Work with me
Commissions for newspapers and magazines, talks and panels, and newsroom workshops on reading public documents.
Lengths and rates
Every length on the same ruler as the cuttings: what 400 words looks like next to 4,000. Rates are per piece, with research, interviews and one round of edits included.
Example prices. Photos, data graphics and syndication are quoted separately.
1,000 words
2,000
3,000
4,000
News story
400 words
$180
within 24 hours
Column
850 words
$320
three days
Feature
2,000 words
$900
two weeks
Long read
4,000 words
from $2,400
six weeks
How a commission runs
From the first email to the filed piece, in five steps.
1
Brief or pitch
You send a brief, or I send a pitch with the angle, the sources and the length.
2
Agree it in writing
Length, fee, deadline and rights in one short email before I start.
3
Reporting
Interviews, documents and visits. You hear from me if the story changes.
4
Draft and edits
The draft arrives on the deadline; one round of edits is included.
5
Checks and filing
Every fact checked against its source, then filed with a source list for your desk.
Workshops for newsrooms
Half-day sessions for reporters and students on finding stories in public documents: budgets, contracts, planning files and land records.
Half-day workshop, up to 12 people
$650
Full day with a live council agenda
$1,100
Student newsroom
Reduced rate for colleges and student papers
Ask me
Example prices.
Questions from editors
Do you take pitches from editors outside Springfield?
Yes, when the story fits one of my beats. Housing, transport and local government stories travel well.
Who holds the rights?
First publication rights for the agreed outlet; I keep the right to collect the piece in a book or on this site after 90 days, unless we agree otherwise.
Can you work to a fixed length?
Always. The rates above are for those lengths; a different length is priced pro rata.
Do you supply photos?
Phone photos for reference, yes. For print, I work with a photographer and quote the photos separately.
Need 850 words by Thursday?
Send the brief, the length and the deadline. You will have an answer within one working day (sample).