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Harry is a freelance videogame and technology journalist who's worked for a number of different publications including The Independent, Pocket Gamer, App Spy, Android Magazine, Micro Mart and Den of Geek. He shares his techniques for finding new clients through Twitter how to create a stand-out portfolio.
Name: Harry Slater
Job: Freelance Videogame and Technology Journalist
Started: 2012
Q: How did you get started as a freelancer writing technology and video game reviews?
A: By accident, really! I won a competition in PC Gamer magazine for reader review of the month. I knew I wanted to be a writer and I knew a lot about games and technology, so I just squashed the two things together.
First, I started out by working for free for a variety of small, volunteer websites for a while. Once I had a portfolio of work, I immediately moved on to looking only for paid assignments. After building up enough regular clients, I was able to start working full-time as a self-employed writer.
Q: How did you secure your first customer?
A: My first paid job actually came through Twitter. I mentioned on my Twitter feed that I was looking for some work, an editor I'd worked with spotted it and he asked me to pitch him some ideas for a magazine. That demonstrated for me immediately how important it is to be active on social media.
I'm on Twitter pretty much every day. Finding the people who work in the industry and keeping an eye on their feeds will always open up new avenues. But I don't just treat it like a job-scouring exercise. I engage, talk to people, get my face out there. Making connections and networking is a huge part of this industry.
Q: How do you continue to get new clients?
A: I find new clients and jobs through hard work and making connections, every day.
It can be a bit of a slog reaching out, but it's important to constantly try and get your foot in the door. Industry events are a good way to get your face and business cards out there. You've got to make sure you're easy to reach. And be proactive – a lot of freelancing involves talking to people, finding out what they want and figuring out how you can deliver it.
Q: What does a typical day in the life of Harry look like?
A: A lot of coffee! A bit too much staring at the internet. An awful lot of playing games. I always make sure I structure my days – not too rigidly, but so that when I wake up I know what I need to get done before I can stop.
If I've got a big project due, I sometimes turn my router off to avoid distraction.
Finding out when you work best is an important part of freelancing. When I started out, I wrote whenever I could and wherever I could, but now that it's my full-time job I treat it like that.
Q: How do you price your work?
A: A lot of that is based on the publication I'm working for. I generally charge around $80 a page for magazine work, slightly less for online work.
It's important to know the market you're aiming for and work out what's a sensible price to be pitching at. You don't want to price yourself out, but at the same time you don't want to be selling yourself short. It's a good idea to talk to other freelancers about pricing who've worked at similar publications.
Q: Are there are peers in your line of work or community who really inspire you?
A: I love Leigh Alexander, Cara Ellison and Simon Parkin. They are writers who think outside of the standard hype cycle of videogames and cut through to more interesting social and cultural aspects of gaming.
Q: What would you like to learn from a network of other self-employed or small business owners?
A: One of the hardest parts of freelancing is that it can be so isolating. You're never sure if you're asking for the right rates, or where openings are going to pop up. I'd like to know more about how to find editors that are receptive and whether I'm pricing things in the correct range.
What's *Your* Experience with Twitter?
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