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

From around the web:

• Everything you need to know to start marketing yourself today [Freelancers Union]
• Dead, Dying, Or Evolving? Making It In The Changing World Of Music Journalism [Journo Resources]
• What readers miss out on when newsrooms aren't diverse [J-Source]
• Ditch the 9 to 5 With a Successful Freelance Hustle [Blog Lovin']
• How to make Twitter work for you [The Writer]
• Don't get caught in these productivity traps [Freelancers Union]
• Rein in the RCMP, journalism is not a crime in Canada [CAJ]
• Freelance Success: How to write a successful follow-up email [The Writer]

Recently on Story Board:

• The Born Freelancer on "It's All Been Done Before": A young freelance writer I know was lamenting the other day how hard it was for her to come up with anything original. “It’s so frustrating” she said, “I mean, it’s all been done before”. But even if true, it’s still almost always possible to come up with a fresh, new, lively take on anything. The trick is in finding your own unique, authentic voice to do it in...

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.