Journalism, as a profession, holds a pivotal role in shaping public discourse and informing society. It demands a commitment to truth, ethical standards, and the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and compellingly. In recent years, the world of journalism has undergone significant transformations due to digital advancements and changing media consumption habits. This evolution has led to an increased demand for skilled freelance journalists who can provide high-quality, timely, and diverse content across various platforms.
Freelancers offer flexibility and specialized expertise, addressing the dynamic needs of modern media organizations.
Finding talented freelance journalists in Africa is easier than ever, thanks to a variety of online platforms connecting skilled writers with those in need of their expertise. Whether you’re looking to cover breaking news, craft in-depth features, or produce engaging editorials, the right freelancer can elevate your content.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the seven best websites where you can hire top-notch journalistic writers across Africa. Each platform offers unique features and a diverse pool of talent, ensuring you find the perfect match for your project.
What Is Journalistic Writing?
Journalistic writing is the style of writing used by journalists. It is therefore a term for the broad style of writing used by news media outlets to put together stories.
Every news media outlet has its own ‘house’ style, which is usually set out in guidelines. This describes grammar and style points to be used in that publication or website. However, there are some common factors and characteristics of all journalistic writing.
What Are Some Hallmarks Of Journalistic Writing?
The hallmarks of journalistic writing are:
- Simplicity and Brevity
- Precision
- Objectivity and Factual
- Fairness and Balance
- Inverted Pyramid
1. Simplicity and Brevity
Journalistic writing freelancers should write simply so that readers can understand the text without having to read it numerous times. The goal is to simplify even the most difficult ideas and write them in our own terms so that everyone “gets it.”
Writing concisely (brief and to the point) promotes simplicity. Longer sentences are harder to understand. Furthermore, viewers dislike big paragraphs because they appear too overwhelming to read. Journalists attempt to keep sentences under 20 words and paragraphs under 2-3 sentences in length. Some paragraphs are simply one sentence long, which is okay.
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2. Precision
Precision means that each word should be used as it was intended by its original “dictionary” meaning. Meanings often evolve over time, but in journalistic writing, we stay true to the book. There should also be no slang or abbreviations.
3. Objectivity and Factual
Objectivity refers to the absence of personal opinion. A journalist’s work should be based on facts, observations, and interviews with experts or people who are informed about the subject. To maintain objectivity, write in the third person (he, she, they) rather than the first person (I, me, mine, our, we). Don’t write about your thoughts, beliefs, or feelings; instead, write about what you see and hear. The only viewpoints that should be presented are those of the sources, and all opinions must be properly attributed so that readers understand who said what.
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4. Fairness & Balance
Fairness and balance can be achieved in journalistic writing by addressing both sides of an issue and providing equal attention. Some stories contain more than two sides! Freelance journalists should never accept one person’s account of events at face value. Of course, there are situations when a source on the other side of a story refuses to be interviewed or does not return calls. Once a reporter has given each source enough time to answer, he can proceed with the piece.
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5. Inverted Pyramid
Journalistic writing is most often written in a format called the Inverted Pyramid, which arranges the information in descending order of importance, or newsworthiness.
The most important information should come first, such as the Who, What, When, Where, and How. The important details of the story should follow. After this, other general information should be included.
7 Best Websites To Hire Freelancers For Journalistic Writing
Here’s a list of websites to hire freelancers for informative writing in Africa:
1. WritersGig
On WritersGig you will find a list of vetted informative writers with extensive experience in various types of informative writing. Whether you need reports, white papers, or research papers, rest assured that every word is crafted by a seasoned writer.
With WritersGig, you’ll experience seamless collaboration through our user-friendly platform. From initial briefings to revisions, our unique interface makes every process easy, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – achieving your informational objectives.
Related Post: How to Register as a Buyer or Writer on WritersGig
2. Truelancer
Truelancer is a curated freelance marketplace with thousands of top-rated journalistic writers in Nigeria. On Truelancer you will find & hire journalists who are professionals offering their expertise in various types of journalism.
3. Guru
Guru is a great choice for small business owners who may have tighter budgets. Since it’s free to post job ads, it’s easy to get the attention of qualified freelance journalistic writers without having to shell out big bucks. Again, you’ll need to be patient and use filters to narrow down the candidates from a large pool.
What differentiates Guru from Upwork is that it also features a built-in project management tool. You can create onboarding documents right on the website. You can even use Guru to manage your content marketing process by sharing documents and creating tasks.
4. Upwork
On Upwork, you can find both beginners and advanced journalists for the various types of journalistic writing. You can use filters to narrow down the candidates and find the ones that fit your niche and business needs.
You can search for writers based on their experience and how much they charge—including their fixed price and hourly rates.
5. Freelancer
Freelancer.com is another freelancing site in Nigeria that connects freelancers with employers. It provides a platform for both freelancers and employers to find each other and get what they need from each other.
Freelancer connects businesses and individuals with informative writers who have been carefully vetted; they also offer tools for employers like job boards, project management software, payment processing services, and more
6. Contently
Contently connects businesses directly with vetted journalistic writers. All of the services at Contently are customized to each individual client. The platform works with only the highest quality writers to help you find the perfect writer, even if your niche is incredibly small.
The team of journalists at Contently helps manage everything from strategy to content creation and you’ll work closely with a consulting partner to figure out your business’s marketing needs.
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7. PeoplePerHour
People per Hour is another freelance platform that you can use to find and work with journalistic writers in many countries. Similar to Upwork, you can post a project ad or browse its database to start hiring freelance writers. People per Hour will then charge fees to buyers and sellers for every project.
At the moment, the platform has about 10,000 freelance writers in its database.
How To Hire A Freelance Journalistic Writer
Hiring a freelance journalist allows you to leverage the knowledge and put that experience to work for your business. They can even become marketers and can effectively bring your business to a whole new level on the success ladder.
If you are looking to hire a freelance journalist for your company, you can visit WritersGig to hire journalists who possess this skill set. Some of the key responsibility areas to look out for may include:
- Capability to gather and develop the story
- Exceptional writing skills
- Updated on the latest news
- Active listening
- Critical thinking
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Qualifications of a Freelance Journalist
To hire a freelance journalist, it is ideal that the person has:
- Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism or communications
- Experience in working for companies printing newspapers, magazines, and other publications
- Knowledge of social media software, microphones, and video cameras
- Should have connections with reporters and editors of various publications
- It will be an add-on if they know how to edit videos
- Journalistic portfolio for reference
FAQs On Websites To Hire Freelancers For Journalistic Writing
Most media outlets base their basic news and media writing on the AP style, which is the style developed and updated by the Associated Press. Consistency in writing across media platforms and publications is ensured by using the AP style.
You can assess a freelance journalist’s portfolio by checking if their past work aligns with your project’s needs, evaluating the quality of their writing, and looking at their level of versatility and depth in journalistic writing.
Journalistic writing is a style of writing used to report news stories in newspapers, magazines, online publications, and broadcast news. It is characterized by its focus on factual accuracy, clarity, brevity, and objectivity.
Conclusion
The internet has made it easier than ever to connect with talented freelance writers from Africa. By utilizing the 7 websites mentioned in this post, you can easily find the perfect journalistic writer to help you create quality and informative content for your business. Don’t hesitate to explore these platforms and start working with skilled freelancers today!
References
- skillsyouneed.com – Journalistic Writing
- twinkl.com.ng – What is Journalistic Writing?
