Off The Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer May 5-11

Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?

From Canada:

• Star reporter Barbara Turnbull overcame debilitating injury to carve out a superlative career [Toronto Star]
• Western Magazine Awards seem to have been suspended [Canadian Magazines]
• Finding and Keeping Dream Clients [PWAC Toronto]
• Star Touch will take Toronto Star readers to new level [Toronto Star]
• 3 Mistakes I Made When I Started Freelancing [The Freelance Hustle]
• Why some of Jian Ghomeshi's accusers don't want to 'tell all' [The Guardian]
• Canadian efforts to protect freelance war reporters do exist [J-Source]
• The Walrus tops nominations for National Magazine Awards [Canadian Magazines]
• NMAF announces finalists for 2015 National Magazine Awards [J-Source]
• Why is CBC taking aim at our videographers? [J-Source]
• A Survivor’s Guide for Canadian Journalists [The Walrus]

 

From The U.S. and beyond:

• Solid networking tips to keep the freelance work flowing [Freelancers Union]
• 5 questions for a (formerly) pissed off journalism student [Poynter]
• Four Myths About the “Freelancer Class” [Jacobin Magazine]
• Crucial Tips for Juggling Kids and Writing From a Freelancing Mom of 5 [The Freelancer]
• Ask a Freelancer: How Do I Fire a Client Without Burning Bridges? [The Freelancer]

 

Last week on Story Board:

• CWA Canada releases project on media worker rights and labour reporting: Labour stories are getting lost. At least, that’s what research for the recently launched Media Works: A Labour Rights and Reporting Project has discovered...
• The Globe & Mail urged to "pay the writers": A small campaign has blossomed on Facebook over the past few hours as freelance writers press The Globe and Mail to pay the writers of their popular Facts & Arguments essay. In the comments section of a Facebook post celebrating the essay’s 25th anniversary writers have been complaining that the paper does not offer any compensation for accepted submissions...

 

Spot a story you think we should include in next week's Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.