If you’re a Colorado freelance journalist, you won’t want to miss SPJ26, the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual national conference, October 1-4 in Columbus, Ohio.

Stacie Overton Johnson, chair of SPJ’s Freelance Community, says that for the second year in a row, there will be an entire room at the conference dedicated to freelancers, called Freelance Central.

“We have nine sessions lined up that focus on the practical side of building and sustaining a freelance journalism career, including finding work, building a beat, connecting with editors, moving into different types of media and managing the business side of freelancing,” Overton Johnson says. “We’re also hosting a free two-hour workshop on Thursday covering contracts, taxes and the business of freelancing.”

SPJ25 will also offer an Editor-Freelancer Meet and Greet. “This is always one of our most popular sessions,” Overton Johnson says. “It’s a relaxed, informal opportunity for editors to talk about the stories they’re looking for, what makes a pitch stand out and how freelancers can begin building relationships with their publications. It’s a conversation with journalists who want to learn from and connect with editors.”

The meet and greet will be held Saturday, October 3, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The event “is also great for journalists who are freelance-curious,” Overton Johnson says. “In the past, we’ve had staff journalists attend, connect with an editor and leave with a new opportunity to freelance on the side. Students are welcome, too, and could gain valuable insight into how editors work with freelancers and what they look for in a pitch.”

Much of the programming at SPJ26’s Freelance Central “could be especially valuable for student journalists preparing to enter a changing industry,” she adds. “Even those who plan to pursue full-time newsroom positions may freelance as they begin their careers, either as their primary work or as a way to gain experience, build their portfolios and develop relationships with editors.”

To get a look at planned Freelance Central programming, there will be a sneak peek webinar on Tuesday, August 25, at 4 p.m. MT. “It’s for anyone who wants to pop in, meet us and hear more about what we have planned,” Overton Johnson says. To join in, email spjfreelancecommunity@gmail.com to register and receive the Zoom link.

Click here for more information on SPJ26 and how to attend. And click here to learn more about the SPJ Freelance Community, which now has more than 1,200 members nationwide.

Closer to home, SPJ’s Colorado Pro Chapter is hosting “No Newsroom Required: The Ins and Outs of Freelance Journalism,” a conversation about the ins and outs of freelance journalism and creating a sustainable career outside a traditional newsroom, featuring veteran Colorado freelance journalist Steve Knopper. It’s an in-person event Tuesday, September 1, at 7 p.m. Click here to learn more and how to RSVP.

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