Freelance writers wanted

The Oldham Owl is looking to establish a roster of regular freelance contributors.

We are a new, independent publication for Oldham, launching in September. Our aim is to produce serious local journalism: news based on evidence, features with depth, interviews that ask useful questions, and explainers that help readers understand how decisions are made and why they matter.

You do not need to have worked as a journalist before. In fact, we are particularly interested in hearing from people who are curious, thoughtful and rigorous, whether your background is in journalism, study, community work, campaigning, business, public services, sport, culture, faith groups, local history, or simply paying close attention to the place where you live. We are also interested in specialists and experts who are not journalists.

What matters most is that you can think clearly, ask good questions, listen carefully, and write in a way that respects readers.

We are interested in contributors who can help us cover Oldham in all its complexity: its politics, public services, schools, health, housing, business, sport, culture, communities and everyday life. We want stories rooted in evidence rather than gossip, and writing that is accessible without being simplistic.

This is not a community noticeboard and it is not a place for press releases dressed up as news. We are looking for people who understand what’s happening and why it’s important, and who can pass that on to readers.

 You might be:

·      an experienced journalist looking for freelance work

·      someone with specialist knowledge of an issue affecting Oldham

·      someone active in a local community who sees things others miss

·      a strong writer who has never thought of themselves as a journalist

·      someone who wants to learn how evidence-led local journalism works

We are especially keen to hear from people whose voices are not always well represented in local media. Oldham is a diverse borough, and The Oldham Owl will reflect that. We welcome approaches from people of all backgrounds, ages and communities.

You do not need a media qualification. You do need good judgement, a sense of fairness, accuracy and objectivity.

Possible areas of contribution include:

·      local politics and public services

·      explainers

·      interviews

·      features

·      sport, especially Oldham Athletic and Oldham Roughyeds

·      culture, food, music and local history

·      first-person pieces with a serious public-interest angle

·      data-led or FOI-led stories

If you are interested, please send a short note introducing yourself, along with one or two ideas for pieces you might like to write.

You do not need to send a polished CV. We are more interested in how you think.

Please include:

·      who you are

·      your connection to Oldham, if you have one

·      what subjects interest you or where you see your expertise

·      one or two story ideas*

·      examples of your published or other writing, if you have them

holdawayw@oldham-owl.co.uk

If you're ever struggling for ideas, I cannot recommend enough the long-read from Charlotte Hall, Local Democracy Reporter, for the Oldham Reporter.

The Oldham Owl is serious about Oldham and serious about journalism. We are serious about public accountability and democracy. If that sounds like your thing, we would like to hear from you.

Our start-up model is based on freelance contributors – we simply don’t have the money at the outset of the business to offer staff terms. None the less, we hope to establish a roster of regular contributors, working on agreed-in-advance commissions.

If we ask for it, we’ll pay for it. If your work gets spiked, or if the published version is shorter than the commission terms, which can happen for any number of reasons, you’ll be paid the agreed fee in full.

holdawayw@oldham-owl.co.uk