Hello!
Welcome to your friendly neighbourhood newsletter.
If I had a rupee or a crispy colourful 100 Rs note for everyone who has sought me out on social media to ask questions about freelancing, I wouldn’t actually need to freelance. I joke, but on an average I would get paid more than what most Indian publications pay you per story.
Raise your hand if you’re a writer and you have received one or all of the following messages:
“I want to become a freelancer, how should I start?”
“Can you share the editor’s contact for XYZ [insert name of publication that’s so difficult to crack it has taken you two years and repeated emails].”
“I like to travel. Can I become a travel writer?”
Dear writer, this newsletter aims to answer some, if not all, of those questions. I will attempt to do it in the nicest way possible but, if it’s the end of the month and I haven’t received my freelance payments, expect some cold hard truths.
This post features the following sections:
Subscriptions
About me
Freelance consulting
How to Pitch the newsletter
Testimonials
Contact me
ABOUT ME
Good question!
Here’s a little introduction to myself and my credentials.
I have been a journalist for 15 years — call me senior journalist now! I worked with DNA, Hindustan Times, and Midday before turning to freelance in 2017. I write feature stories on food and communities, travel and offbeat places, health and wellness and more.
I’ve been published in India and abroad. You can view my stories here: Portfolio
I am also a consultant editor with Goya Journal, and most recently had a short story published in a book, Ways of Belonging, highlighting Goan writers.
FREELANCE CONSULTING
Besides the newsletter, I also conduct sessions on freelancing featuring industry professionals.
By the side, is Ask Jo — my freelancing one-on-one session.
It’s a 30 minute session for anyone who needs help with:
writing a pitch
finding editor’s contacts
crafting a narrative
writing resources
proofreading a story
discussing ideas and finding stories
getting started in the freelance world
And more.
Rate: Rs 450*
(*I offer discounts and comps to people who are unable to pay this amount.)
HOW TO PITCH IAW
It’s All Write is open to pitches!
I want stories on anything and everything related to bettering your freelance life (be it writing, photography, illustration etc). Send me pitches on how to improve your writing, how Excel or Calendly has changed your life, the one mantra for writing/editing that has brought you the most success, a guide to tackling international payment systems, and more. The story should be useful and informative.
You can be humorous or sarcastic, like this gem of a piece that Shruti Sunderraman wrote for me earlier this year. As the newsletter is still free, I can offer Rs 3,000 for 700-1000 words; payment will be done post publishing. Email me on itsallwrite@outlook.in
TESTIMONIALS
“The newsletter is particularly helpful for its honesty, especially since I seek such spaces where I can learn about shared experiences of freelancing and make better choices. The job board section has often come in handy to stay updated on opportunities out there and refer relevant people to apply through Joanna’s newsletter.”
— Anureet Kaur, Siri Creative Writer (Freelance) at Apple and Marketing Associate at Eximius Ventures; subscriber since June 2020
I became acquainted with Joanna’s work via a food writer I follow on Instagram. I have been subscribed to IAW since October 2020 and it’s helped me so much! As a mom who took a career break and made a pivot from television production to writing for the web, it’s helped me learn and about today’s publication landscape, the pitching process and how to structure work and rates. Apart from the job board, Joanna has some great interviews in the subscriber version and a wonderful round-up of interesting stories from all over. Highly recommend if you are a wordsmith!
— Meenakshi S, Content Specialist & Writer, subscriber since October 2020
I always find your newsletters interesting and insightful. I've never pitched before and I don't know when I might, but reading the newsletter helps a lot, at least on a spiritual level.
— Micheal Varghese, editor for an online editing service Ediket, free subscriber since March 2021 to your free newsletter since March of this year
I have been a loyal subscriber of IAW since chapter #1 released, and have looked forward to Joanna’s emails in my inbox ever since! After 6.5 years as a full-time writer, I turned to freelancing in October 2019, and would have been quite lost if not for the helpful words in IAW. Joanna takes great effort to focus on different topics in each newsletter, interviewing editors and writers from different beats, and digging up pitch calls. During the first COVID lockdown, I was struggling with getting assignments, and after reading an interview with Rohini Nair of FirstPost in IAW, pitched a story on Parsi matrimonial ‘aunties’ to her (with the Netflix show Indian Matchmaking as the peg) and got published after almost 5 months of a writing slump! Reading this newsletter gives me more confidence to send out pitches and write to editors — I even got my first international story published this year — and reminds me that I’m on the right path!
— Huzan Tata, freelance writer
I have been a subscriber of Joanna's newsletter since the first issue. It helped me expand my freelance repertoire and find a home for many stories that I wanted to write. Thanks to the interviews of editors she shared, I successfully pitched articles to Silverscreen, FirstPost and Sustain. The gig leads, interviews and reading lists she collates have also stoked ideas for more stories. I probably would not have the same confidence in my pitching abilities if I had not come across her newsletter. I wish it was there when I had started working.
— Saad Ahmed, Multimedia Journalist, subscriber since the beginning
The newsletter has helped me broaden my perspectives about the written freelance world we all inhabit, while previously my exposure was restricted to sports, and that broadening is valuable. The newsletter has also provided valuable insights into the struggles of younger writers, particularly in the sphere of pitching, and securing assignments, which have added value to my perspective as someone who teaches young people eager to get into the field of sports journalism.
— Snehal Pradhan, Former India cricketer, sports columnist and commentator, YouTuber; free subscriber for a year
CONTACT ME
Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox. Once again, a reminder, please add joannalobo@substack.com and itsallwrite@outlook.in to your inbox so you don’t miss the newsletter and updates.
You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
Cheers!
Joanna
