One thing I like about freelancing today is that it is so much easier to do research than the old days. I used to have to call up friends and acquaintances each time I had a new assignment in order to find experts to interview. Now, I can usually get everything I need right from my computer. Here are some good resources I use a lot.

HARO

Do you get the HARO newsletter? You should. I’ve used it for both promoting my own work (by offering to be a resource for someone else) and for my own research. Help a Reporter Out (HARO) sends email alerts three times a day. The emails contain requests from media professionals (reporters and freelancers alike) who ask for experts for an article, interview, or spot on a TV or radio show.

Pitch Rate

Pitch Rate.com is geared toward journalists. Writers can submit a request for expert sources, or answer the call for a pitch from other media professionals. When journalists receive answers to their requests, they choose a freelance writer or expert to speak with and proceed from there. With this site, it is the responsibility for the writer answering the request to submit the story idea.

Reporter Connection

One final source is the Reporter Connection. This site is run by Bill and Steve Harrison and provides daily email requests from top media outlets. The site has a variety of different subject areas (sports, lifestyle, etc.) and writers are asked to fill out a media response form on the site in order to make a pitch or answer the call for information.

BLU

Blogger Link Up (BLU) is another free site connecting writers. BLU sends out thrice weekly lists for bloggers requesting interviews, guest posts, and reviews. Freelance writers can also offer up guest posts, thereby increasing their visibility and getting back links for their own website. This site is a great way for writers to promote their work and also get original content for their website or blog.

Social Networking

Don’t forget Twitter and Facebook when it comes to research. Twitter especially has helped me in finding trending topics, the latest buzz on a story, or what’s being said about a certain topic. You can also send out a tweet requesting information, or do a search on a certain topic by entering a term into the search bar.

Of course, once you get the resources it’s your job to determine if they’ll work for your piece. But at least finding them is easy now. No more sitting on the phone all day or digging through outdated material at the library.

Do you have a good tip on getting resources and interviews?

More writing resources:

• Get a Freelance Life: mediabistro.com’s Insider Guide to Freelance Writing
• The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing: A Professional Guide to the Business, for Nonfiction Writers of All Experience Levels
• Editing Fact and Fiction: A Concise Guide to Book Editing

 

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