Posts by Ilima Loomis
Q&A with Satta Sarmah Hightower: Journalist Turned Freelance Content Marketing Writer
Many freelance writers make the leap from journalism to content marketing, but not all of them land on their feet. Satta Sarmah Hightower is one who did. As a former traditional journalist and reporter, Hightower has found success working with agencies, content studios, tech, and financial services companies. She now has an impressive roster of…
Freelance Writing Markets for Former Journalists
Former journalists can find the transition to freelance challenging. As a longtime newspaper reporter and magazine editor, when I first started freelancing I focused on what I already knew I could do: journalism. And it worked! I was getting regular assignments from local magazines like Hawaii Business, and landed bylines in national publications like Popular…
Five Things a Freelance Medical Writer Can Write For You
Freelance medical writers are a versatile, skillful group. In addition to understanding complex medical and scientific information, they can present that information in a way that suits your audience. That could be a lay audience—patients, families, caregivers, and members of the community. Or it could be a professional audience of physicians, scientists, and researchers. To…
Q&A With “Freelance Success” Publisher Julie Sturgeon
It’s no secret that one of my favorite online resources for freelance writers is Freelance Success, a membership-based website and publication that’s been around for more than 20 years. I’ve been a member since 2014 and have found it an invaluable resource. That’s partly because of the weekly “Market Watch” newsletter, but especially because of…
Q&A With a Freelance Writing Coach
Whether you’re an experienced freelance writer or just starting out in your career, you may have considered working with a coach to help you grow your business. Today there are a wide arra of coaching services available to freelance writers, at a variety of different price points. Programs can range from group study courses to…
Why You Need a Freelance Science Writer
As a freelance science writer, I help research hospitals and universities get the word out about important discoveries. After all, a breakthrough new therapy won’t do much good if people don’t know about it. So I wasn’t surprised when I read a new study that found that academic research gets overlooked every day because it’s…
4 Useful Websites for Freelance Writers
If your aim is to make a living as a freelance writer, it can be overwhelming to figure out which resources are trustworthy and helpful. There’s a near-endless supply of bad advice and low-paying job “opportunities,” But there are also gems out there that are worth your time (and possibly your money) because they can…
4 Podcasts for Freelance Writers
With close to 2 million podcasts in the world, the medium is showing explosive growth—37% of Americans listen to podcasts at least once a month. You can tune in from your car, or on your computer, your phone, your tablet… podcasts are conveniently accessible and a nice way to soak in some good information about…
8 Tips for Freelancing with Kids at Home
If you’re a parent who’s freelanced from home for any length of time, you already know that there are a range of challenges that come along with it—a child screaming in the middle of a business call, a loud rendition of the Thomas & Friends theme song just as you’re trying to beat a tough…
How to Shift from Journalism to Content Marketing
Like a lot of content marketing writers, I have a background in journalism. After starting as a community newspaper reporter, I worked as managing editor of a national magazine, and covered research news as a freelancer for magazines like Science and Discover. I loved the work, but eventually decided to pivot to writing for companies…
6 Tips for Working on Retainer as a Freelance Writer
I recently spoke with a freelance writer whose client wanted to put her on retainer. I thought this was great news, but she was nervous — what if it didn’t work out? The reality is, retainers can be GREAT for freelancers if you set them up right. They guarantee you a steady amount of work…
4 Essential Books for Freelance Writers
There’s an abundance of books for freelance writers, and I read a lot of them when I was getting started. While many of them were useful, a handful stood out from the crowd. In fact, I still reread them from time to time when I encounter a new challenge or am looking for ways to…