I am terrible at separating work and play, meaning the two blend together into some kind of Frankenstein-ian monster of a time warp. I don’t work, then play — or even play, then work. I “plork.”

Some of this is by necessity, as I never know what my energy level will be on a given day or whether I’ll need to spend more time caregiving. But some of it is an inner resistance to structure that I don’t consider all that healthy. At the moment, however, I’m in a phase of life where learning new tricks won’t work. Plus, I have never wanted a 9-to-5 schedule. It’s why I loved academic life and will never give up freelance life to work in a newsroom.

However, I know many freelance friends who love structures and schedules — at least when it comes to blocking off work time. That’s great! But it’s just as important to schedule time to play. You don’t need to schedule a movie date or plan a get-together: even just writing down “play time” in your calendar is enough.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, consider The Artist’s Way writer Julia Cameron’s recommendation of a weekly “artist’s date”. It doesn’t have to be a visit to a museum exhibition; I once took down an exhibit catalogue sitting on my bookshelf and spent an hour looking through it. Cameron suggests these dates should be solo, but I don’t think you need to be that stingy with your playtime.

If you do schedule your play, try to prevent scope creep. Don’t keep glancing at your phone to read and respond to emails; turn it off if you have to, or turn off notifications. Put a note in your signature for people saying that you don’t respond to emails after a certain time, or even have an “out of office” response. (Those always seem a bit sophisticated to me, as I often envision someone jetting off on a thrilling vacation.) Protect your play so it doesn’t turn into “plork.”

That said, I think “plorking” has its place. As I’ve mentioned before, I often write with sports on in the background. I don’t want to sit there and observe every moment of a three-hour game, but having something I enjoy happening in the background makes the work feel a little less like work.

However you introduce play into your life, make sure you give it the same respect and care as your work. Play isn’t just a necessary break from work. True play reenergizes and restores us, making the work that much easier and better.

~ Sara

The Society of Environmental Journalists invited the IIJ to host a live Pitch Fest at the annual SEJ conference in April 2026, which took place at the University of Illinois Chicago. IIJ Editorial Director Ann Marie Awad brought a handful of freelance journalists on stage to pitch their stories about AI, brain hacking, rare birds, and more to this all-star panel of environmental editors:

Up your game by listening in on the conversations that usually only happen behind the scenes. Every one of these editors also shared valuable info for any journalist wishing to pitch their respective publications, including rates and contract information.

Calling all freelancers attending this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference in Washington, D.C.: Your registration gives you free access to the IIJ’s full-day Freelance Business Workshop! In this one-day version of our popular eight-week course, IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will share the systems and strategies you need to negotiate clear contracts, develop anchor clients, and master time management. Editors from Mother Jones, National Geographic, and Type Investigations will also join us to discuss what they look for in a pitch. IRE registrants only need to pay for lunch. Local journalists can also attend for just $79!

This June, join IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams in Baltimore at the EWA National Seminar! See a live demo of the IIJ’s freelance quick-start guide and learn key sustainability strategies at “How to Freelance Like a Pro” on Friday, June 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. ET. Then, join Katherine, Shernay, and other freelancers right after the panel concludes at our 11:45-12:45 p.m. meetup, co-hosted by the Association of Independents in Radio!

If you have ADHD and find some crucial freelance tasks challenging, join the Society for Professional Journalists Freelance Community on Thursday, June 4 at 6 p.m. ET for a free webinar, “Freelancing with ADHD.” Jen Brdlik, a coach with AuDHD who helps high achievers navigate their neurodivergence, will share practical tools so you can work with your brain, not against it. Free to attend. RSVP at [email protected].

Health and Parenting Editor Rosemary Donahue is always open to health and parenting stories, especially those about multigenerational living and elder care. 💰Starts at $225 for 600 words. Send pitches to [email protected] with [Pitch: Proposed headline] in the subject line. (h/t, Study Hall)

Science writers can pitch science, tech, and health stories to BBC Science Focus Magazine, which is looking to expand its contributor pool. 💰£300 to £1,000 (≈ $400 to $1,300) for 1,000 to 2,500 words. Send print ideas to [email protected] and digital ideas to [email protected]. (h/t, Shernay Williams via Sure Media Agency)

Trans and nonbinary content creators can apply to join the Trans Creator Collective, a four-month program that provides group and individual coaching sessions and training on all aspects of content creation. 💰$10,000. Learn more here and apply here. 🚨 Deadline: tomorrow! 🚨 (h/t Leo Aquino of Queer and Trans Wealth)

The Objective wants pitches for its third annual print issue on “how things in journalism have changed since 2020 after industry-wide promises to amend anti-Blackness in coverage and diversity and equity in staffing.” Potential themes include funding shifts, new standards, and hiring practices. 💰$0.50 per word for 800 to 1,000 words. Learn more and send in your pitch here. Deadline: Drafts submitted by late July.

GraveSite, a new independent publication focused on death and end-of-life stories, seeks a remote, freelance audience editor. 💰At least $1,600 per month at $40 per hour, plus 5% commission on reader-generated revenue. Learn more here, and apply here. Deadline: Monday, June 1. (h/t, Study Hall)

Women Photograph invites cis and trans women and nonbinary photographers to apply for their 2026 Leica Project grants to cover creative fees, reporting costs, and other expenses. 💰$10,000. Learn more and apply here. Deadline: Tuesday, June 30.

📖 Another day, another story about a reporter making an error due to generative AI. However, in this case, it was the New York Times’ Canada bureau chief, and the repercussions so far have been nothing beyond a correction — unlike freelancer Alex Preston, who the NYT blacklisted for using AI to write a review. Michelle Cyca considers this double standard in the Walrus: “Freelancers are disposable; firing one is an easy way for publications to perform commitment to a professional standard without having to look too deeply at their own processes.”

📖 John Rudikoff of the Freelancers Union Legal Clinic runs through some common contract and client mistakes that freelancers make and how to avoid them. Ultimately, it comes down to having clear written guidelines, especially if you’re working with people you know and like. “Friendliness is not infrastructure,” he writes.

📖 After beehiiv co-founder and CEO Tyler Denk endorsed Los Angeles mayor candidate (and reality star) Spencer Pratt, many newsletter writers compared the moment to Substack’s willingness to allow white supremacist and anti-Semitic speech on its platform. Lex Roman of Revenue Rulebreaker, however, insists the differences in the platforms’ structures mean that beehiiv is still a better alternative. “Substack remains the worst option out there by a long shot,” Roman writes. Read more to learn why.

🗓️ NEXT WEEK! Friday, June 5 - At the Education Writers Association National Seminar in Baltimore, IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will be presenting from 10:30-11:30 a.m. ET on entrepreneurship! Join us for a freelancer meetup afterwards. RSVP here for more details.

🗓️ Thursday, June 18 - The IIJ is co-hosting a free meetup with the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR), International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), and Type Investigations at the 2026 Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference in Washington, D.C.! Meet fellow freelancers and IWMF leader Angelica Mayor, the IIJ’s Katherine Reynolds Lewis, and Type Investigations senior editor Maryam Saleh and research editor Nina Zweig from 5-6 p.m. ET. Register here.

🗓️ Friday, June 19 - IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will present a full-day workshop on the business of freelancing at IRE from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. Free for IRE attendees who register while space is available; register here to join the group lunch. D.C.-area reporters not attending IRE can register here for the entire workshop, which includes lunch.

🗓️ Wednesday, June 24 - IIJ leader Katherine Reynolds Lewis and IIJ special projects leader Emma Carew Grovum will present a panel on “Mastering the Solo Hustle” at 2:30 p.m. CT the Asian American Journalists Association conference in Minneapolis!

🗓️ Thursday, June 25 - Join the IIJ’s Katherine Reynolds Lewis and IWMF’s Divya Tewari for a 5-6 p.m. CT freelance meetup at AAJA co-hosted with AIR! Register here.

🗓️ July 22-24 - Join the IIJ at this year’s Indigenous Media Conference in Portland, Oregon! IIJ founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis and independent journalists Taylar Stagner and Johnnie Jae will host a discussion on the reality of freelance journalism today. Plus, we’re hosting a freelancer meetup with AIR and the IWMF’s Tara Gatewood and Rachael Smith. RSVP here for more details!

🗓️ Saturday, July 25 - The IIJ will present a panel on “Mastering the Solo Hustle” at 10:45 a.m. ET at this year’s National Association of Hispanic Journalists Conference and Expo in New Orleans. Speakers include IIJ editorial director Ann Marie Awad, Pizza Shark co-founder Carolina Murriel, Altavoz Lab founder Valeria Fernández, and independent journalist Silvia Canelón. We will also be co-hosting a freelance meetup with AIR, IWMF, and the FIJ on July 23! Register here for more details.

🗓️ Thursday, Aug. 13 - The IIJ will be part of the Innovation Bubble at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Atlanta! IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will join Atlanta-based entertainment journalist Tatyana Arrington for a panel called “Where’s the Bag: How to Build Sustainable Income on Your Own” at 1 p.m. ET. We’re also co-hosting a meetup at NABJ with AIR and IWMF, RSVP here for more details.

🗓️ Thursday, Sept. 10 - Join the IIJ at the 35th annual 2026 convention for NLGLA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists in San Francisco! Trans Journalists Association co-founder Kae Petrin, COYOTE Media worker-owner Soleil Ho, and an IIJ leader will present a panel on “The Reality of Freelance Journalism Today.” Register here for more details on our freelancer meetup, co-hosted with AIR, IWMF, and the FIJ. IWMF leader Tat Bellamy-Walker will be there, as will IIJ leaders!

▶️ Learn From Editors’ Live Feedback on Environmental Pitches

▶️ Podcast: Journalist Kavitha Cardoza on covering education and poverty

▶️ Podcast: How to pitch unique NYC immigration stories to Documented

▶️ Podcast: Freelance journalism FAQ with Katherine Lewis and Shernay Williams

⏪ Webinar: Mobile Reporting: Tools for Making Content on The Go

▶️ Podcast: For $1/word, Science Friday wants enterprise stories that spark curiosity