from them about whether this is happening. I do, however, have lots of newly sprouted gray hairs.)
DO remember the new rule of pitching: No response is the new no. I apply the same rule to editors I’m pitching: After my initial outreach, I send two follow-ups, then move on.
DO subscribe to journalists’ newsletters (and a big thank you to everyone who’s already subscribed to mine!). Comment, share, spread the word, and spring for a paid subscription if at all possible. With so much else in flux in this industry, this is a great way to help keep our careers afloat.
(I’m still a newbie at Substack and could not figure out the number formatting here, which skipped from 5 to 7 above and thus ended up with an inaccurate number of 15. Just in case anyone noticed.)
Recently Published Stories
This fun piece in AFAR about Air France’s newest celebrity chef for its on-board dining program. I was lucky enough to attend a press dinner at one of her San Francisco restaurants when I lived there — holy smokes, what a meal.
This piece for Southbound, a pub by Atlanta Magazine, about Tampa as a terrific destination in the winter (or, really, any time of year). I have a soft spot in my heart for Tampa: I moved there right after college and worked as a sports reporter for The Tampa Tribune.
Media Opp
This a repeat of last week, but with a clarification — these need to be U.S. cities, states, counties, etc.! Sorry for the confusion. :)
For CNN Travel: Does anybody have any intel on those U.S. government programs and initiatives that provide financial incentives for attracting new residents? Or are you someone who has taken advantage of one? If that’s you, please shoot me an email: blanebachelor@gmail.com by Friday, Feb. 16.
And That’s a Wrap
Wow, there was a lot of moaning and groaning in this one, huh? Good thing I’m headed out on vacation tomorrow! Well, a working vacation, to be precise, but it will be in Portugal, and I’m hoping the sun will help snap me out of this blue mood about journalism these days.
Because — like I told my husband last night during our 1,875th conversation about this topic — I still really, really love what I do: the thrill of exploring a new-to-me place and writing about it; learning about and reporting a unique topic; talking to sources and hearing their stories; working with some awesome editors; and, of course, seeing my byline. And I sure do hope that by next Vomitine’s Day, there will be a rosier outlook for the industry as a whole.
Ciao for now,
Blane
Why are all the things I like so cut-throat when in a professional setting? The old advice of doing what you love and you'll never work a day in your life just doesn't apply anymore at this point. Enjoy your trip though!
From a PR gal, appreciate you taking the time to lay this out ❤️ Always want the relationship to be as beneficial and supportive as possible!