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Freelance Files

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Freelance Files is a quarterly column for and by environmental journalism freelancers in which a rotating cast of writers share hard-earned wisdom here about myriad aspects of weaving a life and business out of their independent status. Also check out SEJ.org's Freelance Resource Page.

For questions and comments, to suggest future Freelance Files columns or to offer to write one, email Freelance Files Co-Editors Elyse Hauser at elysehauser@outlook.com or Marianne Messina at mhdekm@gmail.com.

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April 4, 2017

  • For Freelancers in Conflict Zones, Help Is out There

    You're reporting from the field in a high-risk locale, with a shoestring budget and no back-office support — how do you stay safe? The latest Freelance Files offers some cautionary tales from a long-time SEJ member recently returned from overseas, with a detailed resource guide to help keep you and your data secure.

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January 17, 2017

  • The Art of the Essay for Science and Environment Writers

    What makes for an effective science or environment essay? Freelance Files contributor Michelle Nijhuis explores universal qualities of the best work: It begins with a persistent question that sets the essayist off on a journey of discovery. Also, practical tips on how to get published beyond the essay departments of major magazines.

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November 8, 2016

  • When Old Ways of Reporting Are Still the Best

    Sometimes, the tried-and-true ways of reporting are still the best. In the latest Freelance Files column, our contributor shares three old-fashioned techniques for research and writing that, while they may seem less efficient, will actually get you doing your best work. 

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September 1, 2016

June 1, 2016

March 1, 2016

  • Captivate Kids with Science News

    Longtime science journalist Janet Raloff, editor of Science News for Students, provides tips on how writing effectively for adolescents, while satisfying in and of itself, can also pay dividends in helping us learn to make complex topics accessible to adults.

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December 15, 2015

September 1, 2015

June 1, 2015

  • Staying Afloat in Murky Ethical Waters

    Science journalist and editor Hannah Hoag dives into the sad state of affairs that drives freelancers to supplement their income with better-paying work. Photo: Hoag and the CCGS Amundsen, a Canadian Arctic research icebreaker she lived and worked on in 2008; courtesy Bennie Mols.

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March 1, 2015

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