Today is the first in a new series of Mediaville Blogterviews. These are short interviews, each of which introducing a Montreal freelancer and friend of Mediaville. It’s a great way to get the word out about what you do, and to find out more about other freelancers for potential collaboration.
If you’d like to take a shot at answering these questions, we’d love to hear from you – it’s as easy as emailing blog@mediaville.ca
In this blogterview, we talk with Jenn Hardy, a freelancer based in Montreal, Jenn an award-winning journalist and she’s also immersing herself in the world of web-writing, while learning the ins and outs of SEO, social media and more.
Dan: What do you do?
Jenn: A little of this, a little of that. I am trained as a journalist, but am getting more and more into social media. I have been doing lots of blogging for myself and for clients. I have also been Tweeting and writing newsletters for clients in various areas. Journalism is what I really love, but as a full-time freelancer I am open to any kind of writing/media.
I have been doing some advertorial work which I was trained to tsk at. Some of these things I am passionate about and other things just pay the bills. The publications who will publish stories about subjects that matter to me usually don’t have any money. I am just trying to find a balance.
I have recently done some on camera interviewing and that was much more enjoyable and less terrifying than I thought it would be.
I have been doing very basic WordPress-based website design, making business cards, writing artist bios and recording amateur videos. This is done under my company Pork Pie Media.
D: What’s your elevator pitch?
J: I take the stairs.
D: How long have you been working in this specific field, and what were you doing before?
J: I have been writing as a journalist for about eight years, sporadically, through university and while working office jobs. I began freelancing full-time at the beginning of 2010. I have worked doing media monitoring in Scotland and with Health Canada.
D: How do you do it? What’s your approach, or your principle concepts about you work in your industry?
J: I am very open to trying anything once (or twice), and grab steady contracts where I can. In between steady work I do my best to query to magazines as much as possible. I try to think outside the box and challenge myself with writing projects that would have terrified me a year ago.
D: How did you get started as a freelancer?
J: I travelled for a few years and then got a little tired. I needed somewhere to live, so why not Montreal? It was my intention to quickly get a job, save some money in a few months and then go backpacking in India. Getting an English writing job in the city was not so easy, so I started freelancing where I could to pay my rent. More quickly than I could have imagined, freelancing became enough to make a living. I have fallen in love with the city and have no plans to leave. Ever!
D: What is something exciting about the future of your industry?
J: Sometimes technology excites me.
D: Anything scary?
J: Sometimes technology scares me.
D: Are you a member of any other professional organizations in Montreal?
J: I am the Membership Chairperson of the Quebec chapter of the Professional Writers Association of Canada and a member of the Canadian Freelance Union.
D: In terms of professional connections (through Mediaville, or otherwise) who are you looking to meet?
J: I am interested in meeting people I can work with or for. Collaboration is fun and very practical.
D: What sorts of projects are you looking for?
J: I most enjoy writing about green issues and sustainability, as well as the arts. Montreal is a great place to be for someone interested in both these things.
D: What’s the best thing about being a freelancer? In Montreal?
J: Freedom of schedule! I am a night owl and hate early mornings. My partner is a full-time musician, and has a lot of late nights. Freelancing allows us to spend the maximum amount of time together which usually means a leisurely breakfast in the late morning. I work really well later in the day and have learned to schedule my day in the way that best suits me.
D: Thanks Jenn!
Remember – if you’d like to have a talk with us about what you do, then we’d love to hear from you – it’s as easy as emailing blog@mediaville.ca
