I'm just going to think out loud here about some writing ideas I have, so bear with me as do this. You should be thankful I'm not saying all this out loud as I normally would (I reserve the right to do that anyway.).
Now that I'm working from home, this would also be a good time to try some freelancing assignments, touch up the resume, put together a clip file, revise the cover letter and come up with ideas for articles and subjects to pursue while freelancing.
I have a resume, cover letter and clips put together, though they need some work (viewable in Word/Word Perfect), but I need to have it tailored for different journalistic markets too. I wrote the cover letter while I was thinking about applying for a particular job. I decided in the end not to apply for that particular job.
I'd like a paid gig writing about soccer, but I'm versatile enough to cover plenty of other sports, having been a sports editor at a biweekly college paper for a couple of years. I did time as a general assignment reporter for a weekly, have freelanced four articles over the last decade for a daily in Virginia and another in San Diego. I've worked the last seven years as a newsletter editor (primarily covering maritime issues, w/an emphasis on port security of late).
I designed my own soccer website (which has since merged with another website) and my employer's port security website. I've recruited people to write for my soccer website, and I'm a member of the Professional Soccer Reporters Association. I've been credentialed to cover nearly every major soccer competition in the US--Women's World Cup 2003, MLS, WUSA (while it existed for 3 yrs.), USL, college, international exhibitions, US men's national team (Gold Cup, World Cup qualifiers and friendlies). The only soccer event I've not received a credential (for which I asked) was the men's 2002 World Cup in Korea. I worked around that one by attending all the US matches live and writing a journal of the experience for the three weeks.
Besides sports, other subjects I'd be interested in freelancing would deal with travel, port security, history, feature stories (dealing with people) and religion (though that's not the extent of what I'd cover. I just figure I'd have to specialize, so I'd narrow that list down to sports and travel to start with, and have other subjects of interest to fall back on as well. Skill sets including dealing with professional locker room and team atmosphere, interviewing, deadline writing, feature writing, blogging, gameday stories, among other things.
I have plenty of resource material by which to use (at home through my books, magazines and things I've written already and on the web), and have contacts in the sportswriting profession that have offered to be references for me and have given me other career advice as well, so that hasn't hurt by any means.
Plus, by attending soccer matches and keeping up with my contacts on a regular basis, I keep myself current with issues in the sport, all the while holding down my day job as a newsletter editor.
I need to better utilize my spare bedroom as office space, and develop concrete ideas. From there, target some markets and query them with the ideas, getting a few in circulation while being prepared to deal with all manner of replies (or if I don't receive any). I have a laptop with wi-fi access so I'm portable.
I need to make sure I don't isolate myself. I can do this by continuing to play soccer, by going to matches, by going to the NSCAA Convention (soccer-related convention) in January. At that, there'll be a bevy of soccer contacts that will help me in numerous areas. I can keep my sanity by getting out, traveling locally when I can't afford to go long-distances, working on my photography, by getting involved in some volunteer work, perhaps joining a writer's group if I find one I like or going to a workshop. In general, I need to continue to do the things I enjoy doing; continue to develop myself and my skills (writing, photography, website building, working with software like QuarkExpress); keep the faith and pursuing opportunities that fit my interests; and maximize financial gain and efficiency.
Those are just some of the writing thoughts I have for now. I'll probably add more thoughts on them as I go along.
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