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Hello!
Welcome to your friendly neighbour newsletter.
If I had a rupee or a crispy colourful 100 Rs note for everyone who has sought me out on social media to ask questions about freelancing, I wouldn’t actually need to freelance. I joke, but on an average I would get paid more than what most Indian publications pay you per story.
Raise your hand if you’re a writer and you have received one or all of the following messages:
“I want to become a freelancer, how should I start?”
“Can you share the editor’s contact for XYZ [insert name of publication that’s so difficult to crack it has taken you two years and repeated emails].”
“I like to travel. Can I become a travel writer?”
Dear writer, this newsletter aims to answer some, if not all, of those questions. I will attempt to do it in the nicest way possible but, if it’s the end of the month and I haven’t received my freelance payments, expect some cold hard truths. Writing tip: avoid long sentences like the previous one – editors don’t like it. Source
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| Scope | National |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Country | United States of America |
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Recent Articles
Search ArticlesCHAPTER 58
Dear gentle reader, It’s freedom month, or is it? If I go by my inbox, freedom means 15% off on restaurants and/ or products…consumerism zindabad! NOTE: Next month, I will be one of the mentors at a travel writing retreat being conducted by Bound, in Chettinad. There will be one-on-one mentor sessions, workshops, cultural activities and more. Come, join? More details, here. This is a packed edition, so I will get right to it.
Chapter 57
Dearest gentler reader, Wishing you a wonderful July where every editor responds to you, you get paid on time, and that ugly importer syndrome doesn’t surface at all. I’ve decided that instead of moaning about what’s wrong, I will reframe my perspective and force my mind to being positive. My preferred publications (and editors) aren’t responding to me? No problem. Something better will come along.
Chapter 56
Dear gentle reader, This newsletter comes out a month late. It has been a hectic time, personally and professionally, so I am grateful for your patience in waiting for this edition. The last month has had some personal milestones: I turned a year older. I went on my first cruise. I watched my grand aunt receive her well-deserved Padma Shri in Delhi. Seeing her — all of 100 years — walking up confidently and beaming was quite moving.
Chapter 55
Dear gentle reader, Welcome to the hottest month of the year! Anyone else using the heat as an excuse to stay away from those looming deadlines? No…it’s just me then? This has been a hectic month that seems to have disappeared in the blink of an eye. Work has been relentless and I am looking forward to a break next month. On a related topic, how does one say ‘no’ to work? I’ve been through many dry patches in this freelancing journey.
Chapter 54
Dear gentle reader, Can you believe that we are almost two months into the year 2025? Is this year giving you strange 2020 flashbacks, or is it just me? As some of you know, I used to have an offshoot of this newsletter called Ask Jo, where you could pick my brain for 15 minutes (and above) about freelancing. I wish to bring that back. I don’t claim to be an expert in this but if talking to me can help you in any way, I would be happy to get into a conversation.
Chapter 53
Dear gentle reader, Wishing you a gentle, kind and productive new year 2025. If you, like me, have had a tough 2024, here take some cake. The legendary Virginia Woolf's 1931 New Year’s resolutions included: “to have none. not to be tied. to be free & kindly with myself. sometimes to read, sometimes not to read. to go out, yes—but stay at home in spite of being asked. as for clothes, I think to buy good ones” Do you have any freelance resolutions for 2025?
Chapter 52
Dear gentle reader, Happy Diwali! Here’s wishing your year ahead is full of light and happiness (and no crackers!). My goal when restarting the newsletter was to send it out monthly, but that’s proving difficult. So far, the newsletters seem to be going out at festive times…so hopefully, they add some sweetness to your lives! This newsletter has an interview with Krystelle Dsouza from The Better India + pitch calls + other opportunities. Ready? Let’s begin.
Chapter 51
Hello dear writers, Happy Chaturthi! Have an extra modak on me, please. I hope the last few weeks have been mindful and demure (as spoken by the gods of Tiktok)! I do realise this newsletter is a month late but I trust it will be worth it. I am aiming to send it out monthly but life gets in the way (though I am not complaining). If you have the time, do check out a story that is dear to my heart and which took me a year (from pitch to publication) — it is about Goa’s seaweed queen.
Chapter 50
Dear gentle reader, I reached a half century! It feels like quite the achievement (I am at the stage in my life where I am celebrating any kind of win). Work has been keeping me busy along with bouts of imposter syndrome that have me wondering if I am a good writer. I feel like I’ve spent the last month just reworking articles (sometimes more than once). It’s quite a kick in the gut, I must say. But, I am reminding myself that this is temporary.
Chapter 49
Dear writers, I have to say, I am a little overwhelmed by the response to my last newsletter. It made me really happy, and I hope you all find these newsletters helpful. This is a slightly delayed newsletter (I was hoping to publish earlier in the month) because I have been travelling and work has been piling up. This edition has an interview with Payel from Luxebook + pitch calls + lots of job opps + other resources. If you find this useful, please share with your friends? Ready? Let’s begin.