Freelance Journalism

[KanpaiQuigley]

What are the English-language journals/newspapers/online thingers in/around Tokyo? Do they take freelancers? My Nihongo professor who was an English teacher in Kobe said a lot of his gaijin friends wrote for the local journal and were paid handsomely for articles.

Anyone into this scene?

[Greji]

"handsomely"

For the local FG rags? Somehow that doesn' compute.

[KanpaiQuigley]

For the local FG rags? Somehow that doesn' compute.

I'm telling you... A couple of my professor's friends worked for some journals/newspapers in Kobe and he told me they were nearly matching their teaching salaries writing part-time.

I'll try to find out exactly what publications...

I was pretty much just asking if anyone does the whole freelancing thing, or knows anyone who does, especially in Tokyo where I'll be living as of March. I'm not concerned with making much money, just enough for a food and beer fund

[Iraira]

Dude, for some reason, I am really worried about you. Don't take this the wrong way, but your e-mails remind me of my old college roomate who upon getting his first credit card exclaimed, "Dude, this is free money!", and went on a spending spree. Everytime they upped his credit limit, "Dude, I can go shopping again." Luckily, debtors prisons don't exist anymore....I think.
While I can't say that I know much about the journalism options for gaijin in Japan, I'd assume that if it were as lucrative as those who are pulling your leg...I mean as others have told you, it would be amazingly competitive, as is with most journalism positions.
And there is an unwritten law that states that while you become an FG the moment you step off the plane, you are not allowed to start entertaining the notion of writing a book about your experiences in Japan, until after a year, maybe more depending on how much trouble you wind up in during the probationary period.

[Charles]

While I can't say that I know much about the journalism options for gaijin in Japan, I'd assume that if it were as lucrative as those who are pulling your leg...

It's not clear whether they said it was "lucrative," apparently they said that writing paid more than their English teaching gigs. There are a lot of crappy English teachers out there who are barely earning a living.

[KanpaiQuigley]

Dude, for some reason, I am really worried about you. Don't take this the wrong way, but your e-mails remind me of my old college roomate who upon getting his first credit card exclaimed, "Dude, this is free money!", and went on a spending spree. Everytime they upped his credit limit, "Dude, I can go shopping again." Luckily, debtors prisons don't exist anymore....I think.

Ouch! You guys are harsh!

The reason I'm asking you guys instead of hunting down my old prof. is because a lot of you are OVER there or have at least been there previously for an extended period of time... I thought someone might have heard of something...

I'm on a semester off just working to save money to GET to Japan (assuming Sophia takes me in). I'm not stupid with money, the food and beer thing was all in good humor. Of course, I will want to occasionally entertain myself, but the real reason I'm interested in side work while in college is to put something down on my tuition loans so they don't accrue as much interest. I'd also rather live in my own place if I can find something cheaper than Sophia housing, which obviously wouldn't become a disbursed loan - it would have to be paid then and there.

I'm an intelligent guy... I'm a major-double-minor with a 3.5 GPA. I've written numerous features for the Philadelphia Collegiate newspaper, including several front-page columns. I came in 4th in a New York Times essay contest, and had my essay published in the Times (I was #4 behind 3 Graduate students, and I've only completed 2 years of college... I'm only 20 years old). I'm confident that I'll become a professional writer someday, because I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I have a lot of connections through my University, as well. I just wish to pursue the dream in Japan, upon graduation. I also know that Sophia has some kind of deal with CNN international for job-placement.

I'm not sure if you guys thought I was just going over to be a stupid gaijin Engrish teacher. I'm going over to finish my undergrad, THEN perhaps do the teaching thing... I'm not just going for the partying, although I'm sure I'll do plenty. I'd be doing it here anyway.

So, if anyone else knows of any English language journals or newspapers in Tokyo, let me know I would love to get in touch with them as early as possible to make my chances a little better.



and PS: I just paid off all of my credit cards in full and cut them all up

[Iraira]

Ok, since my last post was full of nothing useful, except for sarcasm and a diatribe against abusing your first credit card in college, I'll try to be more useful. The major gaijin fishwraps are The Japan Times and the (dammit, morning brain death...I can't remember the other one's name). There are other gaijin magazines like Metropolis, and I'm not sure how well any of these pay for columns, editorials, stories, etc.
Also, be a bit wary about the stories that you hear in the US about Japan. Before I came over here, I heard a ton of stories and very few were really accurate, or when they were, there was a lot of fine print associated with "they love foreigners, great jobs are easy to come by" part of the story.
And don't max out your credit card buying some brand name sunglasses that you will lose in a week.....

[Captain Japan]

Going freelance in Tokyo is not an easy way to make a living. Some do it. But there are very few. Those who do it successfully figured out one thing early on: there isn't much demand for quality articles domestically. If you are to swing it for a living you have to pitch stories about Japan to the outside world.

Locally, filling the space is the key in this business. Most publications use stories as gaps to fill between ads. Nobody picks up a publication to read it; they want to flip through the ads, classifieds, movie listings, etc. So there is absolutely no reason to pay real money for a decent story. At least, that is the thinking of the publications.

In Tokyo there are a handful of publications. Most are magazines. They generally don't pay over 15,000 yen a story (again, that is a story, I don't know of one publication that pays by the word). I think the going rate for a Metropolis cover story is just over 20,000 yen. Jselect used to be 30k per story (2,000 words) but they have since halved the rate to 15. I don't remeber the rate for Tokyo Journal. They only print every three months now and I vaguely seem to recall that they are right in the same range as everyone else. I think JapanZine pays right around 10,000 per page (and for sure, they'll make sure your story is squashed to a single sheet). Player pays 15k a story.

As well, you can't expect an interesting story to run. Again, ads rule. If there is even a 0.01% chance of pissing off an advertiser with a particular story, why bother considering it when you can safely run off token story after story about pop singers or foreign celebrity chefs?

The Japan Times is a different story in that you can get a full-time job there. But you'll need some sort of experience and likely a degree. Last I heard, freelancing for them was about as grim as it is for the magazines.

International is the way to go. You have to develop yourself first and keep pitching to publications over and over and over again. But after a while you might be able to make decent money that way. Still, it'd be tough to make a living. Like a said, I know a few who've done it.

As for the Kobe publications, I would tend to think the information you were given was totally wrong.

[KanpaiQuigley]

Well, I guess sometimes the truth hurts... but I really do appreciate the honesty.

Those figures are very close, if not better, than most of the gigs here in Philly. Like I said before, I'm only a college student. I don't have a degree yet, but I'm busting my ass as best I can to "get a shoe in the door." I'm just trying to find a little bit of sidework to get even a smidgen of money, as well as build a resume for the future.

Journalism is a tough racket to begin with, even here in the states. Print journalism in dead, as free internet reporting and blogging take over. Regardless of the medium, I'm still confident that I will pursue my dream job of internation correspondence. Everything worth something in life is a struggle, so I'm willing to take it on.

[maninjapan]

Join the rest of them and write the trite that gets dumped at the end of Metropolis weekly and proclaim yourself to be a freeelance journalist when in fact you're just an English Instructor.

And while I am at it - sort out that mess of a page you call you myspace - it looks like a dog's dinner.

[kamome]

You mention that you want to pursue your journalism dream in Japan.

Without trying to hurt your feelings, I'd say do NOT go to Japan getting journalism experience for a few years stateside. This is the standard advice I give on FG and to anyone who asks me about the idea. It's hard enough to find work and gain experience in your own country. But if you go to Japan with a freshly minted degree and no work experience, it's VERY hard to build up your career there and/or return to the States to continue your career without any US experience.

[KanpaiQuigley]

And while I am at it - sort out that mess of a page you call you myspace - it looks like a dog's dinner.

Jesus! Tearing down my dreams AND my MySpace... Ouch!

To be honest, it looks great on my Mac. But, your right, when I looked at it on my brother's Windows PC, it didn't look nearly as attractive... I could really care less, though, I'm not going to waste my time reediting it. It's more of a free image host than anything, and I'll get the occasional request from an old elementary school friend...

[KanpaiQuigley]

Alright, I'm not going to argue, but the U.S. is in the most rapid decline in print journalism in decades... if not ever. Journalism professors at my University suggested testing the waters abroad, especially in Japan, where print journalism is thriving.

Second, I'm not getting my degree, then jumping on a plane to Japan. I'm moving to Tokyo in March to FINISH college in the first place.

How about this. Let's not sit here and tell me what NOT to do - because I'm going to give it a shot regardless. I'm not looking to make a living on journalism right off the bat. I was just trying to gauge the possibilities of doing a side article here and there while either still in college or pursuing a stint in English teaching.

[Charles]

How about this. Let's not sit here and tell me what NOT to do - because I'm going to give it a shot regardless.

If that's the case, you're totally in the wrong place to ask for advice. I am sure all the FG will agree that your preconceived notions about what you're going to do in Japan and how you're going to do it will be completely obliterated about 5 minutes after you get over there. But don't take it personally because that happens to everyone.

[KanpaiQuigley]

Well, at least I've got the 2 more years of college to look forward to

[Mulboyne]

You can get occasional work for english language publications out here but there are a lot of people looking to do that so bring your best game. As others have written, the money isn't that wonderful when you set it against the overall cost of living.

You've mentioned that you'd like to be a foreign correspondent for an international title. You don't generally get offered those positions in Japan; it's more usual for a publication to send someone out who has proved themselves within the organization at home so, if that is your long term goal, work on making contacts in head office. Also, a number of media groups still run their Japan coverage from Hong Kong or Singapore where costs are lower so familiarity with Asia ex-Japan can be just as important.

[maninjapan]

Sorry to seam so harsh but well its better you face it then instead of someone building it up.

I know two people who work for the Japan Times who pretty much have next to no qualifications related to journalism and get there thanks to someone who they know.

They have said its not how well you do your job there its who you know as most, if not all, of the news comes from the wires and they just rehash it.

[Bag of Bones]

In Japan, the only thing the employers really want you to have, besides
being able to sound like you can speak English, is a pulse.


[SIZE="6"]Congratulations You are Hired!![/SIZE]

[KanpaiQuigley]

Hahaha

A lot funnier than your last post.

[rooboy]

Well, this bloke made it to Hokkaido. Looked at the link on the signature part of his posts, he's an ALT.

BUT.....................he's still calling himself a fucking 'freelance journalist'.

Matter of fact Quigley, at uni in Aus I wrote a shitload of articles for my uni's student paper. Back then newspapers were published by the student union and the editors were paid good fucking money.
A few blokes and sheilas went on to make a living because they had a portfolio from their uni's student newspaper.

But looking at this bloke's myspace page it's bleeding obvious he's like the 'actors' and 'actresses' who are waiters in restaurants or serve burgers and tell everybody thats what they do while they're waitng for their 'next acting job' - even if the first was in their high school play.