Nicola Smith

Nicola Smith, Freelancer of the Fortnight 21 October 2011


Click here to view Nicola Smith's full freelance profile on Journalism.co.uk.

Why did you choose to become a freelancer?
The honest answer is that it was pure circumstance. It was supposed to be a temporary measure while I looked for a proper job, but I began generating work for a range of titles that interested me and I revelled in the freedom. That was 11 years ago. People often say "you must be brave to go freelance" but for me it was pure chance - many others have deliberately taken the leap, and that is brave.

If you trained, where? If not, how did you become a freelancer?
I didn't train formally. I studied for an English degree at Loughborough University before working in PR for a few years. I then worked for a London-based business magazine before answering the call of the wild.

Do you specialise in any particular field and what areas do you write about?
The joy I find in being a freelance journalist comes largely from having the freedom to write about subjects that interest me, and this means covering a diverse range of topics. My big passions are sport and travel, but I am also really interested in the world of business, and particularly marketing, and in people and the issues we face in everyday life. It means that one day I am working on a feature about how women over 50 enjoy a creative surge, the next I can be writing about viral marketing, and the next I can be found researching a feature on nutrition for cyclists... I also edit a graduate recruitment title. It keeps the juices flowing.

Which publications have you been published in?

The Times travel pages, The Sunday Times 'Homes' supplement, Marketing Week, New Media Age, South West Business Insider, Healthy, Cycling Plus, Runner's World, Sainsbury's Magazine, BBC Countryfile, Coast, Thomas Cook Magazine and Cornwall Today, amongst others.

Which articles, in which publication, are you the most proud of?
I am proud of everything I do, but to give a couple of specific examples, I was in Barbados covering the end of an Atlantic rowing race several years ago, and my report featured on the cover of The Sunday Times. I also wrote a feature on Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall for BBC Countryfile, which the editor described as one of the most beautiful pieces the magazine had ever featured. It was an honour to write it as I am such a big fan of both du Maurier and Cornwall, my adopted home. I have also been proud of slightly less sexy pieces, such as technical digital marketing pieces for New Media Age, which require a completely different tack. Every piece poses a different challenge, and every piece is satisfying in its own way.

What are the best and worst aspects of freelancing?
The best aspects are definitely the freedom - to follow your passions and to have flexibility in when and where you work. The worst, as I'm sure most freelancers will concur, is the uncertainty of how much you will earn each month, and having to, occasionally, chase up late payments. I dislike having to talk money. I just want to write! But I also have to live!

Do you have any interesting anecdotes in relation to your experience as a freelancer?

Lots. One memorable one is when I flew to Cork to interview Roy Keane after he had received his honorary doctorate - and I had a long chat with his mother as she was having a sneaky fag in the ladies' toilets. I heard some great gossip which I can't possibly share... I also once spent an interesting afternoon with the sailor, Chay Blyth, drinking cocktails around a swimming pool in Las Palmas. He was a very witty raconteur and shared some great stories from his army and yachting days - I'm not sure how much of it was true but he was very engaging company!

Free daily newsletter

If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).