{"id":64099,"date":"2011-03-09T12:00:49","date_gmt":"2011-03-09T11:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uk.cision.com\/?p=2247"},"modified":"2020-03-10T17:00:58","modified_gmt":"2020-03-10T16:00:58","slug":"going-against-the-flow-experiences-of-a-pr-turned-journalist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/going-against-the-flow-experiences-of-a-pr-turned-journalist\/","title":{"rendered":"Going against the flow: Experiences of a PR-turned-Journalist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long term trends see increasing numbers of journalists turning to careers in PR with PRWeek stating that \u2018the trickle of journalists moving into PR has become a flood.<\/a>\u2019 However, bucking the trend, PR-turned-Journalist\u00a0Gabriella Jozwiak explains why PRs shouldn\u2019t be surprised when Journalists \u201cdon\u2019t say thank you, don\u2019t like old fashioned press releases and why it is important for PRs to monitor their competitor\u2019s news\u201d.<\/p>\n

Cision:\u00a0 From your perspective, what are the key skills for a freelance journalist? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Gabriella: More than anything, you have to see yourself as a staff journalist. So many people say being freelance is great because it\u2019s flexible and you manage your own time but I\u2019ve always worked longer hours as a freelancer. It\u2019s easy to spend a week writing one feature when you\u2019re on your own but that won\u2019t pay the bills. So you need to set yourself deadlines and targets and monetise the hours you work.<\/p>\n

As a staff journalist, you\u2019re regularly exposed to new ideas and products \u2013 things you never thought you might be interested in. I never thought I\u2019d be a business journalist but now I\u2019m writing for Payroll World, I\u2019m discovering all sorts of un-mapped territory which is full of juicy stories. It\u2019s easy to slip into the same old sources and story-taps as a freelance, so you have to keep getting out of your contact zone. Call up a company you\u2019ve never heard of or read a random trade magazine \u2013 there\u2019s sure to be something undiscovered waiting to be thrust into the national agenda.<\/p>\n

You also have to be an ace pitcher. My experience from working in PR is invaluable and I couldn\u2019t care less if people rip my ideas apart or don\u2019t get back to me. The old saying, \u2018it\u2019s not you it\u2019s me,\u2019\u00a0couldn’t\u00a0be more true. You have to adapt your ideas, re-write your pitches and keep knocking on another door. You\u2019ll always get something in the end (trust me \u2013 this is coming from someone who used to PR a dry cleaning company).<\/p>\n

How do you select and identify article topics? Do you follow the commercial reality or your personal interest?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I tend to follow my own interests and get off-diary ideas from contacts. It\u2019s great to work off the news agenda but you\u2019ll have more competition that way. It\u2019s good to create a niche so you can come across as an expert.<\/p>\n

Which pitching tips do you have for PR professionals when communicating with freelancers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to say the obvious tips. Here are some that are slightly more particular and since I\u2019ve worked on both sides, I think I have a bit more sympathy for PRs than a lot of journalists.<\/p>\n