Episodes
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Photojournalist Kari Rowe on telling Indigenous stories
Indigenous photographer and visual storyteller Kari Rowe (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe and Rosebud Lakota) has been published in National Geographic, NBC, Vogue, and Rolling Stone. With a portfolio spanning action sports, commercial, and journalistic work, Rowe discussed some of her most challenging...
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Offrange wants offbeat stories about agriculture and food
Experienced food journalist Jesse Hirsch is the only editor at Offrange–an editorially independent publication owned by Ambrook–so he is always open to freelance pitches. He shared with IIJ leader Erika Hayasaki that he’s looking for offbeat stories on agriculture and farming, but that scope is...
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COYOTE Media’s Soleil Ho on cookbooks, freelancing, and running a worker-owned newsroom
Soleil Ho has always had a lot of irons in the fire. For a decade, they worked as a chef while freelancing as a writer. In 2019, they joined the San Francisco Chronicle, where they served as the paper’s restaurant critic until 2025, nabbing a James Beard Award in the process. These days, when...
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From WaPo to Solo: Karen Attiah on Being a “Modern-Day Warrior Philosopher”
Since the Washington Post abruptly fired her in 2025, Karen Attiah has stayed busy. She founde Resistance Studies Series that summer to teach online, after Columbia University cancelled her race and media class, and is writing book projects and her newsletter, the Golden Hour. With IIJ founder...
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UT Prof Anita Varma on how to practice “Solidarity Journalism”
University at Texas professor Anita Varma’s recent book Solidarity in Journalism: How Ethical Reporting Fights for Social Justice creates a framework for journalists to center the humanity and dignity of their reporting subjects and challenge narratives pushed by the powerful. In this…
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Learn From Editors’ Live Feedback on Environmental Pitches
The Society of Environmental Journalists invited the IIJ to host a live Pitch Fest at the annual SEJ conference in April 2026, which took place at the University of Illinois-Chicago. IIJ Editorial Director Ann Marie Awad brought a handful of freelance journalists on stage to pitch their stories...
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Journalist Kavitha Cardoza on covering education and poverty
We’re sharing a highlight from the 2026 IIJ Freelance Conference: Kavitha Cardoza’s keynote conversation with Katherine Reynolds Lewis! Kavitha received the 2026 American Mosaic Prize, for her independent coverage of children, education, health and poverty. She has reported for the Hechinger…
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How to pitch unique NYC immigration stories to Documented
Documented is a digital publication centering the voices and stories of immigrants in New York City and New Jersey, producing reporting and resource guides in four different languages. Deputy Editor Clarissa A. León helps lead Documented’s small team while also developing relationships with…
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How to set rates, negotiate, and other freelance FAQs with Katherine Lewis and Shernay Williams
Times are hard for journalists, even though our work has never been more important. That’s why IIJ leaders Shernay Williams and Katherine Reynolds Lewis wanted to take a moment to set you up for success by answering some common questions from our community of independent journalists of color....
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For $1/word, Science Friday wants enterprise stories that spark curiosity
Robin Kazmier is senior digital editor for Science Friday, overseeing the digital operation for the beloved radio show that’s broadcast to more than 500 public radio stations across the country. An experienced science journalist in her own right, Kazmier shares the secrets to a successful Science...
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Pitch Sentient Reporting on How the Sausage is Made
Founded in 2018, Sentient is America’s only nonprofit newsroom focused solely on factory farms and their effects on climate, environment, public health, labor, and animal welfare. Editor-in-chief Jenny Splitter is an award-winning climate and food journalist and a former freelancer herself. She…
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How to pitch Mongabay stories on climate and Indigenous communities
Global nonprofit newsroom Mongabay covers environmental change and its consequences for communities. Editor Latoya Abulu leads the Indigenous news desk, and focuses on how Indigenous communities navigate climate change and other threats. She relies heavily on a robust network of freelancers…
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Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon on supporting mental health and entrepreneurship
Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon specializes in happiness. As the founder of the Kortni Alston Lemon Media (KALM) Institute for Workplace Wellbeing, she has made it her mission to improve the mental health of newsrooms, by offering mental health first aid training to journalists and news leaders alike.…
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Pitch Sojourners stories about faith and courage
Tyler Huckabee, managing editor for the religion-focused digital magazine Sojo.net, says a powerful story about religion needs to be specific and spark an emotion. Creative freelancers can find the faith angle almost anywhere – particularly in the current political climate. “Stories of courage…
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The Sick Times pays $1 / word for stories on long COVID
Betsy Ladyzhets and Miles W. Griffis and the co-founders and lead editors of the Sick Times, a website devoted to chronicling Long COVID from all angles. Based on opposite coasts, Ladyzhets and Griffis founded the Sick Times in 2023 to continue providing critical coverage of the ongoing pandemic...
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Sunnie Clahchischiligi on pitching Indigenous stories to High Country News
Covering Indigenous communities west requires care and relationship building. Sunnie Clahchischiligi, Indigenous Affairs Editor for High Country News, joins IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis to discuss how to pitch freelance stories to HCN that truly serve those communities. Dr. Sunnie R....
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How Adriana Lacy Built a Content Agency in One Year
Adriana Lacy is a multi-talented journalist and consultant, and founder of Adriana Lacy Consulting, Journalism Mentors, and most recently, Influencer Journalism. In this wide-ranging conversation with IIJ leader Shernay Williams, Lacy lays out how to build a freelance business around content...
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Sex, relationships, and work: pitching Isabelle Kohn at Slate
Isabelle Kohn is a senior editor for Slate’s Life section, specializing in stories about sex, gender, relationships, and work. Kohn talked with Erika Hayasaki about how to pitch a story on any of those beats. Kohn shares several examples of successful (and sexy) pitches, along with guidance on…
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Wudan Yan on offering new services in your freelance business
Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Host Katherine Reynolds Lewis interviews journalism entrepreneur Wudan Yan about developing different “identities” as a freelancer to expand your business, effectively reaching new clients, and the importance of fact checking. Wudan Yan is an award-winning narrative...
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Pitching Alan Henry at PCMag your cybersecurity stories
Cybersecurity pitches wanted! Alan Henry, managing editor for PCMag, talks with IIJ leader Shernay Williams about the stories he needs from freelancers right now. They also discuss Henry's career journey, and the inspiration behind his 2022 book "Seen, Heard and Paid: New Work Rules for the...
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Finding your niche with freelance journalist Gil Asakawa
In his years as a freelance journalist and writer, Gil Asakawa has carved out a few niches for himself, including music journalism, pop culture, and Japanese-American and Asian-American cultures and communities. He's written two books: Being Japanese-American and Tabemoshi! Let's Eat! A Tasty...
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Can you make $3k a month on a newsletter? Lex Roman explains how
Have you ever wanted to start your own newsletter but weren’t sure how? The key is probably the one thing freelance journalists hate the most: self promotion. Host Katherine Reynolds Lewis talks strategy with Lex Roman, an expert on growth marketing. This discussion gets detailed – Lex digs into...
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What to do when you've been sued, with freelance journalist Lisa Kwon
It might be a freelancer's worst nightmare: getting sued over your reporting. After Lisa Kwon reported a story for nonprofit newsroom Knock L.A on Airbnb operators, one of them took Kwon to court. In this episode, she shares her side of the story with IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis, along...
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Leveraging bylines to boost your freelance career with ex-GQ editor Chris Gayomali
Print gigs are elusive these days and the competition is fierce. Journalist and professor Erika Hayasaki interviews Chris Gayomali, freelance journalist and former articles editor for GQ. They discuss how to navigate the choppy waters of today’s print landscape. Highlights include: the pay...
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Freelancing across genres with Fin Leary of We Need Diverse Books
Versatility is not only a strength, it's an adventure. Just ask self-proclaimed "Swiss Army knife" Fin Leary, program manager at We Need Diverse Books. Fin has built his career freelance writing journalism as well as fiction, and advancing representation for queer and disabled people in both...
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Make your pitch stand out with advice from NY Times Opinion Editor Katie Kingsbury
Want to land your hot take in the New York Times? Opinion Editor Katie Kingsbury and host Katherine Reynolds Lewis discuss how you can pitch The Times your opinion piece. Highlights include: what Katie’s ideal pitch looks like, and what to expect from the editing process. Katie also peels back…
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Coming soon! The Freelance Journalism Podcast
The Freelance Journalism Podcast: about the art and business of freelance journalism. Hear from assigning editors about what they look for in a story pitch, and listen in to conversations between freelancers about how they are making it work. New episodes every month starting Nov. 26. The FJP is…
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