Dear writers,
Welcome to the last newsletter of what’s been quite a terrible year. There’s some hope on the COVID front, the new strains notwithstanding. On the ‘being an Indian’ front, I can find little to bring me joy this Christmas season. I am eating away my feelings, thus, with Goan Christmas sweets!
The last paid edition of the year has a pitch clinic where I share two successful pitches of mine (for this story on Goan home chefs in Verve, and this one on the Curly Girl Method in Eadem) from the year, and why I think they worked. There are pitch calls, some useful advice, job links, a reading guide, and notes on how to pitch a magazine.
And, because it is the end of the year, here’s a small review of the IAW journey in 2020.
IAW went paid in March 2020, about the time the world was waking up to the Coronavirus. I didn’t expect people to actually pay for this newsletter, but the response surprised me. As did the feedback. It gives me a little thrill reading all your stories and your successful pitches and learning that this newsletter gave you the confidence to start writing/pitching. It’s a wondrous high.
There are plenty of Indian publications doing good journalism AND which pay well AND seek freelance contributions. In the paid newsletters, I have interviewed editors from FiftyTwo.in, Indiaspend, MongaBay India, Firstpost, Conde Nast Traveller India and Roundglass Sustain. Each offering a platform for different kinds of stories, and each with editors that make the process easier. Every editor I interviewed was upfront with rates and payment schedules.
Indian freelance writers, by and large, are the most generous bunch. Ranjani Krishnakumar spoke about the importance of a schedule, and how to discuss money; Kamala Thiagarajan shared her experience in finding story ideas from seemingly innocuous things; and Vidya Balanchander dwelled on finding inspiration for stories and shared pitching tips.
Over the months, the newsletter has gone through various (too many!) iterations: starting with a PDF version on InstaMojo, moving to Substack and handling payment details myself and finally, using Substack’s in-built system. It’s been difficult trying to find a system that works, a platform that’s easy for subscribers and for me to manage. I am still searching. I am grateful to all of you for bearing with me through the many changes. I really do have the nicest subscribers.
This is the last chance to get yourself a yearly subscription. I am not sure if I want to continue the newsletter after 2021 December and I don’t want to be under that obligation; refunds will be a problem too. I will be removing the subscription options from January onwards. Substack’s new payment system hasn’t really made things easier for me.
If interested, please click here.
Before we continue, a question? What kind of journalist are you? I am a true neutral (not to be confused with my political stance!)
Ready? Let’s begin.
MISCELLANY
(News you can use)
Job: Zubaan Books is seeking illustrators – women, trans, non-binary – from Assam, Karnataka, Manipur and Sikkim. They should be experienced in graphic longform, non-fiction, gender and labour issues. They encourage Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi and indigenous artists to apply. Email contact@zubaanprojects.org.
Pitch: Trulyco, a new storytelling outlet, is interested in nonfiction pieces and narrative-driven journalistic stories on a range of topics. Open to writers across the world. Word count: 1500 – 2000 words. Rate: $150 - $200. Email Kemi.falodun@bytruly.com
Job: Digital agency Hepta is seeking a Project Manager. Key responsibilities will include working with the team to manage, optimize, and customize websites to improve user experience and usability, creating monthly website performance reports, ensuring development team is on top of the tasks. Skills required: English Proficiency. Experience: 1-2 years. Email megha@hepta.me
Fellowship: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts announces a two-year Fellowship to study “Bhartiya Gyan Parampara” (Indian Knowledge Tradition). Remuneration : Rs. 50,000 per month. Age limit : Maximum 40 years. Educational Qualifications: Masters of Arts in History/Sanskrit/ Philosophy. Experience : Minimum 3 years research experience working with an Institution conducting research in similar field or published work (at least 5 papers). To apply: send CV, copies of 5 research papers, and a 2000 write-up in Hindi or English on the topic The Concept of Indian Knowledge Tradition and its Importance. Send to “AFA & AO(KN), Kala Nidhi Division, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, 11, Mansingh Road, New Delhi-110011.” A soft copy of the write-up should be sent on dsfellowknignca@gmail.com. Last date: 15 January.
Resource: Twitter user Shiwangee compiled this helpful collection of online bookstores – instead of Amazon – to buy new and used books. I’ve to confess, I hadn’t heard of most of these sites, but have now bookmarked them all.
READING GUIDE
Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies has made their entire issue of COVID dispatches free, till June 2021. Some compelling stories, here.
Food and culture writer Bettina Makalintal compiled a list of the best food writing of the year. This includes stories about the Alison Roman controversy, an essay on palm oil, and exploration of why writers of colour are asked to write only about food of their heritage, and more.
“The razing of an old-growth forest is not just the destruction of magnificent individual trees — it’s the collapse of an ancient republic whose interspecies covenant of reciprocation and compromise is essential for the survival of Earth as we’ve known it.” This is a long read in the truest sense. It explores the underground economy and the social life of trees, or what some people call the wood wide web!
Some thoughts:
I came upon this advice from writer Wudan Yan (she co-hosts The Writer’s Co-op Podcast). Here, she is responding to a question asked in journalism class, about freelancing:
‘If we freelance, we’re entering a market where there are already established freelancers who editors would give assignments to, so is there even room for us? What does that look like?’
Her response. “First of all, I want to say, this question comes from a place of scarcity mindset — the idea that there aren’t enough seats at the table for the rest of us. I think it’s common for a lot of folks to have this scarcity brain while they’re starting out. There’s a seat for you, too. There’s a seat for you if you produce good work. Good editors will always be on the lookout for good freelance writers — it is literally their job — whether you’ve been in this industry, 1, 10, or 30 years. Do the work. Do the good work. Do the good work even if you have to take on work outside of journalism; this doesn’t diminish your good work. File clean copy. File on time. Be communicative with your editor, and view them as your teammate. The rest will come.”
Now, this feels like good advice. But, it is easier said than done. This advice doesn’t account for factors like opportunity, gatekeeping in the journalism industry, inaccessibility to resources (WiFi, sources) we take for granted, and more. It’s difficult when starting out as a freelancer: think of ideas, find editors’ contacts, write a pitch, figure out your banking system, follow up on payments, learn to deal with rejection and more. It can get overwhelming when you think of it in its entirety.
I’ve been blessed to have had great support when I started out, and complete freedom to pursue my own path. It’s one of the reasons I started this newsletter, to share the support and advice offered to me, and add context from my own life in the hope that it is useful. I don’t claim to know it all, I am still learning myself. I still face rejection and still have moments of utter helplessness, and writer’s block that lasts weeks.
I hope this newsletter has helped you out, even a little bit. If it has, please do share your success stories. In all honesty, it makes my day!
I am aware that charging for IAW flies against what I mention about gatekeeping. It is the only way I’ve found to keep this sustainable. If this rate doesn’t work for you, I am more than willing to discuss a comped rate/ add you as a subscriber for free. If you know anyone who would benefit from IAW and cannot afford it, please send me their details, too.
Before I sign off, here’s a question, “What is the one piece of advice you could give to someone starting off as a freelancer?”
I wish you all the brightest, healthiest and happiest 2021, filled with good stories, editors who accept pitches, and publications that pay on a time. And, of course, a kinder country where people do not have to live in fear.
See you in 2021!