So I have some thoughts about this. I'm going to start with the optimistic: congrats on learning your desired path at an early age & wanting to jump in. That's genuinely great, however your thread is very defensive of toxic industry traits which shouldn't exist to begin with.
https://t.co/GrgBWG50xQ
I started The Indiependent in 2014 when I was in sixth form, and have worked on it VOLUNTARILY ever since. I probably spend about 20 hours a week working on the site, alongside a day job which I need to do to live.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
https://t.co/cdd4q9nIm5
The amazing editors all give up their time to do the same, often juggling their positions alongside university/work. For them, they get the editorial experience which to someone looking to apply for a journalism course or go on to work in the media industry, is valuable.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
https://t.co/FTnLRm0TUf
Trying to pitch to national publications is depressing for an experienced freelance journalist, let alone inexperienced newcomers who i) don\u2019t have any clippings and ii) don\u2019t understand what a pitch is or how to write one.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
https://t.co/t2TNp3m8jV
https://t.co/TWPLcFUzoD
https://t.co/rs3lEYSrFX
https://t.co/xlbmuCtn1y
https://t.co/jktlNEZcf6
https://t.co/hoYdbflRtI
It functions as a communal portfolio site, where people do not have to spend any time or money setting up a website or learning digital skills, you can just write words and share them with an established readership.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
https://t.co/XZBQ4YKm5L
Spending some time writing for a publication that can i) give you those clippings and ii) teach you what a good pitch should contain is a useful experience.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
As a student, I wrote for free for a national newspaper and got very excited about my byline.
https://t.co/ooSHWz9Wnu
But the bottom line is, The Indiependent is a money pit. Maybe that\u2019s my failure to monetise it effectively - if it is, then I would love to hear from the \u201cshould not write for free\u201d crowd how to change that.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020