Time management can be one of the most challenging aspects of life as a freelancer. In theory, we can work — and not work — anytime we want.

However, I depend on this flexibility not only as a caregiver but as a disabled person with limited capacity. I live on what disability scholars and activists call “crip time:” time measured not by society’s dictates about work but by my body’s fluctuating energy levels.

Usually, it follows a familiar pattern: a week of startling, shiny productivity in which I do at least 75% of all the things and barely even take a nap. The week I make my deadline, I feel invincible.

Then, the crash: At least a week spent napping for four hours at a time, days where deadlines poke my brain constantly but all I can do is stare at something on YouTube.

I found myself barreling towards disaster last week, faced with a long, long overdue deadline and more work than usual to get ahead before a brief overseas trip. I even had a new assignment that I stupidly took on because: see above.

It felt hopeless — until I reached out for help. Thanks to the support and grace of my collaborators and editors, the work got done just under the wire.

I used to feel that there was no exit route for this roller coaster. But last week, I found one in the kindness and support of people who see my overall worth beyond my capacities.

Crip time can actually be a superpower if lived authentically. It took courage to admit I was struggling. But the leap of faith paid off, and I found not disappointment and shame but compassion and assistance.

And together, we got it done.

~ Sara

Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will represent the IIJ at a free meetup at the EWA National Seminar in Baltimore this Friday! Co-hosted by the Association of Independents in Radio and Next Gen Journalism, it takes place from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ET, right after Katherine and Shernay present their session “How to Freelance Like a Pro” from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Attend the session to see a live demo of the IIJ’s freelance quick-start guide, learn key strategies to increase the sustainability of your career and more!

At this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference, IIJ leaders Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Shernay Williams will present a one-day version of our popular Business of Freelancing course. Learn the systems and strategies you need to master time tracking and invoicing, craft contracts that prevent scope creep, and negotiate for more sustainable rates with clients. Plus, editors from Mother Jones, National Geographic, and Type Investigations will talk about what to do and what not to do when pitching. IRE registrants only need to pay for lunch, and journalists in the D.C. area can attend for $79!

Want free registration to IRE? Volunteer for the workshop! Help with check in and set up — and, if you have the skills, photo and video! Sign up here.

Join the IIJ for a free meetup during the IRE conference on Friday, June 18 co-hosted with the Association of Independents in Radio, International Women’s Media Foundation, Fund for Investigative Journalism and Type Investigations! The IIJ’s Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Kelly Glass and Shernay Williams will be there, as will IWMF leader Angelica Mayor, and Maryam Saleh and Nina Zweig from Type Investigations.

Feet in 2 Worlds wants hyperlocal multimedia pitches for its new City of Possibility series, which focuses on immigrant communities in New York City and Los Angeles. 💰$250 to $1,000. Learn more here, and pitch here. Deadline: Thursday, June 11.

For the Winter/Spring 2027 issue of Light and Seed, editor Erin Riley wants reported essays about meaningful personal encounters with U.S. National Forests and Grasslands. They particularly welcome pitches from people from underrepresented backgrounds. 💰$1,000 for 1,000 words. Learn more here, and send pitches to [email protected]. Deadline: Friday, June 5.

Editorial director Meredith Turits is always looking for stories that examine the intersection of sports, business and culture. Read examples here and here on topics including the impact of sports betting influencers on gambling and how businesses are failing to capitalize on the growing popularity of women’s sports. 💰$0.50 to $1 per word.

Playboy is looking to expand its coverage on its digital, Substack and social media platforms. It is looking for culture, lifestyle, work and finance, food and drink, and DIY men’s health stories. (Think taking wellness advice from Reddit or subcultures of self-optimization.) 💰$250 to $1,000. Send pitches to [email protected].

Monocle is a global publication that covers politics, culture, business, fashion and travel. It is looking for sophisticated stories that present more positive takes on the news, such as best practices and solutions. 💰£0.50 per word ($0.67 per word) for digital. Learn more from its pitching guidelines here, and send digital pitches to [email protected].

📖 Independent journalist Marisa Kabas proclaims herself an “AI hater” in a recent post on the Handbasket and explains why now is the time for people to reject the idea that AI is inevitable. “As someone who’s built a business myself, the one thing I can be certain about is that there is absolutely another way. You don’t have to be part of the grindset or be a girlboss or a sociopath or use shortcuts to be successful,” she writes, reminding us that the flexibility and ingenuity we need to build sustainable freelance careers are some of our strongest assets.

📖 Do you have a rude work email that lives on in your head forever? You’re not alone. Freelance science reporter Clarissa Brincat examines the psychological and physical repercussions of “email incivility” for the Guardian, explains why email as a genre is so prone to rudeness, and offers strategies to prevent it.

📖 In his newsletter, freelance science reporter Christian Elliott shares how he landed a 21-page, 4,500-word print feature in National Geographic after nearly two years of unsuccessful pitches to other publications. He not only shares the successful pitch but also gives useful advice, such as this gem he learned from Erika Hayasaki: “Write the opening of the pitch as a scene-setting narrative lede.”

🗓️ THIS 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 right after for a freelancer meetup from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., co-hosted by the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) and Next Gen Journalism. RSVP here.

🗓️ Thursday, June 18 - The IIJ is co-hosting a free meetup with 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.! The IIJ’s Katherine Reynolds Lewis, Kelly Glass and Shernay Williams will attend, along with IWMF leader Angelica Mayor 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. Plus, editors Starlight Williams from National Geographic, Maryam Saleh from Type Investigations and Mother Jones’ Marianne Szegedy-Maszak will share what they look for in a pitch. 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 and Next Gen Journalism! 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 journalist Johnnie Jae will host a discussion on the reality of freelance journalism today. Plus, we’re hosting a freelancer meetup with AIR, Next Gen Journalism’s Doug Mitchell 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