All about freelancing
Welcome to NASW’s All About Freelancing page. Here we have gathered the most helpful resources, tip sheets, and guidance on everything from negotiating better contracts and pay rates to crafting editor-pleasing pitches. We hope you’ll be inspired by the incredible level of freedom that comes with freelancing — especially to write about what you love! Questions? Email the NASW Freelance Committee at freecom@nasw.org.
Click on any category below to see all of the available resources.
- Becoming a freelancer
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Freelance nuts & bolts
Making the leap: Six journalists on leaving a staff job to freelance
Calculate your skills — and value — before joining the Great Resignation
6 mistakes I made in my first 6 months of freelance science writing
How to get started in freelance science writing
How do you launch a journalism career in the middle of a pandemic?
The craft of science writing: Selections from The Open Notebook
Freelance reporting resources
Resources for journalists looking to start anew
Resources for new freelancers
The Freelance Editor's Handbook: A complete guide to making your business thrive
The Science Writers' Handbook series
Open Notebook's writers' guidelines - Pitching
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The Open Notebook Science Writing Pitch Database
Pitching errors: How not to pitch
Science media outlets to pitch
Health and science freelancing for NY Times Well, WebMD, Science
How to Pitch the NY Times, CNN, Insider and the Strategist
How to successfully pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else)
Tip sheet: Best practices for pitching freelance stories - Rates and contracts
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The Fine Print (NASW contract database) *
Fair Contracts Tip Sheet *
Contract terms defined: The Fine Print Glossary *
‘Rates aren’t rising at all’: Freelancers lament stagnated rates amidst inflation
How to pay freelancers more without increasing your newsroom budget
Reading and negotiating a freelance contract
Who pays writers?
NASW compensation survey ** indicates members-only access.
- Awards, grants, and fellowships
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Grants and fellowships database *
NASW Science in Society Awards
Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award
Victor Cohn Prize
SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment
Science journalism awards and grants
AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship
The Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program
The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship
Fulbright Scholar Program
McGraw Fellowship
New York Times Newsroom Fellowship Program
NOVA Media Fellowship
Princeton University Press Book Proposal Grants
Pulitzer Reporting Grants and Fellowships
Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism
The Sharon Begley Science Reporting Fellowship
Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism
AAAS Mass Media Fellowship - SciCommers Chat (61 min.)
Funding your science communication projects (58 min.)
Fellowships webinar with MIT, New York Times, Knight-Wallace & Type Investigations at Ida B. Wells (74 min.)
Funds for writers
* indicates members-only access. - Career development
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Getting started in audio (61 min.)
Let’s retire the “Leaving journalism” fallacy
Hey journalists, nobody Is coming to save us
Sustaining your long-form journalism career (74 min.)
How to make long-form journalism work (70 min.)
Productivity webinar with author Laura Vanderkam and Jamila Bey (70 min.)
Non-profit news rooms
Diversifying - Marketing and alternative income streams
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NASW Job Bank *
Binders full of entry level content writers & jobs
Binders full of writing jobs
Journalism Jobs
Media Bistro
Revnue 201: Hands-on course to turn your mewsletter into a thriving nusiness
Freelancer business chat about marketing with LinkedIn - Book proposals, book publishing and e-publishing
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A brief guide to self-republishing, by Jeff Hecht
Advance Copy: Backstories on books by NASW members
Monetizing your reporting through self-publishing (84 min.)
A book publishing primer for science writers
Ibram X. Kendi's agent and other publishing insiders talk book deals (74 min.)
Before and after the book deal
* indicates members-only access. - Journal access
- Meeting policy/press credentials
- Home office and reporting gear
- Taxes, incorporation, liability and other legal issues
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Resources for fairness in the workplace *
Freelance Isn't Free legislation and what to do when they don't pay (78 min.)
* indicates members-only access. - Outside resources for freelancers
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A Field Guide to Science Writers, NASW's book on science writing
The Science Writers’ Handbook, by the writers of SciLance
National Writers Union
American Society of Journalists and Authors
Council for the Advancement of Science Writing
CASW Connector
Association of Health Care Journalists
United States Copyright Office
Copyright basics from the United States Copyright Office
Freelancers Union
The Authors Guild
Associates of Independents in Radio
Diverse Sources
Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors (FIRE)
Freelance Solidarity Project
Freelancing with Tim
The Institute for Independent Journalists (IIJ)
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)
No.1 Freelance Media Women
Online News Association
The Open Notebook (TON)
Poynter
SciCommers
Science Writing News Roundup
SciLine
Society of Freelance Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Writers' Co-op
For more freelancing resources, see the All about freelancing archive.
The National Association of Science Writers, Inc. (“NASW”) supports practical measures meant to help freelancers build and sustain a thriving business, from compensation surveys that offer a historical look at the field to tip sheets on matters like how to approach contract negotiation. In offering these educational resources to support our members, and in all our activities, NASW is committed to compliance with all applicable antitrust laws. NASW members are reminded that they must exercise their independent business judgment in pricing their services or products, dealing with their customers and suppliers, and choosing the markets in which they will compete. Federal laws stipulate that members may NOT agree with other NASW members or writers on prices or terms or on any other matter which is inconsistent with exercising their independent business judgment in pricing their services or products, dealing with their customers and suppliers, and choosing the markets in which they will compete. NASW members are always free to accept any assignment at any rate they choose. For further information, please see our Antitrust Policy, available here.
