Becoming a hack!

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
Submitted by weeler on 15 July, 2008 - 08:25.

So I had my first article published in a tabloid today.

Rob Ray "The difficulty with unions is how to turn grump into thump."
Posts: 3158 Joined: 06-11-03 Location: England
15 July, 2008 - 08:50

Good work! Now do it one million more times wink

Khawaga " - not a legendary physicist."
Posts: 1079 Joined: 07-08-06 Location: London, Ontario
15 July, 2008 - 09:12

Is this "article" to be found on page three?

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
15 July, 2008 - 10:40
Saii wrote:
Good work! Now do it one million more times ;)

I'ved actually sold another since I posted this morning. Less exciting every time. Essentially a co-worker told me that tabloids were stealing loads of my stories (I wasnt paying any attention to them naturally) and that I should get there first, 5 days after they're published in my local I can sell them on. Ka-ching!

dee
Posts: 1284 Joined: 24-04-08
15 July, 2008 - 10:51

congratulations. What were the articles on?

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
15 July, 2008 - 11:06

Gay marriage and a mental old man who thinks flying should be free for pensioners.

dee
Posts: 1284 Joined: 24-04-08
15 July, 2008 - 11:12

I agree. Load them into the catapults....

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
15 July, 2008 - 11:18

The gays?

dee
Posts: 1284 Joined: 24-04-08
15 July, 2008 - 11:21

the old people.

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
15 July, 2008 - 13:01

I'd rather marry a man than an old person.

dee
Posts: 1284 Joined: 24-04-08
15 July, 2008 - 14:49

if old people want to fly free, put them in catapults. Sheesh.
tho a libcom wedding of you and xconorx would be sweet and would cheer up Refused...

fnbrill ""Flatterers are the worst kind of enemies." - Tacitus"
Posts: 778 Joined: 13-01-07
15 July, 2008 - 15:03

Nick Charles: I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune.
Nora Charles: I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids.
Nick Charles: It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids.

- The Thin Man

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1916 Joined: 21-04-06
15 July, 2008 - 23:16
fnbrill wrote:
Nick Charles: I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune.
Nora Charles: I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids.
Nick Charles: It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids.

- The Thin Man

I know a lovely young couple named Nick and Nora. I suggested 1930's vintage evening wear and martinis for their wedding. I had to explain, sigh.

fnbrill ""Flatterers are the worst kind of enemies." - Tacitus"
Posts: 778 Joined: 13-01-07
15 July, 2008 - 23:38
David in Atlanta wrote:
fnbrill wrote:
Nick Charles: I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune.
Nora Charles: I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids.
Nick Charles: It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids.

- The Thin Man

I know a lovely young couple named Nick and Nora. I suggested 1930's vintage evening wear and martinis for their wedding. I had to explain, sigh.

Funny. It's fun t turn youngins on to those movies, always sceptical then wind up watching them all as quickly as possible.

Jess "The heart of a heartless world."
Posts: 2226 Joined: 26-11-04 Location: Brighton
16 July, 2008 - 00:13

Asta is on my shortlist for names I would call my dog if I had one.

David in Atlanta ""crude reductionist version of marxism""
Posts: 1916 Joined: 21-04-06
16 July, 2008 - 00:26

Good work Weeler!

Rob Ray "The difficulty with unions is how to turn grump into thump."
Posts: 3158 Joined: 06-11-03 Location: England
16 July, 2008 - 12:05

Actually on this subject, just came across the NUJ-recommended pay rates for freelances:

RATES: Print media / National newspapers
Writing, reporting and researching
category: Newspapers

Page lead, tabloids - sky's the limit, rarely less than £700
Splashy features for "qualities", per 1000, from £600
Tip-off leading to exclusive or large spread, upward of £500
Page lead, for "qualities", per 1000, from £400
News, for "qualities", per 1000 words, from £280
Ordered news story (eg 300 words) £100
Tip-off for news, "qualities" £100
Tip-off for diary £50

RATES: Print media / National newspapers

Splashy features for "qualities", per 1000, from £700
Per 1000 words £300

RATES: Print media / Regional newspapers
Writing, reporting and researching
category: Regional daily newspapers

Ordered story or feature, bigger papers, per 1000 £150
Ordered story or feature, per 1000 £120
Page lead £70
Lineage equivalent, first 100 words per 1000 £65
Lineage equivalent, subsequent words per 1000 £50
Tip £20

RATES: Print media / Regional newspapers

Ordered news or feature, per 1000 £100

weeler "temp banned"
Posts: 7281 Joined: 25-09-05 Location: Dublin
16 July, 2008 - 12:16

Seen that before, it would be more useful if they had a euro version for Ireland. I'm straight in with my invoices though and have a few older journos looking out for me to make sure I'm not ripped off.

A big problem is that if you dont see your piece and invoice it you simply dont get paid. This means when I send a piece to multiple papers I will have to read each one thoroughly every day. Mad game.

Rob Ray "The difficulty with unions is how to turn grump into thump."
Posts: 3158 Joined: 06-11-03 Location: England
16 July, 2008 - 12:38

Well doing a quick conversion:

RATES: Print media / National newspapers
Writing, reporting and researching
category: Newspapers

Page lead, tabloids - sky's the limit, rarely less than E875
Splashy features for "qualities", per 1000, from E750
Tip-off leading to exclusive or large spread, upward of E625
Page lead, for "qualities", per 1000, from E500
News, for "qualities", per 1000 words, from E350
Ordered news story (eg 300 words) E125
Tip-off for news, "qualities" E125
Tip-off for diary E62

RATES: Print media / National newspapers

Splashy features for "qualities", per 1000, from E875
Per 1000 words E375

RATES: Print media / Regional newspapers
Writing, reporting and researching
category: Regional daily newspapers

Ordered story or feature, bigger papers, per 1000 E187
Ordered story or feature, per 1000 E150
Page lead E88
Lineage equivalent, first 100 words per 1000 81
Lineage equivalent, subsequent words per 1000 E62
Tip E25

RATES: Print media / Regional newspapers

Ordered news or feature, per 1000 E125

xConorx "facts tend to cloud my judgement"
Posts: 10742 Joined: 09-12-04 Location: Belfast
20 July, 2008 - 23:33

I already told Weeler I would happily sensationalise or make really offensive ANY of his stories.

juozokas "when i was a youth i used to burn collie weed in a rizzla, now i am a man i just rub collie weed in a chalwa"
Posts: 454 Joined: 05-11-07
21 July, 2008 - 02:33
Weeler wrote:
I'd rather marry a man than an old person.

cocklad, i knew it

xConorx "facts tend to cloud my judgement"
Posts: 10742 Joined: 09-12-04 Location: Belfast
22 July, 2008 - 03:22

Juozokas is right

Udo_Bukowski
Posts: 372 Joined: 07-03-08
22 July, 2008 - 12:03

Conor - so when should we expect you to post up your "sexed-up" version of weeler's article?

xConorx "facts tend to cloud my judgement"
Posts: 10742 Joined: 09-12-04 Location: Belfast
22 July, 2008 - 14:25

When he gives me the real text when I get back I guess. It won't be as funny as it is on msns

jack white
Posts: 334 Joined: 07-04-05 Location: Dublin, Ireland
22 July, 2008 - 21:13
Weeler wrote:
A big problem is that if you dont see your piece and invoice it you simply dont get paid. This means when I send a piece to multiple papers I will have to read each one thoroughly every day. Mad game.

Yeah, we get a couple of journo's ino our library each week to check the weeks papers - think it might be the case for photos too.