A Freelancer’s Roundtable: Torey Van Oot of Refinery29 on Her New Life as a Freelancer
For those who are blessed (or cursed) enough to follow me on Twitter, you’re probably well-aware of my mixed feelings regarding the CW’s hit series “Riverdale.” Although Season One was full of suspense and drama, Season Two has fallen short numerous times.
Nevertheless, I’m glad I’ve suffered through the show’s oversexualization of its teenage characters and confusing plotlines because, through the mad fandom, Torey Van Oot and I bonded over “Riverdale.”
Torey Van Oot is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer with bylines in places like Refinery29, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and The Lily. She’s also worked for NBC, The Sacramento Bee, The Las Vegas Sun, and Roll Call Newspaper in Washington, D.C.
In December, she left her position as a features writer at Refinery29 to pursue a full-time freelance career. Over the past three months, she’s been navigating the complicated world that is freelance writing and is here today to share with The Write Advisor what she’s learned so far.
How can college students begin to network in the industry if they do not live in NYC?
The good news here is are SO many ways to build a network, even if you aren’t in a major city. Follow writers and editors whose work you admire on Twitter — and don’t be shy about interacting with them or tagging them when you share their work! Take your professors and/or intern supervisors to coffee and ask them about their own career trajectories and lessons they’ve learned along the way. Go to readings, panels, and events on campus with guest journalists and speakers — and always follow up with a thank you email (this tip got me my first newspaper job). And don’t underestimate the value of your peer network. Your colleagues in college or at internships will come up in the industry alongside you in the years ahead. You never know where they will land (I’m constantly amazed and proud of how much my peers at USC Annenberg have accomplished in the last decade!) and they will often know of entry- or mid-level openings in their respective companies more quickly than senior, more seasoned mentors. Keep in touch! And in case I didn’t make it clear: ALWAYS SEND THANK YOU NOTES TO PEOPLE WHO MEET WITH YOU/TAKE TIME TO HELP YOU (email is fine).
What is the basic breakdown of a killer pitch?
I think a killer pitch answers three categories of questions: 1) What makes this story compelling/different/new and why does it matter. This should be 2–3 sentences MAX. 2) Why you? What access do you have to the sources and subjects at hand? Have you written about this before? Scheduled interviews? Read the research? (Side note here: I often do a good chunk of the reporting, including initial interviews, finding sources, etc., before I pitch to make sure I have a story, and one I can execute.) 3) What is the publication going to get out of this piece? Is it incredibly shareable/click-worthy? Offering access they wouldn’t otherwise have? An angle no one else has explored? Make that clear, too. Try not to be overly formal or stiff; editors vetting pitches will try to use the email to get a sense of your voice.
If you’re pitching a publication new to you, how often and when should you follow up?
I’m new to freelancing, so this is something I’m learning right alongside all of you. But from my staff editor days, I would say follow up after a day or two for a timely pitch (if the pitch is super timely, don’t be shy about pitching multiple outlets within 24 hours — just be sure to tell the editors you’re doing so) and a week for evergreen pitches to digital publications. Print often takes longer, so be patient there.
What tips do you have for negotiating rates?
Always. Ask. For. More. Money. Everyone has a bit of wiggle room and there’s really no reason not to ask for more (within reason… asking for more than double the stated rate for a simple piece probably won’t fly). It can be helpful to set rate parameters or guidelines for yourself, too, like a commentary piece or write-up with no reporting costs $X, 1000 words and up to 3 interviews is $X, anything over that is $X. Then you can evaluate each assignment, and the mix of pieces you have commissioned, against the time and resources it will take to complete them. Your time is valuable. YOU are valuable! Don’t forget that.
What tips do you have for invoicing?
Be polite and don’t shoot the messenger. It (usually) isn’t an evil editor intentionally withholding your hard-earned dollars and unloading on them won’t really help your case. I keep a spreadsheet that tracks all my invoices. Next to the invoice date is a column that says estimated pay date (this is based on the contract, which should stipulate whether an outlet pays in 30 days, 60 days, etc. If the contract does not stipulate pay timetable, ask for it to be added in). This way, I can follow up on an invoice if/when the outlet is past due. Also, read Jen A. Miller on this topic — she’s a pro!
What is one mistake or hiccup you’ve made in your career that you wish you could go back and change?
There are too many to list. I think one thing that will help you go far is to practice kindness and compassion, even when under pressure/stress. I regret every correction and still seethe over each time I’ve been scooped, but in the long run, it’s the times when I fell short of aspirations to be a patient and understanding colleague/teammate that I really wish I could go back and change.
What is one thing you wish you knew before you started freelancing?
I’m so new to this that it’s hard to say just one thing. But right off the bat, I’m learning the importance of setting a schedule and sticking to it. I find that without the structure of an office or a 9–5 workday, it can be easy to let work creep into all hours. I try to block out my days in the morning, scheduling appointments and errands alongside my chunks of work, and give myself some grace if I fail to get everything done. It’s also super important to have a freelance buddy/network you can bounce ideas, pitches, and quandaries off of. That encouragement and support are key!
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