The Mind of a Journalist
Freelance Journalistwww.clapperton.co.uk
Guy Clapperton
• Contributor and podcaster, The Guardian
• Contributor, Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Independent
• Broadcaster, BBC World Service, BBC London
Exercise
• Take one piece of paper…
Real exercise!
• Take the press release you’ve brought• Scrub out everything but the first
paragraph• Discuss the sort of story you would have
based solely on what you have left
Client objectives
• Messaging• Copy• Outcomes from press coverage
Flickr: Dan4th
The journalist’s day
• 60+ Press releases• Calls• Follow-ups• Writing• Liaising• Interviewing
For the freelance add:
• Cash flow• Invoicing• Pitching• Credit control
So…
• Attention span of a hamster• Things need to stand out• Gimmicks? The military helmet…
Flickr: D’Oh Boy
What’s the story?
• Images• Facts• Supporting facts• Brand – difficult for new clients
A BRIEF WORD ABOUT FREEBIES…
Who are you talking to?
Staff Freelance
Roles
• Who does what in the press• The editor you’ll never meet• Commissioning editors• News, features, comment• Advertorial
Your approach
• Cold email• More than one staffer?• Pictures, graphs..?
• Social media: game changer?
Flickr: marc falardeau
Structuring the release
• Pyramid• Our terms• Speak our language
Interviews
• “What questions are you asking..?”• Copy approval – the big no-no
Exercise 2
• Revamp your release• Plan how you’re going to get it around• Pitch it to me by phone
…and coffee!
Part 2
The journalist as contractor
When would you use us?
• Corporate writing• Independent voice• Panel discussions
Production
• We expect subs• We won’t learn your house style• We expect headlines
Independence
• It is what it says• It has only one meaning• Puff can’t be independent
Advertorials
• Raconteur, Lyonsdown et al• By journalists, edited by us too• Any old puff?
What to tell the client
• Honesty• Train them – they’re not our client• When to manage expectations
Remember:
• 60 press releases a day – “no” is the easiest answer
• Followup calls may push you further down the list
• Understand how we work
Q & A
Anything you want to ask