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The Whole Freelancer

How to develop a lucrative career as a freelancer and get the clips you need

Course is closed.

WHEN 4 weeks, November 12 - December 10
Chats Thursdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for more information.

LEVEL Intro

CERTIFICATE CREDIT This course counts towards the Mediabistro Copy Editing Certificate.

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
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Course Details

Have you dabbled in freelance writing, but always dreamed of making it a career? If so, what's stopping you? Maybe it's the challenge of writing pitches, or the fear of successfully securing assignments. Or maybe you're daunted by the idea of submitting invoices and tracking freelance finances?

This course is for those who want to live as a freelancer, but don't know how to get started. It will cover basic freelancing skills, from coming up with ideas to effectively pitching them -- in addition to managing your career as a freelance writer. By the end of this class, you'll have the confidence to take the freelance market by storm.

In this class, you will learn:

How to come up with salable freelance ideas
How to find the best publication to target your pitch
How write compelling pitch letters and communicate with editors
How to maintain relationships with editors to secure long-term work
How to track your freelance expenses, ensure timely payments and submit invoices

By the end of class, you will have:
At least two compelling pitch letters and a list of well-crafted, salable story ideas

The online classroom has several interactive components:

Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
Technical support is available from mediabistro staff.

Course Syllabus

The Whole Freelancer (PDF)
View a sample syllabus for this class here.

• Get the Gig: Perfecting Your Pitch (Video) – ONLINE

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Journalism

Instructor Bio

Molly Knight Raskin's Courses

The Whole Freelancer – (Class starts January 21)

Molly Knight Raskin is a freelance writer, reporter, and producer formerly of The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer. Prior to that, she worked as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, where she covered breaking news and wrote regular features for the newspaper's Arts & Society section. A graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, she began her career as a reporter for Fairchild Publications in New York.

For the past ten years, Molly has contributed freelance articles to newspapers, magazines, fashion advertorials, and book reviews. Her very first freelance story -- an unsolicited pitch she sent on a whim -- landed in the style section of The Washington Post.

Testimonials

Molly is upbeat and optimistic and will make you write your best query ever. -- Kiki Anderson

"Molly is a wonderful instructor. Her feedback was thoughtful, detailed, and extremely helpful. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and her confidence in her students was encouraging." -- Christine Adler

"Molly is not afraid of sharing her secrets. She makes sure her students get all of their questions answered." -- Michael Watson

"I was delighted to find this class both informative and inspiring. I would highly recommend Molly as an instructor. She was friendly, engaging, and very accessible. -- Renee Gamache

"I would highly recommend Molly. You will walk away with great tips about sourcing work for whatever freelance market you hope to break into." -- Sarah Stup

"Molly's class taught the nuts and bolts of freelancing. She came prepared with tips, handouts, and personal anecdotes that helped motivate me and give me the confidence to approach publishers with ideas that will sell. I'm excited to see where this new knowledge will take me!" -- Emily Leaman

"Molly was very responsive to questions and let us know what were good ways to proceed. She was inclusive and concise in her presentation of materials and thought provoking about how to move forward in this field of writing." -- John Seidenberg

"The content was extremly educational and I was blown away at how much one can learn online. I would highly recommend this class to anyone thinking about freelance writing." -- TJ Henderson

"Molly prepared a great course and was positive and upbeat about our work and our assignments. After this course, I now have the tools to begin as a freelance writer." -- Thomas Panas

"Molly's a keeper. She sincerely believes in herself, her students, and her ability to teach." -- Jack Neary

"Molly was great! She was able to pass on not just her experience and knowledge, but also her optimism and enthusiasm." -- Trina Arpin

"Molly was terrific. She offered practical advice and insights about pitching stories and dealing with editors. In four short weeks I learned so much and am ready to go out and pitch some ideas!" -- Cynthia Aquila

"Molly is an extraordinary instructor. She has a wealth of experience and expertise and doesn't hesitate to share both. This was a terrific class to jumpstart my freelancing efforts and I would welcome the opportunity to work with Molly again." -- Francine LaMarr

* Discounts on mediabistro.com offerings are just one of the wonderful benefits of being in AvantGuild, our premium membership program. For just $55 a year, you'll receive instant access to our How to Pitch articles and other premium articles, transcripts from selected seminars and panels, and discounts on virtually everything we do (including eClasses and the Freelance Marketplace)! Click here to join now.

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