Why did you choose to become a freelancer?
I fell into freelancing. I wanted a job in magazine journalism after uni and was advised that the best way to impress an editor and show commitment to the cause was by meeting different editors and writing teams. A year on and a job still hadn't materialised, but I had accumulated a diverse portfolio and shown my face around some pretty influential editorial teams throughout the country.
If you trained, where? If not, how did you become a freelancer?
One phrase I hear all the time which is pretty troubling is the notion that you 'need a degree in journalism' to be a journalist. Nonsense. I graduated with a creative writing degree and didn't know much about the field, but got a lucky break with a work experience placement at Future Publishing and took it from there. Some of the most interesting journalists I've met didn't go through uni, they just exhibited an immense passion for the subjects they were writing about and worked hard to convey their voice onto paper. If you have a passion for writing and have the ingenuity to research a subject objectively then anybody can be a journalist.
Do you specialise in any particular field and what areas do you write about?
I've been published locally, regionally and nationally for a range of magazines, but if I had to categorise myself then I would put myself in the technology and computing sector, which probably makes me sound like a massive, honking geek. But if Wii Fit can tell my nan that she has ankles like Christmas puddings then surely the industry is worth commentary?
Which publications have you been published in?
Liverpool.com, Viz Comic, X360, NGamer and GamesMaster Magazine
Which articles, in which publication, are you the most proud of?
Viz Comic. I have been reading Viz since I was a nine-year-old. I wrote something particularly horrible and cutting about Dennis Wise just days after he was sacked by Newcastle United and they were kind enough to accept it, alongside something poorly judged and thoughtless I had also drafted about Alan Titchmarsh. Some of my comedy heroes have had work published in Viz.
What are the best and worst aspects of freelancing?
The best aspects are few and far between when you initially start a career in freelancing and your black book is slight and ill-prepared. But seeing your name for the first time in print and being able to point it out on a shelf is an unbeatable feeling when you finally get accepted. Being featured in a publication you gush about all the time, such as Viz, is a real dream come true.
The worst aspects are a lot more hard hitting and bring you down to earth. The days sat looking at your email waiting for someone to 'get back to you' are draining and soul destroying. Also, as I've found during the recession, you really find out who your friends are when times are tough.
There's a lot of time and effort you have to implement as a freelancer, but the highs outnumber the lows and the investment is worth it - when things are going right!
Do you have any interesting anecdotes in relation to your experience as a freelancer?
I tried calling Don King a murderer in a review I did for NGamer but editorial wouldn't have it. They were probably right, in hindsight...
Working for Liverpool.com during the Capital of Culture 2008 year brought something new and exciting every day. Editor David Lloyd and the team got to cover stories about giant mechanical spiders and massive regeneration projects in what was an exciting time for the city. Other than that, I was working too hard for anything interesting to happen.
Finance reporter - property
