Whether you or someone you know is 16, 36 or 76 but has always loved to write โ and would like to get paid for those efforts โ I hope youโll read and respond to this editorial.
As I have periodically throughout my 32 years of owning and being the editor of the Neighborhood News, I am looking once again for additional freelance writers to help me continue to provide more news and information about the New Tampa and explosively-still-growing Wesley Chapel areas than any other local medium โ whether print, broadcast or online.
Even if youโve never had anything published before, send me your resumรฉ and something youโve written โ on any topic โ both of which you have checked carefully for spelling and grammatical errors, to my attention (see ad, above) at Ads@NTNeighborhoodNews.com.ย
If you are sending a clip, please donโt send me three or four. All I need is ONE piece of 300 to no more than 1,000 words that indicates your ability to write in English (not text-speak), tell a story with full sentences and, if possible, one that uses a few quotes that shows that you know how to use them (and quotation marks) properly.
Please also note that if youโre going to send me a link to a web page or social media site, that the first thing I see needs to be your strongest work because I probably wonโt get to the second item on the site/page if the first thing I see doesnโt grab my attention.
So, whether you have a journalism or English background or not, or any professional writing experience or not, all I am looking for are people who are interested in being part of the Neighborhood News family who are willing to learn.
In other words, if you think you already know everything there is to know about writing, this probably isnโt the right freelance opportunity for you. Thatโs why Iโm fine working with young people โ as long as theyโre willing to work, follow directions and can submit stories on deadline. Just please be prepared for a lot of edits and comments about each piece from me.
If youโre interested in writing news stories, Iโm particularly interested in people who are willing to do actual research for those stories, not just regurgitate what they find on Chat GPT or any other Artificial Intelligence app.
All successful applicants also should be prepared to have to write the Business Feature stories that appear towards the center of each issue, even if you tell me youโre more interested in news, sports, features, human interest or online stories.
Youโll still get to write those, too, but our advertisers tell us that the Business Features provide them with the best response they receive from any local media, so I do still need them.
So, send me something and letโs go from there. Good luck โ and no phone calls, please!