The Born Freelancer on Getting an Agent
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
One of the questions I hear most frequently is “Do I need an agent?” and if so, “How do I find a good one?”
My experience with agents is completely within the episodic television industry and that is what I will speak about today. (For this kind of work an agent is pretty much an absolute necessity).
A lot of what I say will apply to finding agents representing other work categories too; some will not. The really good ones tend to specialize in a specific area of expertise that most appeals to them. So not every agent will be ideal for every freelancer.
What does an agent do?
It seems to me that a good agent should engage in three general areas of activity on your behalf.
* Finding out about jobs. A good agent is constantly working the phones finding out about jobs before the news hits even online communities. Agents build up reputations with producers so that when they send a client to be interviewed the producer knows it is not a waste of their time.
* Negotiating contracts. Never sign anything you don’t understand. Never accept a contract just because it is presented to you all printed up and ready to go. All contracts can be negotiated. A good agent will explain all the clauses, rewrite the poorly or ambivalently written ones and attempt to extract the maximum return for your labours.
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Nov 8-14
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Winners of the Canadian Online Publishing Awards announced [J-Source]
- Publication ban charge against Halifax’s Frank Magazine dismissed [J-Source]
- 2017 Alberta Magazine Awards open for entry [Alberta Magazines]
- Digital Publishing Awards announce categories for 2017 [Magazine Awards]
- As the ink fades: A look at the uncertain future newspapers face [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Is your office space stressing you out? Here are 5 tips to declutter and destress [Freelancers Union]
- Writing Drunk and Editing Sober: Here Comes the Science [Freelance Writing Gigs]
- The Bad Freelancer’s Guide to Fall [Freelancers Union]
-
President-elect Trump: Already very good for nonprofit news outlets [Washington Post]
- What Freelancers Should Know About The Gig Economy [The Nu School]
- Tip: How to find the right niche for you [Journalism.co.uk]
Recently on Story Board:
- Digital media mixer in Toronto November 22: Freelancers, students and media workers are invited to a mixer in Toronto on Tuesday, November 22nd from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at Watson’s. It’s an opportunity to make connections with peers and mentors working in digital media, and to discuss the changing nature of media work…
- Webinar for members November 16, “Inbox Zero”: How many emails are piled up in your inbox right now? Hundreds? Thousands? Is it stressing you out? Want to do something about it? Our next webinar for members is just what you need…
- YWS brings young workers together in solidarity: Between Oct. 23 and 25 over 400 young workers gathered in Ottawa with one purpose: to discuss the employment landscape for emerging young workers in Canada…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Digital Media Mixer in Toronto November 22
Freelancers, students and media workers are invited to a mixer in Toronto on Tuesday, November 22nd from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at Watson’s (388 Richmond St. W, Toronto). It’s an opportunity to make connections with peers and mentors working in digital media, and to discuss the changing nature of media work.
Mentors for the evening include Erika Tustin, digital editor at the Toronto Star, Eul Basa, head writer at Narcity Toronto, and Zi-ann Lum, news editor at Huffington Post Canada.
Snacks and drinks will be provided at this free event. RSVP on this Eventbrite page to let us know you can make it. The evening is presented by: CWA Canada Associate Members, CMG Freelance and the Canadian Media Guild. Hope to see you there!
YWS brings young workers together in solidarity
by Kayla Perry, CWA Canada Associate Membership Coordinator
CLC Young Workers Summit 2016. Photo by Andrew Meade
Between Oct. 23 and 25 over 400 young workers gathered in Ottawa with one purpose: to discuss the employment landscape for emerging young workers in Canada.
The workers met at the National Young Workers’ Summit (YWS), hosted by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), an umbrella organization for Canada’s national and international unions and labour councils. The summit was the first of its kind.
The YWS also garnered media attention after a 30-minute question and answer period with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resulted in heckling and frustration from some members of the crowd.
The two-day conference saw dozens of delegates from across the country discuss the labour market and the precarious job contracts many young workers accept in place of steady employment.
Read the rest of this post »
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Nov 1-7
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Alberta Magazines: How to Pitch & Pitchfest [AMPA]
- 6 reporters spied on by Quebec provincial police [J-Source]
- La Presse says Montreal police tracked journalist’s iPhone for months [J-Source]
- National Magazine Awards Special Event: Winners’ Circle [Magazine Awards]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Freelancers don’t get paid sick days – but it doesn’t have to be that way [Freelancers Union]
- What does the great newspaper squeeze of 2016 mean for investigative journalism? [Poynter]
- Advice from 10 news organisations to help you tailor your story pitches [Journalism.co.uk]
- NYC-based Freelancers Union scores major legislative victory [Associations Now]
- 6 signs you should really turn down that freelance assignment [Mediabistro]
- Unpaid internships could be banned [BBC]
Recently on Story Board:
- Breaking bad freelance habits: Bad habits. That’s what’s holding you back. If you could just develop better habits, you’d finally be creating the career you want as a freelancer. You have the key to changing your bad habit for the habit you know you want…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Breaking bad freelance habits
by Rebecca Hass
Bad habits. That’s what’s holding you back. If you could just develop better habits, you’d finally be creating the career you want as a freelancer.
Procrastinating no more. Without those bad habits, you’d be getting things done ahead of time, well researched, and beautifully turned out with time to spare.
You know what you need to do, and yet, if you’re like me, you don’t do it. I have the best of intentions, but within minutes of sitting at my desk to get to my work, my bad habits start.
A pop up message appears. I have a new message on FB to check. Then a breaking news item scrolls through, I take a quick look at that. Then I see the number on my twitter app and I have to look. What’s up? Retweets? A new follower? That video looks funny, it will just take a moment to watch and so it goes.
Bad habits like this happen at such an unconscious level, I hardly notice the time go by before I discover I’ve wasted an hour. If only I had more willpower!
Willpower is a Lie
You know from experience that when you identify the habit you want to change, the first voice you hear is “The voice of reality.”
That voice tells you “That’s just the way it is, and you can’t change it. Remember all the times you‘ve tried before and failed?” It uses the argument that if you had more willpower, or better self-discipline, you would have changed this already. But that’s a lie. Science tells us a different story.
Read the rest of this post »
Toronto freelance mixer on November 2nd
Toronto-area freelancers, come and join CMG Freelance for a casual meet-up this week, on November 2nd from 6 to 8 pm at Bar Wellington at 520 Wellington Street West in downtown Toronto. We’ve got an upstairs room booked for the event.
CMG Freelance members and potential members are all welcome. We’d like to meet you and hear what kinds of events or professional development you’d like us to plan for you in the future. We’re buying the first round of drinks and there will be snacks available, too. We’ll even have some CMG Freelance swag on hand to give away.
If you can make it, drop us a line ASAP at freelance@cmg.ca to let us know. Hope to see you there!
Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Oct 25-31
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Media and rights groups win right to intervene in Vice-RCMP fight [Globe and Mail]
- Black Press launches a new Vancouver Island wide daily newspaper [J-Source]
- Edmonton media outlet Taproot is working on an innovative model for paid reporting work [J-Source]
- Journalism internships should be paid fairly and offer personal mentoring [J-Source]
- Roster of international judges named to augment Magawards judging [Canadian Magazines]
- Algonquin students offered opportunities but no pay [J-Source]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Freelance Isn’t Free Becomes Law in NYC [National Writers Union]
- Freelance Isn’t Free and the future of freelancing [Freelancers Union]
- Freelancers Rejoice: A historic NYC law helps freelancers demand payment [Bitch Media]
- Fostering a Grassroots Approach to International Reporting [Nieman Reports]
- An Evernote Guide for Writers: 5 Ways to Use it for All Your Projects [The Write Life]
- What Editors Really Want From Writers [Mediabistro]
- Program lifts aspiring writers from poverty, infuses media with fresh voices [CJR]
- How to Become a Better Writer: 4 Ways to Deal With Criticism [The Write Life]
- 5 Helpful Reporting Tips from The New Yorker Festival [The Freelancer]
Recently on Story Board:
- New York City Freelance Isn’t Free Act passes: In a landmark victory, New York City Council has voted to protect freelancers against client nonpayment. The Freelance Isn’t Free bill was spearheaded by the Freelancers Union and passed today after a year-long campaign…
- Vancouver members: Enter to win a ticket the the Green Jobs BC Conference media workshop: Interested in learning how to report on the green economy? Enter to win one of four tickets to the media workshop at the upcoming Green Jobs BC conference…
- Top Five Benefits of Writing in a Coffee Bar: When it comes to the benefits of working in coffee shops, J.K. Rowling says “You don’t have to make your own coffee, and you don’t have to feel like you’re in solitary confinement.”
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
New York City “Freelance Isn’t Free” Act passes
In a landmark victory, New York City Council has voted to protect freelancers against client nonpayment. The Freelance Isn’t Free bill was spearheaded by the Freelancers Union and passed today after a year-long campaign.
It requires clients to use contracts for freelance work, allows freelancers to file complaints with the Department of Labor Standards against non-paying clients, and levies fines against clients who are found guilty of non-payment.
The bill was sponsored by New York City Council Member Brad Lander and it passed unanimously with 51 votes. The Freelancers Union intends to campaign for similar legislation in other cities around the United States.
We did it, freelancers! NYC becomes the first city in the nation to protect independent workers against nonpayment: https://t.co/FjIDwA0YRF
— Freelancers Union (@freelancersu) October 27, 2016
Vancouver members: Enter to win a ticket to the Green Jobs BC Conference media workshop
Interested in learning how to report on the green economy? Enter to win one of four tickets to the media workshop at the upcoming Green Jobs BC conference, scheduled for November 24th from 9:00am to 12:30pm at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, BC.
CMG Freelance and CWA Associate Members are invited to email freelance@cmg.ca by next Friday, November 4th to enter for the ticket draw. Tickets to this workshop are valued at $50 each.
The Jobs Today, Jobs Tomorrow conference is being co-presented by The Tyee and Green Jobs BC. It brings together a variety of people and organizations to discuss plans to create green jobs in British Columbia.
Presenters at the media workshop include freelance journalist Geoff Dembicki and Shannon Daub, the Director of Communications for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The conference’s special guest is the CBC’s Bob MacDonald.
The goal of the workshop is to “help equip journalists (and future journalists) with the knowledge and skills to challenge conventional economics frames and ask insightful questions.”
CWA Associate Membership is free for students, volunteers and emerging media workers. You can sign up for membership right here.
For information about the price and benefits of CMG Freelance membership check out the CMG Freelance website.
