Happy day of the week everyone! It’s almost May, which feels weird and I’m running on almost no sleep to get my freelance assignments but I’m grateful for the work. Here’s what I’ve been up to.
Stuff I Published:
I wrote an obituary for Detective Cedric Dixon, the first known NYPD COVID-19 death for MarketWatch. I have another obit on the way soon. As hard as these are to write, it’s important to remember everyone we’ve lost by name.
I also wrote about my fear of gaining weight and body image for Fearless She Wrote while I heal from my recent emergency, and while gyms are closed.
Freelancer Q&A #1:
I’m going to try to do a Q&A with another freelancer at least twice a month. Freelancing has always been tricky. There are good months and bad months. Publications come and go, as do freelance budgets. And as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, so many publications have cut down or have completely stopped working with freelancers. It’s scary because the U.S. offers little safety nets for the average worker, much less freelancers / independent contractors. So we may as well pool resources. I’ve noticed that newsletters are starting to do that as well so I’ll plug them in future posts whenever I see one.
This week we have the honor of learning from freelance writer Abigail Koffler. She has bylines in all over town including Forbes and Eater. I worked with her on Bushwick Daily back in 2018 (in the before times) and I’ve attended happy hours that she’s hosted in the past. Here’s more about her journey into freelancing and her advice on “making” it in the media world.
When did you start freelancing?
I started freelancing in April 2018 as an entry point to media. Before that, I worked in nonprofits and did some student media in college.
Why did you decide to go that route in media?
It was the only way to get a foot in the door. I had applied for a few media jobs while working in nonprofits and got nowhere. I got laid off and I decided to give freelancing a shot to see if I could make it work, and here we are.
You happen to do a lot of food writing, what made you choose that as a focus?
Food was always a huge passion of mine. I grew up cooking, was obsessed with our local diner, and read food blogs constantly. It was the topic I was most interested in and I had a strong base level of knowledge and a sense of the food media landscape, which helped me a lot. I also have a food newsletter, This Needs Hot Sauce, which I launched in October 2017. I used that as a clip in the early days and it still helps to this day, as editors can see my strong work ethic and get a sense of my style before assigning a story. I've also done some local news, travel and lifestyle writing, which I enjoy as well, but food is my number one.
Do you have a favorite byline?
It's so hard to pick but I really love this story I did on Sarah Fernandez, who is an incredible rising star in the wine and sake world. She's also an advocate for change, going on the record in the New York Times to share her experiences with sexual assault in wine. Our interview was almost three hours and I was shocked no one else had talked to her since the Times story because she had so much to say.
Recently, I loved working on this story about restaurant ceramicists and how coronavirus has affected them. It was a story that began a few months ago and evolved quite a bit. I got to talk to such talented people and tell a story I hadn't seen elsewhere.
If you could give your past self advice about freelancing, what would it be?
Don't give up! Talk about money! Send the email. Don't define yourself only by your work or your productivity.
What's one pro and one con when it comes to being a freelance writer?
The pro is the freedom you have to write (or not write) about a variety of people and topics. It makes you think harder about the stories you want to tell. Two big cons are the inconsistency and lack of control. Rates can be low, payment takes forever, and there are so many factors beyond you (your editor could be on thin ice, a publication might be about to shut down, a global pandemic might happen). The inconsistency is true in normal times as well, there are peaks and valleys.
Is there a goal publication that you'd like to break into sometime in the future?
Bon Appétit and the New York Times and Man Repeller are the big ones and I'm also interested in doing more crossovers with other newsletters, like Girls Night in.
What are other media/writing gigs that you think new freelancers should consider while they gain experience and forge connections?
I've had side jobs outside of media the entire time I've been freelancing. It all depends on what you like to do and what your skills are. I teach part-time and have also babysat a lot. I also do content marketing for some food and beverage businesses. As for finding jobs/gigs, the best thing to do is build a network and let them know you're always looking for new things. Hand in your stuff on time and be kind to people and they will keep you in mind for future opportunities. It's, unfortunately, an industry where the best jobs never get posted so it really pays off to build a network. Twitter and Instagram really help with meeting people if you can't do it in person and in food media, there are a lot of events where you can meet a colleague or editor at the next table.
To follow Abigail’s work, sign up for her newsletter, This Needs Hot Sauce, and get more food ideas the TNHS Instagram. You can also personally follow her on Twitter and Instagram.