So you want to be a freelance writer? 5 important tips to get you started

April 16, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

You want to be a freelance writer? It’s cold out there.

Being a freelance writer in New Hampshire is a lot different than New York. The pool of editors and publications is small and breaking in anywhere with a national circulation is almost impossible. That doesn’t mean you can’t do at least a little freelance writing on the side, especially if you have good ideas and you know how to package them.

Last weekend, I taught a one-day freelance writing workshop at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications, and this message was one to which I kept returning. The Loeb School is a small non-profit focused on fostering an interested and spreading knowledge about all things media, so the students ranged from high schoolers to retirees. All were very interested in writing and incredibly engaged, bringing great ideas with no clue how to get them in front of an editor. Here’s what I told them:

Be able to write

This seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people underestimate the importance of high-quality writing, even those who aspire to be one. All you need to know about writing for a publication comes in two books. The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, and the Associated Press Stylebook. When editors say use AP style when formatting your story, this is the book that will tell you how to do it.

Know how to identify a story

“Why should I care?” If you even get to talk to an editor, you’re likely to hear one say this when you first start out. A story worthy of publication should be something that affects a significant number of people, not just you and your friends. It should reveal new and interesting details about something people are doing, not something we’ve read 100 times. It is something out of the ordinary, even stunning, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be something we look at every day. A story should have a new way of looking at that thing. I also believe a good story provides a glimpse of humanity, whether it is joy, struggle or loss. Some people are gifted storytellers, while others have to practice. I had to practice.

Network like crazy

This is the most important step. No freelance writer making a living today doesn’t network his butt off. NH Writers’ Project, NH Creative Club, and NH Media Makers are good places to start. The people you meet in those groups can help you find other ways to meet editors and writers, plus give you their own tips. Get cards and contact information. Follow up. Invite people for coffee and drinks. Hate doing it? You certainly aren’t the only aspiring writer with an aversion to the social sphere. If you really want it, you’ll do it.

Practice pitching

My workshop focuses a lot on writing pitch letters, a subjective craft to be sure. There are online templates for query letters out there, but so much of the pitch format has to do with what the specific editor wants that all you can really do is keep throwing darts at the board and hope one lands on bulls eye. What you should be thinking more about is how to make the story sound interesting, keeping it short, and showing the editor there’s a great way to package it in her publication. If you send enough pitches, an editor might even take pity on you and spend a few moments telling you what you’re doing wrong and how they can be better.

If you do get an assignment, be perfect

I got fired from one of my first freelance writing jobs because I couldn’t deliver a quality product on time. That’s the last time I did that. Make your deadlines. Deliver exactly what the editor wants, no more, no less. Punctuation, spelling, correct names, titles and quotes – these should be perfect, or as close to perfect as you can be. Having clean copy is my own personal white whale, so I get how hard it can be, but if you want to get hired again, putting in the effort is worth it.

When something new comes along

March 23, 2015March 31, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

Opening night in the gallery at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth

Sometimes I’m inspired to write about a subject because I think editors will love the idea, or that it will gain lots of reader interest. But sometimes I write about a subject because I am legitimately curious. Last winter, I toyed with the idea of starting a non-profit that would support creative freelancers like myself throughout the northern Boston-metro area. What better way to fund my research than to write a story about the risks and rewards of launching a non-profit?

I learned there are many dedicated people in this state giving their time and gallons of sweat equity to do things that no sane business owner would touch. That includes 3S Artspace, a newly opened gallery, performance space and restaurant in Portsmouth, which I used to open my article. I also learned I don’t have the patience, political capital or connections it takes to start my non-profit idea, which means I’ll be freelancing in my home office for a little while longer.

Here’s my latest piece, featured in New Hampshire Business Review’s March 5 issue.

Navigating a non-profit

The learning curve is daunting for those launching a nonprofit organization

“My mom would tell you that I’ve been talking about 3S – in one iteration or another – since I was about 15 years old,” says Chris Greiner, executive director of 3S Artspace, a performance space and gallery now under construction in Portsmouth. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of establishing a gathering space and cultural hub of some sort, whether it was an arts center for teens, a bookstore cafe, or the multidisciplinary arts space that I eventually landed on.”

The idea started in 2005, and by 2009 Greiner had organized a group of friends and mentors to serve as a fledging board of directors, including an architect, an attorney and a local business owner. Greiner left his job to pursue 3S Artspace full-time, and by March 2011 it was incorporated as a New Hampshire nonprofit with federal 501(c)(3) status. This spring, 3S Artspace will complete construction and open its performance space, art gallery and restaurant in the city’s rapidly changing Northern Tier.”

To read more, please go to the New Hampshire Business Review website.

First ever March Pitch-a-Thon

March 3, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

Is there anything worse than a blind pitch? Whether you’re writing one or getting one, pitches can be a painful process. To new writers, the successful pitch formula is an enigma never to be mastered. To editors, poorly written pitch letters litter their inbox like grocery store plastic bags. After five years of on-again-off-again freelancing, I still have trouble creating a pitch editors will bite on, at least when it comes to the blind pitch.

Each April, I teach a half-day freelance writing workshop at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester. A big segment of the seminar is spent on pitching. My advice is to get to know some editors first and find out what kind of stories they are looking for. Do they want you to submit a completed story first, or do they want a short pitch to consider first? How long are their pieces? Will taking a few photos improve your chances of landing a story? What parts of the publication are easiest to break into? Etc…

Eventually I get to the blind pitch – a.k.a. pitching an editor whom you’ve never met or spoken with before, typically at a larger, national publication. Really that’s what everyone is there to hear, getting their byline in Real Simple or Field and Stream. It may be my lack of confidence in front of a crowd, but when I explain to them that the best I’ve ever been able to get out of blind pitch are a few emails back from an associate editor, followed by silence, I can see disappointment flash across their faces.

Next month, I am slated to teach my Freelance Writing Workshop again, this time for a full day. For this extended seminar, I’d like to come armed with new and useful information, and if what they’re really want are tips on blind pitches, I figured I better get some together.

Hence my self-imposed first ever March Pitch-a-Thon. For the month of March I will focus at least one day a week and all additional down time to pitching as many publications as possible. The emphasis will be on publications where I don’t know the editor and where I’ve never pitched before – blind pitches. I’ll provide updates here, as well as some samples of my writing and pitches, as a resource for my future seminar students. It’s also one of those public shaming, deadline-driven initiatives to ensure I actually get things done.

Here’s my to-do list as I open my first ever Pitch-a-Thon:

Make a list of stories you can rewrite or re-purpose for a national publication.
Conduct additional research or editing to get these pieces ready for submission.
Write those pitches.
Find the right editor to send my pieces and get those pitches out the door.
Come up with a list of stories I’m going to research and write from scratch, and a list of possible publications to send them.
Gather sources, photos and other important information editors would want to see with my pitch.
Write and submit the pitches.

While I tackle #1-4 this week, I threw this little Eat Pray Love-style pep talk to watch (at the top of the page).

Where do freelancers find ideas? Sometimes it’s a shot in the dark

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

I wasn’t covering the UNH Career Fair last October for anyone. There was no story due in the hours that followed and I certainly wasn’t getting paid. So why did I spend 3 hours out of my day and a couple bucks in parking to attend? I needed some business story ideas.

Finding story ideas is one of the hardest parts of being a freelance writer. I’ve been getting better at it, largely by focusing on publications I’ve worked with in the past. I ask them straight up — what are you looking for? Editors always have a wish list of stories they’d like to publish but don’t have the staff to do it. Simply asking them to share that wish list with you is a huge step toward landing a story with them.

Attending networking and trade events is a tool I’ve used lately in better meeting editor’s expectations. I’m not pitching the event as the story, but instead am contacting the editor before I go and asking him or her — if I were to go looking for story ideas, what should I keep an eye out for? This gives me a list of questions to ask people at the event and helps get me closer to finding a subject worth writing about.

I got the idea for this piece for New Hampshire Business Review after attending the UNH Career Fair last fall. I didn’t pitch the event as the piece, but instead called the editor beforehand letting him know I would be attending and talked about some potential stories that could come out of it — who’s hiring, who’s growing, what majors are in high demand? I got some suggestions from the editor and headed over.

As is often the case when walking into a room blind, what you expect to find and what you actually find when you get there don’t always line up. I spoke with plenty of representatives from out-of-state companies, but didn’t find many local, innovative companies. And then I came across On Call International, a swiftly growing company with a unique business model based in Salem, N.H. I pitched a story based on the editor’s recommendations and landed an assignment.

Attending these events can sometimes be a gamble and don’t always pay off, but I’ve more often than not, I can come up with something an editor is willing to bite on if I look hard enough. You can read a portion of the piece below.

Traveling? The last number you call may be in Salem

Keeping cool heads during a crisis has been On Call International’s mission since its inception nearly 20 years ago. It’s a trait that has served its customers well, helping them navigate their way out of foreign jams big and small. It’s also a trait that has helped the company through some rocky times, bringing On Call International from the brink to recognition as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country.

The travel risk management firm provides a wide range of services for travelers both in the United States and abroad. Whether it’s a medical emergency, an arrest or a lost passport, On Call works with officials and medical staff on the ground wherever the client is located to resolve the situation, sometimes traveling to the customer to bring him home.

Last year, On Call International fielded 500,000 incoming and outbound client calls, and 300,000 emails to and from clients. The company brought home the remains of more than 300 people and sent 400 private jets and air ambulances – equipped with a rescue nurse and medical equipment – to locations around the world to bring clients home.

For the rest of the story, go to NHBR.com.

Finding the hook

November 6, 2014January 6, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

Sometimes a news hook is part of the pitch. Sometimes it’s inserted by an assigning editor. Other times it happens to present itself organically in a seemingly evergreen story. In this piece, it was the latter. Having a news hook will certainly boost your chances of landing a pitch, but it’s important to try not to force the newsiness of a story.

Psychology Program Expands to Include Neuropsychology

The troubling long-term effects from concussions and head injuries to athletes have been a subject of national debate for more than a year, and the tragic suicide of Robin Williams this summer prompted a discussion about the challenges those with depression face.

Across the country, matters of the brain and behavior are playing a larger role in health care, education and public policy. At the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, interest in studying these subjects has increased. The Psychology program is one of the fastest growing programs on campus.

UNH Manchester recently added to its faculty and expanded course offerings to provide students with classes in these growing areas of study. The university has four full-time faculty professors who are focused in a wide variety of fields of expertise, including developmental psychology, experimental sensory psychology, personality psychology and neuroscience.

Although psychology isn’t the first major a student might think of when looking for a “hands-on” college experience, the UNH Manchester Psychology program has been designed to do just that, whether in the lab or in the field. This fall, students had even more opportunities to get that important hands-on experience.

The university’s most recent hire is Daniel Seichepine, lecturer of psychology, who has done extensive research on the impact of concussions and was a co-author of the first published article on the impacts of brain injuries on behavior among NFL players. Seichepine said he hopes to continue studying concussions and how they affect mood behaviors and plans to expand UNH Manchester’s course offering in neuropsychology.

“Neuropsychology is a growing field,” said Seichepine. “It kind of grew in big cities first but now the Elliot Hospital in Manchester has hired two new neuroscientists.”

You can read the full article on UNH Manchester Campus News here.

What the kids are up to

October 20, 2014January 6, 2015 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

When I was an undergrad, I took some digital media classes. This was before Web 2.0 and the term “social media” when blogs were confessional, not a means to making money. Hopefully this intro, and this story’s lead, don’t make me sound 100 years old. I just wanted to note that this was a fun assignment, seeing how colleges are beefing up their digital curricula in the arts.

Communication Arts Goes High-Tech with Two New Options

Whether it’s creating their own website or recording a short video for class on their smartphones, today’s students are looking for ways to integrate technology into their studies. University of New Hampshire at Manchester faculty members have seen the increased use of digital technology in a wide range of fields and are responding by adding digital elements to their classes.

Communications Arts is one such program. With two new options focused on getting technology into students’ hands, as well as a new and expanded audio and video studio in the 88 Commercial Street building, UNH Manchester students now have more access than ever to the technology being used in the media and communications industries today.

Beginning this year, Communication Arts students can enroll in two new “options,” allowing them to take five classes specifically focused on the digital, film and audio side of communications. The options also show up on students transcripts and better describe to graduate schools and future employers the student’s expertise, said Associate Professor of Communications Jeffrey Klenotic.

“Alumni already describe what they did at UNH Manchester,” Klenotic said. “They got a major in Communication Arts, but on LinkedIn, they’re talking about studying digital media.”

Read the rest of the story on UNH Manchester Campus News here.

It’s a small state

October 18, 2014November 11, 2014 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

If you stay in the media business long enough in New Hampshire, you’re going to know everyone — reporters, photographers, TV newscasters, columnists, PR flacks, company spokespeople, campaign bloggers — you get the idea. While I’m far from knowing everyone, I’ve been around long enough to see connections overlap more and more often.

I first connected with Kate as a blogger for Stay Work Play New Hampshire. It was a fun way to write about weekend trips and job hunting tips as I got my career on track after having my daughter. The amount of content this site produces regularly is impressive, as is the amount of work Kate does to keep the organization going. I got the chance to speak with her again for an alumna interview for UNH Manchester “Campus News.” You can read the first part of the story below, or go to the UNH Manchester site for the whole piece.

Alumna Helps Young People Find Ways to Stay, Work and Play in NH

When Kate Luczko talks to students about her role as Executive Director of Stay Work Play New Hampshire, they often ask her what she does in a typical day. There is no typical day, Luczko said.

“Every day is different, which is one of the things I love the most,” she said. Stay Work Play New Hampshire’s website features work and life advice for people in the early stages of their career, as well as links and blog posts about fun things to do in New Hampshire. The organization also runs a series of programs, including the Talent & Internship Summit, NH Internships, the Challenge Grant student loan repayment program, and the annual Rising Stars Awards.

The non-profit, which aims to encourage young people to start their careers and make home in the Granite State, has recently hired a part-time staff person. But before this person came on, Luczko said her role at Stay Work Play New Hampshire was like being “a jack of all trades.”

“Among other things, I’m responsible for the website, social media, outreach, organizing events and public relations. We have almost 20 volunteer bloggers, so I’m managing them too,” she said. “It’s a wide variety of things.”

The Pitch

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

Pitching stories is not my strength. It’s difficult to find a subject I want to write about, let alone try to find a place for that story to eventually land. As a relationship with an editor develops, it often becomes easier to discern which stories her or she will like and on what stories they will pass. But those first few pitches can be a beast.

General story ideas usually come to me by regularly checking in with fruitful sources. These can be government websites, industry events, or key people who have a unique perspective on an area of expertise I find interesting. Local newspapers are good for identifying trends, which they usually report on piece by piece. I can then pitch a big picture look at the story to a publication with a broader audience. When I’m struggling to come up with something that will really work for a certain publication, I find the best cure is to browse the publication’s website. What kind of stories do they post in the top spots? Are they humorous, newsy, contrarian? Most importantly, have they done stories similar to my pitch idea?

After my first few pitches landed with a thud, I finally got a bite at New Hampshire Public Radio. When the idea hit me (after reading stories about the subject in the local newspaper) I had a gut feeling this would be the one that worked. It fit in well with the kind of stories they’ve posted — newsy but a little quirky, too. You can read a portion of it below, or click through to the NHPR.org website for the whole piece.

As Scooter Popularity Revs Up In Portsmouth, So Do Parking Concerns

Walk along any street near downtown Portsmouth and you’ll likely hear the buzz of a moped motor. Recently, these small motorbikes have been whizzing along Portsmouth’s streets in greater numbers and packs of scooters can often be found parked along the sidewalks and in alleyways near the Portsmouth waterfront.

But this rise in moped ridership – and where they’ve been parking – has raised some concerns among business owners and city officials.

“In recent years and particularly this year, there seems to be a dramatic increase in scooter type vehicles being used in the downtown part of the city,” said Portsmouth City Attorney Robert Sullivan.

“These vehicles are able to park on the sidewalk or where regular vehicles cannot. It’s actually been suggested that this is the reason they are being used.”

Summer projects

September 9, 2014 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

Sometimes a story evolves between assignment and deadline. That was the case with this piece, written for UNH Manchester’s Campus News. I originally highlighted the long-running small mammal research project headed by Professor Steve Pugh and the unique experience it provided students over the summer, but after first review the story became something bigger.

Beyond the Books and into the Field for Summer Animal Tracking

Each day, Joshua Linnane walks a portion of an 800-acre plot of undeveloped land on the outskirts of Manchester. The senior biology major at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester eyes the ground and trees for hair, scat and rub marks on trees. He’s looking for signs of wild mammals in this urban forest.

Linnane has three motion detection cameras set up in the woods, located in the area known as Hackett Hill. He leaves each camera for up to two weeks to eliminate his human scent from the area and later retrieves the card to see what animals crossed its path.

Linanne is one of UNH Manchester’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship grant recipients. Linnane is conducting a 10-week study and after will compare his findings to data collected 12 years ago by then-student Christine Andrews, UNH professional tutor and lab instructor.

“I’ve found coyotes, raccoon, something that looked like a bobcat, porcupines, opossums, chipmunks and a couple of non-mammal species, like turkeys, blue herons and turkey vultures,” said Linnane. On one of his morning walks, Linnane said he wandered upon a moose and her calf. “It’s really only five minutes out of the city and the diversity in this area is huge.”

To read more, go to UNH Manchester Campus News.

Will Travel for Beer

July 23, 2014 / Beth LaMontagne Hall / Leave a comment

With the boom in small craft breweries, it seems like every small town has their own tasting room stocked with beer brewed fresh out back. State tourism boards have noticed too, and are trying to boost their appeal by promoting their locally made ales and lagers alongside other attractions, such as skiing, hiking, and even work conferences. It’s not that hard of a sell. Who wouldn’t want to throw in a craft brewery tour on their vacation? For the story, click the link below.

“Will Travel for Beer,” Market Watch June 2014

Gardner State

Writing my way around New England

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