Hello writers,
Welcome to December!
This will be my second last edition of It’s All Write (on Substack). As mentioned, I may take it to another platform. My grateful thanks to everyone who wrote to me telling me how much the newsletter has helped them these past few years.
This edition’s paid newsletter — out tomorrow — has two interviews with travel (and food) bloggers, pitch calls, jobs, and other helpful information. If you want to subscribe, reply here or email me.
The free version has some helpful advice collated from the many interviews I have done this year + jobs and miscellaneous items.
Ready? Let’s begin.
TALKING POINTS
(Advice from the pros)
I’ve picked some of the best suggestions/quotes from the interviews I did this year for IAW. Here, in no particular order:
Supriya Nair (@supriyan), Editor, Fifty Two talks longform writing (this was one of my favourite interviews!):
Long feature stories do a lot for writers. They allow you to dream bigger, to work harder, and, with the help of good editors, to write better.
Having said that, what do long stories do for readers? We must think seriously about what creates value for an audience whose capacity for attention and empathy is under attack from every conceivable avenue in the media today. We have to develop a language that holds the attention of the readers it’s meant for; and we have to honour the information in the story by telling it truthfully and well. Without those things, what is journalism, or even storytelling, for?
Antoine Lewis, a Mumbai-based editor and food writer on what makes a good food pitch...
Putting on my editor’s hat, I’d say what I look for in a food story are:
- topicality: is it something that is important to write about now?
- relevance: do readers care about this story and specifically the readers of this specific publication?
- uniqueness: is it a story, or a trend that no one else has noticed. Depending on the publication/ platform, if the subject hasn’t been covered it might merit being published on these grounds alone.”
DVL Padma Priya, the Co-Founder/Editorial Lead of Suno India, talks about pitching podcasts...
Podcast is a completely different medium of storytelling and the script for a podcast is different from that for a print story. The quotes are longer and the narration shorter, so the way the script flows is very different. I think the key to a podcast story is to find a key character or a set of characters through who we can tell the story. Elements of drama (even seemingly inconsequential) work very well in podcasts as it helps the narrative move ahead. Also, a reporter has to think of additional elements that can add value to the story, like for example, sounds of markets, excerpts of speeches of politicians, news bytes etc. All these add value to the way the story is told.
Shreya Dasgupta, an independent science writer, and creator and host of the podcast Imagined Tomorrow, talks about the good habits for freelance writers...
Think about how much income you would like to make from freelance writing in say, a month or 3 months, and plan your pitching accordingly. It could be a mix of multiple news and features, depending on how much the publications pay, and how quick or slow they are in responding. Figuring this out takes time and the initial months can be slow. But there are resources out there, including spreadsheets with pay rates and editor emails (at least in the science writing world), that can be used effectively.
Always establish the payment amount and terms before starting an assignment. Sometimes we get carried away when an exciting writing project comes our way (at least I used to), but take a breath, confirm the terms, and then start the work.
I try to avoid sending a draft the same day I finish writing it — if I can manage the deadline. I find that sleeping over it, then looking at it in the morning helps me tighten the story and catch errors.
I keep a document with links to all the papers/reports/news articles that I refer to, while writing a story. That makes fact-checking easier.
Jonathan Nunn, the editor of Vittles on how can a writer be more politically aware, diverse and thoughtful when writing about food...
If you want to be more politically aware then get out of the food space, which, whether in India or the UK, is generally clueless, and start doing things on the ground. That will inform the perspective you bring to food. Work out the real story behind the story ─ even the most innocuous of things might have an iceberg of policy, immigration patterns, property development, land ownership behind it. And work out who you are writing for. Are you writing for people usually given plenty of room in food writing, who are interested in new perspectives solely as a matter of ‘discovery’ and ‘exploration’, or are you trying to give some representation and raise the voices of those who aren't being given room?
MISCELLANY
PRIZE: PFD are running a Queer Fiction Prize in 2022 for new LGBTQIA+ writers. Winners will be signed to PFD and supported in writing to the end of their novels. There are three separate categories for Adult, YA and Children’s fiction. Details, here. Deadline: March 1. Email prize@pfd.co.uk
READ: Shobha Narayan writes on how absorbing other languages can improve your writing.
READ: Aatreyee Dhar writes on how a zoonotic disease is affecting the life and livelihood of tea garden workers in Assam
SUBMISSION: Magic Has No Borders, the South Asian Young Adult anthology seeks stories (sci-fi, fantasy, myth and legend). Deadline: Jan 31. Details, here.
JOBS BOARD
Brut Hindi is looking for a Managing Editor. Details, here.
Zoom is looking for entertainment writers for Bollywood, Hollywood and Telly Talk at Times Now/Zoom Digital with 1-3 years of experience (2 vacancies) and 4-7 years of experience (1 vacancy). Email ruchika.kher@timesgroup.com
There’s a vacancy for Deputy Content Lead (Lifestyle) for a soon to be launched social media app. Should come with 2-3 years of experience at least, and have knowledge and network in the verticals of food, fashion, lifestyle and beauty. Email prachi@loktantram.com with CV and samples.
NDTV’s English desk is looking for editors for its web team. Positions for freshers, mid and seniors. Email saravananr@ndtv.com
Studio Ping Pong wants a Graphic Designer. Location: Calcutta/ remote. Experience 1-2 years. Email hello@studiopingpong.com
BYLINE BRAG
Subscriber Prakriti Singh worked on two pieces in the past months and she says the newsletter helped her. So, of course, this is an IAW byline brag.
1. Mint Lounge: Do educated and economically independent women hold equal power in a marriage?
2. Deep Fry Newsletter: In The Great Indian Household, guilt is gendered
Have you taken stock of the year gone by? Did you achieve your freelancing goals. What do you look forward to in the coming year? Tell me all!
Some pitching advice:
I end with this lovely quote by Colum McCann.
A writer is an explorer. She knows she wants to get somewhere, but she doesn’t know if the somewhere even exists yet. It is still to be created. Don’t sit around looking inward... You have to propel yourself outward, young writer.
Until next time,
Be safe, wear your mask, hug your loved ones, pet as many dogs as you can, and take frequent breaks!
Adios,
Joanna