Where is the industry headed? We asked, you answered.

by Rachel Smith
17 December 2014

Ask Us Wednesday returns as normal next week, but today we again want to give all of you a voice with the last of the survey answers (and, we think, some of the most interesting). The question we asked was where you thought the industry, and your role, was heading in the future – and boy, did that open the floodgates. It’s a long read, but well worth it for anyone in the trenches.

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“I think more people are going to work as freelancers as employers realise they don’t need full-time in-house staff. Sometimes I wonder what in-house people do all day!”

“My segment of the industry is fairly stable. Perhaps more academic work and less magazine work.”

“I think we need to organise better a la #paythewriters because there are so many people working for nothing, and that will only get worse.”

“Journalism will become more individualistic, more Internet-based, with corporates, individuals & probably Governments paying individual journalists or groups of journalists to produce pithy material. I see my role in the future divided between freelance writing that is essentially journalism based, for online & specialist media, & corporate writing that will provide my bread & butter. Independent traditional media will become niche journalism if it isn’t already. There will also be millions of Gonzos and whistleblower writers.”

“I see the need for more and more content, particularly online, but payments not growing with that.”

“More diverse, disparate small companies without finances to pay properly. I’ll stick to editing shifts to get by and keep writing as much as I can.”

“There’s no doubt the industry is changing rapidly, newspaper and mag circulations are dropping at an alarming rate and to keep up, journalists need to diversity and re-skill. More digital savvy and ability to write, edit and upload online copy and pics is absolutely essential.”

“It’s fluctuating. I see freelancers, especially in print, needing to be able to write headlines, sub their own copy, source images – eventually we’ll probably have to lay out the page too.”

“Probably more freelancers than in-house, but tighter budgets.”

“I’d like to see an industry body formed, one that will lobby and agitate for better rights and more ‘concrete’ conditions for freelancers.”

“I’m not sure where I see the industry headed. I know there are plenty of writers out there who are just starting out freelancing. I got out there 5 years ago, and it’s only just taking me now to really feel that my efforts have paid off. It’s bloody hard and I’m glad I went into it fairly naively, but I’m always available to share my experiences and advice as I look back. I think you need to focus on your strengths, because if you’re good at what you do, you’ll never be out of work. That’s always been my mantra, and I think it’s a great one to live and work by.”

“More and more freelancers!”

“More competition, less money, more plagiarism.”

“I see the industry heading more towards the freelance market. I believe that journalists who are trained and have marketable skills will always prove employable – it’s about adapting your skills to the changing market but storytelling as an art will always have value.”

“More, better paying online work.”

“Specialisation is the way to go for freelancers I think. There’s lots of work for specialised writers. It helps to be able to do more of the whole package too (graphics, photos, video etc).”

“Without at least one major anchor client, for me, it’s becoming untenable. I’m hunting for in-house work as well as freelance – and the market is just as tight.”

“I think more journalists and editors will go freelance as outlets struggle to retain full-time staff due to budget cuts. I believe/hope that editors will learn that it’s cheaper to pay a professional than an amateur in the long run. I’ve had to diversify in the past 20 months since going freelance and I think that’s the only way to be successful, at least financially.”

“As more and more companies outsource writing, I think the future is bright :)”

“Commoditisation of writing at the sacrifice of quality.”

“Just seems to be evolving into complete project work … ie ability to complete every role in project from start to finish.”

“Not sure – but not towards a new golden age.”

“Freelance editing is under pressure as publishers’ business model is eroded. Editing rates are squeezed. Future roles may include more collaboration with colleagues on a project basis and more work with private, self- publishing clients.”

“The industry is headed online, majority of work available for writers at least will be on line, not office based.”

“I think the media is slowing dying as we know it; social media and advertorial has pretty much gutted large chunks and it’s not really being replaced as there is no financial models which seem to be working online or generate enough to keep talented people interested (ie: I am not gonna work for 20k after 15 years as a designer).”

“It’s clear that most things are moving into the digital realm and retraining is necessary. There’s not as much full time work so I am looking to do the NEIS scheme and properly go rogue. The dole does not offer me any other training.”

“I’m in travel where social media is playing an increasingly large role in who goes on trips, etc. I prefer to guard my privacy rather than tell the whole world I’m not at home. I’m looking to make travel a smaller part of what I write about, and return to more entertainment/arts writing in future.”

“I see more freelancers used for writing, which may have been allocated to staff members in the past. Hopefully more journalists will make a good living from blogging and social media.”

“Dynamic but very scary because of all the younger inexperienced people who are undercutting the industry by working for terrible rates.”

“I’d like to see more recognition of work from home as an employee/contractor to suit mums. We still have a lot of value to give!”

“I see many more organisations realising the value of media training as media exposure takes off with social media.”

“I see it getting harder before it gets better. I’ve just been offered a one-day a week gig paying 14c a word with 45 days for the invoice to get paid.”

“Lots more digital which I’m not very strong at so I think I will struggle despite having a relatively good reputation.”

“Getting harder and harder so I will have to branch out into other areas.”

“I would hope that traditional book publishers on the east coast of Australia will consider virtual editors. At the moment that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“More crowded and fractured as traditional media reinvents itself.”

“I believe content curators will be in big demand. This will see an increasing demand in well-rounded people good at writing, image work, social media etc.”

“I’m honestly not sure where the industry is headed – it’s changed so much in the few years since I decided left my full-time position, so who knows what’s around the corner for anyone who’s freelancing or working in-house! I think in order to survive in the freelance world, I’ll have to develop more skills (e.g. social media, subbing, design, photography etc) so I can standout from and compete with other freelancers, as well as new graduates, when it comes to sourcing new work. This is not so much to do with my role, but I think I’ll have to become more accepting of the fact that some employers (mostly digital and marketing agencies) are offering lower rates since they know that they are able to find people who are willing to create content for them, regardless of what they’re offering. It frustrates me so much! I once had a marketer contact me via LinkedIn in regards to writing SEO copy for some of his clients for 6c per word! If that wasn’t already a slap in the face, when I told him my rate per hour, he said, ‘Good luck with that’.”

“More freelance work, but harder to get as many more ‘celebrity’ columnists in the mix. Emphasis seems to be on clicks/traffic rather than quality content.”

“I have no idea where it is heading. I just hope to make enough money out of freelancing to quit my other work.”

“More online and social media, run by underpaid juniors – meaning lower rates and shorter word lengths (hence, less money for writing). Less rigorous editing, and more outsourcing of editing work overseas. Need to find alternate work sources will increase. Serious journalist positions will be few and far between.”

“Writers are going to need to produce their own content and everything is going online. You need to be master of all disciplines from photography to law and video editing. However, you also need to be a sharp-shooting reporter too, not to mention social media savvy and constantly in touch with PRs and promoting yourself. The role is changing in that anything is possible – but nothing is controlled. Payments are entirely about creating ROI for companies – if there is advertising of any nature then (let’s be honest) nothing is unsponsored any more. Journalists need to work together to create a band of brothers that can ensure quality control, and then we might well be able to promote our career as one worthy of pursuing.”

“I hope to get more work as I continue through my studies, and make more contacts within the industry.”

“I see writing and editing standards dropping ever lower and the ‘creative classes’ being starved to the poverty line, as employers simply refuse to pay (life-) sustainable rates for good staff, even though they need to.”

“Companies are valuing staff far less, and are cutting staff numbers but increasing the workload. If you say it’s impossible, they tell you to ‘suck it up’ – yet they’re still posting great profits. I also hate that they are wanting more and more free interns to work to save money – yet not offering the interns much in terms of learning as they work, or job possibility at the end.”

“More online. Starting to get a glimmer that it might be paid (low but still something).”

“More web-based (and poorly paid!) work.”

“More competition and lower word rates.”

“I think brand journalism will become more important. I think more work will be outsourced.”

“I think there will be less distinction between old and new media – indeed newspapers/magazines will just be another platform and lose their ‘media’ status. Unfortunately, this means the lines between unfettered and real journalism and corporately sponsored material will blur.”

“Need to adapt more to digital media.”

“Digital! That’s a bit of a worry for someone like me who loves the print side of things.”

“More companies (larger) will just engage freelancers rather than having perms.”

“It’s only going to get tougher. I’m lucky to be ‘old’ as I’ve seen the best years of journalism, freelance (have freelanced for 23 years) and otherwise.”

“More emphasis on producing quantity of content, rather than quality. Employers prepared to employ younger, social media-aware, cheaper staff. I need to keep constantly in touch with social media developments and to multi-skill further to be able to perform all aspects of journalism/broadcast.”

“With the closure of more magazines, the freelance pool will be even bigger and as such, freelancers are going to need to upskill to be more employable.”

“I’d rather be doing branded content or advertising copywriting and get paid more. I feel I have to get out of magazines, an industry I loved and believed in and did very well in once upon a time. It’s not the same anymore and getting worse.”

“It has become global. People just want short and punchy, with images.”

“Less and less work – more people are getting everything in house no matter how good the idea is.”

“There’ll always be freelancers but I think fewer will get paid even on my level – I’m starting to diversify my sources of incomes.”

“Need to diversify and add new skills such as photography. Worried about future of print opportunities.”

“As far as corporate ‘media’ is concerned – definitely online as big and medium business move more and more towards becoming publishers of information.”

“It’s a vast realm of possibility. Everyone wants good content, but hasn’t quite worked out how to value it. For the time being I may not be able to make a living as a journalist/editor, so I really need to develop a couple more strings to my bow. I think they call it a ‘portfolio’ career!”

“Am hoping there’ll be more demand for experienced journalists.”

“I wish I knew. I think there will be more closures of publications and the market will get tighter and tighter with more and more people competing for less and less work. That’s the downside. The upside is that new technologies are giving us more and better tools to tell stories that really matter. Sadly it was closed down but I think the story the Global Mail did on Bulga was a great example of what can be done in the way it combined text, video, photography and audio. If as a writer I can work out how to do it all, or partner with other people who have the skills I don’t, it’s an incredibly powerful way to tell a story. I also think, or is it just hope, that sooner or later there has to come a point where advertisers realise that driving down ad rates to the point where publishing is no longer viable is not a good strategy.”

“There is competition from more writers as the bigger publishers lay off staff so I see the industry becoming more competitive. I have digital skills and embraced social media very early on so think that positions me in a stronger place. I’m considering scaling back on PR and concentrating on just writing (journalism, blogging, corporate etc) as that is my main love.”

“Greater emphasis on social media. Unfortunately this will result in quantity over quality in the market.”

“The media world is so fluid it’s important to be flexible. I’m sure my role will change, but that’s what I love about freelancing.”

“With the rise of online media, we will all have to take a huge paycut. Instead of the 60-80c word rate from print media, which used to be the standard, we’re looking at getting paid $30-75 a feature – which is what some very well known (and popular) sites offer freelancers now, no matter what their experience level is.”

“I think freelancing will only become more competitive, and multi-skilling will become more important.”

“It’s all going corporate. Much more projects and opportunities coming from PR and advertising agencies to write for clients / brands.”

“I see less opportunities for freelancers, and a definite change in roles – but I’m not sure what that will be. I think we’ll all need to diversify greatly – and while I’d like to make money from my blog, I see it more as an effective (and yes, it is!) promotional tool.”

“More work for freelancers as more media full-timers are laid off.”

“Although citizen journalism has caught on, I think editors are starting to realize they get what they pay for ie free = poor quality and are more ready to pay for good copy.”

“Book publishing is under major upheaval, corporates are trying to rationalise the bottom line, editors are expected to work for cheaper rates.”

“I see myself going for very niche areas. I already have one or two.”

“More contract work.”

“Increasing but companies not hiring the best option and going with the cheapest.”

“Rates for digital features are really low so I’d stay corporate here. Industry magazines pay well so seeking out more work here perhaps. I think niches to some degree are finite so expanding on my range of subject expertise – I’m writing articles on technology now which I never saw myself doing and really enjoy it; so there’s a world of subjects to explore!”

“I see my role involving more online content and combining factors of design and interactivity into textual work.”

“Pay seems to be decreasing (at least in Qld).”

“I think I have be capable of adapting to write all sorts of things for all sorts of markets. I can’t narrow down my expertise and experience – I have to be ready to go after all sorts of jobs.”

“I think it will be more important to keep a few clients as it is increasingly tough to ask for a decent per day rate as inexperienced people undercut. My view is experienced journalists should refuse to work for less as my experience is once they use a “cheaper” journalist, clients often come back because of the lack of quality.”

“I have heaps of remote work – everything is emailed and I have Skype meetings. There will undoubtedly be even more in the future, which is fine with me!”

“I see myself doing more online/corporate work. As job insecurity increases, downward pressure on pay and conditions increases, which flows through to freelancers.”

“Unfortunately I don’t see it improving unless people stop agreeing to work for pitiful money so I have gone back to uni to study adult literacy teaching with a view to making a career change down the track when magazines eventually die.”

“I am in the twilight of my career and won’t be changing my role, except to retire. When I left newspapers, I thought the industry had given up on good writing. That turned out to be just regional newspapers. The industry overall will pay good money for good copy. That won’t change, because good writing is always more effective than bad.”

“As a specialist, I fear one or more of my few reliable niche clients may shrink budgets or disappear leaving me at a loose end. I expect I will have to diversify and enter new media, such as online and radio, even though they tend to pay less. I hope that specialist writers will still be in demand and will be paid enough to live.”

“A lot more freelancing with in-house jobs being cut. More competition for freelancing gigs.”

“You have to keep evolving and trying new things. I never pitch for example as I think it’s a huge waste of time, so I’m finding other ways to get more semi-regular work.”

“I really have no idea, but suspect working in my industry (wine) is going to get even tougher, so will rely more on other, better paying industries for income.”

“Still optimistic that big media organisations will need more freelancers as they lay off staff – as long as they survive, that is.”

“I see far more ‘native advertising’ taking the place of real writing and journalism. I am also cautiously optimistic (very cautiously!) that there may be more freelancing opportunities at the big two (News and FFX) as the number of their FT employess dwindles.”

“Tighter budgets everywhere. I won’t compromise the quality of work but if they pay less I produce less. Ie no longer supplying heads/intros with stories, just straight copy editing for same money.”

“Diversifying and convergence.”

“More freelance work (we save the media companies BILLIONS without sick pay, super, a desk and chair, insurance).”

“More business writing and comms strategy for SME clients, less media work.”

“Now doing content writing but focussed on quality projects. I feel the need to protect my ‘brand’.”

“Freelancers have to be flexible and open-minded about the work they’re prepared to take on. Sticking to an area of expertise may work for some, but I’m finding that research into unfamiliar territory is a must if you want to be seen as diverse. I’m enjoying that from a personal and professional growth perspective.”

“I hope to see consistency in payment rates and the eradication of people writing for free.”

“So much is headed online. To survive, you must embrace digital.”

“Tougher as the freelance pool population expands.”

“While the increase in ‘alternative’ journalism is encouraging, it does not compensate for the shrinking mainstream market. The lowering of writing standards and lack of love for the craft are lamentable. Freelance life should be of the highest level, and not just some desperate focus on making a quid by any means. Many freelancers see veterans and deserve respect, especially of themselves, by themselves. We are not some half dead shadowy secret society in search of a reason to go on living through working.”

“More freelancers will be used by publishers as the full-timers are having to do too much at the moment and this can’t continue. I think as more organisations come to grips with content marketing there will be more demand for writers in this area and I think that’s where opportunities lie.”

“Just more and more diversity in skills.”

“I think the workplace will become more competitive and decentralised. I’m training to move into a different industry.”

“Technology will overtake me and I will have to retrain/diversify/become a barista/prostitute.”

“Unsure.”

“I see it as all web-based. When I went to uni, the Internet wasn’t even invented. My role needs to change but I’m not sure how.”

“I hope the rates of pay will go up. But they won’t.”

“Social media is going to rule. Good reporting will morph into good marketing. Serious print journalism is dead. Good research skills aren’t!”

“Specialising is going to be very important. You need to know almost as much about a topic as the subject matter experts.”

“I see more magazines moving online and more opportunities for writers and editors to work remotely.”

“There is one thing about the future of which I am absolutely certain: that I haven’t the faintest idea what to expect of this industry or how its changes are going to affect my future employability. All my previous predictions have been wrong.”

“Sad to say that it’s becoming more about ‘content’ and less about well-researched stories that consider a number of viewpoints.”

“God knows. It continues to contract. I’m really, really good at what I do and clients love me … they just don’t have as many projects as they used to across the board. But as ever with freelancing, one big job could change everything.”

“I see more offshore, cut price, low level ‘writers’ undercutting the market via freelancing websites. I also predict the market will become more competitive as print journalists/editors and in-house PR teams are laid off. These events will affect some segments of the market in the form of more competition and lower market rates, but will probably not impact experienced writers with special skills, a great portfolio and a solid client list.”

“I see it diversifying and becoming much broader. I would still prefer to be in-house and full time in any case.”

“As the job market becomes more and more casual/not permanent, I see more opportunities for freelance but increased competition for the work.”

“I’m very very very very lucky, I think there will always be some demand for the niche I have found for myself and the reputation I have managed to build and will hopefully hold…”

“Online because of the need to be current.”

“I see more work being online and less in print which means we need to deliver more with our content, however people are wanting to pay less and less for it.”

“Downhill as publishers and editors squeeze rates and work quality and as more and full in-house journos get laid off.”

“I believe more people will try to earn income from freelancing as regular job markets change and as social media and handheld devices become more prevalent. Hence, more competition, but perhaps also opportunities across broader work sources.”

“More multi tasking, competing with people who undercut the market. Harder for start ups to pay.”

“I see myself doing a lot more marketing communications in future.”

“I see payment for copy continuing to decrease.”

“With more professionals in the market things are going to get tougher in the next two years. I’m trying to make hay while news outlets are under-staffed but soon a bunch of freelancers who took redundancies will come on stream. It’ll be tougher once that happens.”

“I think diversification is key, with an increased emphasis on online platforms, the shift to ‘community reporting’ through online platforms including blogs will change the landscape from traditional print. I believe freelancers will evolve to become media managers as well as content producers with a shift towards corporate work, rather than news reporting for major money earning potential.”

“Fewer in house jobs and lower pay rates still until the industry sorts itself out.”

“I imagine the industry will head towards ‘kings’ of certain markets, and freelancers will provide the content for that. The big media = big coverage paradigm is over.”

“The future is entirely uncertain. And not in the good way.”

“It will become more and more difficult. There is little quality control – everyone is a photographer or writer; decisions about quality are made by people who are not qualified to make them, priority goes to the lowest price, banal and mediocre is fine, often preferred.”

“I think there’s more work out there at good rates than ever before. If you’re fast, consistently good at delivering what clients need, and manage your freelancing like a business, not like you’re a ‘writer’.”

“I’ll keep writing feature stories for whoever continues to pay well for this task.”

“Too new at the game to comment with authority, but I look at it in the same way as a council contract; the local council doesn’t fix roads any more, it outsources to experts. I hope to be the expert of choice!”

“Unfortunately I believe an increased demand for online content will see more opportunities for writers willing to work for free. It’s a catch 22. Write for free for exposure and to build a portfolio, but then online publications come to undervalue writers and not pay their worth, leaving less paid opportunities. In the traditional publishing arena a decline in print readership and increase on production costs will most likely see a decrease in writing opportunities. I guess the positive for a freelancer is print publications may lay off employees (not good for them) and perhaps engage more freelancers. Ultimately I think the next 5 years there will be a dramatic upturn in the journalism and writing professions. As a freelancer it will mean more time and effort into working relationships, pitching, building rapport, discovering new opportunities, working harder than ever before. It may mean that some freelancers will need to find other ways of bringing in income and working harder to keep doing what they love.”

“I love writing for Fairfax but I know I have to diversify. I don’t want to do corporate work but I may have to.”

“The world of news and magazines is more immediate and more online. There’s more competition out there, and editors want things done yesterday. Many of them have no real writing experience themselves. It’s harder to pitch stories, it’s one of the few industries where rates have gone down and not up. It’s disheartening, but it’s what I love to do.”

“Must be good at digital and CMS to combine with excellent ‘old fashioned’ proper subbing and writing skills. Feel this will be only way to keep jobs.”

“Clients are more open to using freelancers, and teams of experienced freelancers.”

“I strongly feel the need to move into web content writing and more commercial/PR type work as I fear the printed paper read is on the way out. Boo. I feel more confident about the future of magazines but my cherished newspapers have little life left.”

“Most of my clients will still need my expertise for the forseeable future in the next 3-4 years.”

“There is definitely more emphasis on online publishing and I know I need to focus on building my skills in that area.”

“I’m hoping once we get over the popularity contest that is social media, readers, editors and writers will recognise quality writing over quantity crap which is being produced at a rapid rate.”

“Need to re-invent myself. Little future in journalism.”

“More writers will be required to fulfil the content demands of the digital age. There is tonnes of work out there in the copywriting/content marketing space that is taking over the roles previously occupied by traditional journalism. Freelancers will need to understand SEO and digital platforms more than ever and understand their value in the market.”

“I can only foresee more insecurity and instability – it’s the way the workforce is heading generally.”

“Content is going to keep being king! It’s going to be more important to understand how to write in a platform specific manner for an online audience.”

“More online/digital content required in general; some expansion of specialist print publications but in general shrinking of print market.”

“I’m not sure what the future holds for book publishing. On the one hand, lists – especially education lists – are relatively robust. However, a lot of work is being outsourced overseas. I think the role of a top-notch book editor might evolve into more of a coordinator of outsourced teams. I also think personally that my career is at the stage of becoming a maven/mentor/coach, not just a practitioner. So I’m investigating how do I coach/train/encourage others, and make money from this…”

“Industry is headed online, thus so should I. I hate social media but need to get with the program to survive.”

“I see freelancing as becoming even more competitive. I think you need to have a strong voice and some valuable clients to make a living but there will always be opportunities to write well.”

“More website/PR related work as mag stuff dries up more.”

“Ever lower rates and more competition for jobs.”

“It’s not looking good. Too many people chasing too few jobs, many willing to work for peanuts bring down professional standards.”

“Self imploding, time to find another career.”

“Digital/old biz models breaking up the industry, which offers the old conundrums of challenge and opportunity. Audience engagement is key, but am a bit concerned this is affecting what I’d call quality, contextual journalismm which does NOT mean I think the best is behind us, quite the opposite. Its also interesting that I have found more active socially/political uses of social media in so-called developing countries.”

“Not sure. It’s an ever changing beast.”

“I foresee a day in the near future where I will have to retrain in a new industry. It seems inevitable that magazines will die and I’ll have to find a new field to work in.”

“Heading directly into a new media landscape where journalists will need to be multi-media proficient. Which I think is not a bad thing, as it is an exciting way to create features and storytelling. The pressing concern is the amount of ‘bloggers’ and ‘wannabe writers’ (or to put it into a term I heard this week, ‘churnalists!’) that flood the market with content that is highly opinionated and devoid of the traditional elements of good journalism – fact checking, objectivity and crafting a compelling story. Also how this saturated market is making it trickier to negotiate your value, when so many produce free/low value material. I still do believe quality journalism will prevail and clients will still seek out excellent and passionate writers.”

“In the book industry I see tighter budgets and fewer books being published. As a result, I will do more non-book editing.”

“Content producing and social media will take over. Feature writing will become occasional.”

“The print industry is shrinking but content marketing is a burgeoning area. As we increasingly move online, I fear those lovely, long-form, in-depth editorials will become a thing of the past. I do hope we see editorial content become clever – not gimmicky and faddish – at cutting through all the online media noise. In my personal long- term future I envisage a career change or at least a sidestep.”

“Despite contraction of the market, it’s heartening to see that there is still demand for high quality written work, in various forms, whether from media outlets or corporate clients. I’d expect to be doing more corporate work/content creation going forward.”

“More digital work and needing to provide visual content also.”

“I think telecommute freelancers are going to be an increasing phenomenon as it suits the “lean” ethos of the media organisations and reduces impacts on office space etc. So I feel kinda well positioned for that.”

“I’m just taking it as it comes at the moment, not too worried.”

“I think there will be increased competition as more become freelancers. And it’s very possible that those newbies will undercut my charges, so it could be harder for me. If the current economic situation doesn’t improve significantly, I see that it will be harder to convince businesses that having their documents edited remains essential to their marketing and communications.”

“Journalists with experience and skill will start to stand out from the sea of writers hanging up freelance shackles who are prepared to work for nothing to get published (and keep getting paid by their day jobs).”

“Magazines are dying. I’m glad I bought my own house when the going was good.”

“There’s always been a need for good writers; there’s always been issues with getting payment for good writing. Same-o/same-o in the future.”

“Very exciting. So much opportunity. Every week, at least one brand contacts me every week to write for them. I say no more than I say yes.”

“There’ll be a stronger realisation that being good at a role does not equal being a good freelancer. Business skills will come to the fore for many looking to become freelancers.”

“Journalists needing to adapt to changing media requirements; needing to adapt to the changing media environment while doing best to maintain writing standards.”

“I see even more competition as the media industry continues to shed full timers. This is likely to put downward pressure on rates.”

“I think we all have to be more flexible to work across different platforms.”

“I think there is room for everyone as long as you find your niche. The key is to diversify your client base so you always have work coming form somewhere and can rely on a balance of small invoices and bigger invoices. Bread and butter plus cream!”

“More ad hoc, contract work at large corporates and government agencies.”

“Fewer outlets and more competition from other freelancers.”

“More demand for content management.”

“I think that price will continue to be driven down by the marketplace. There’s always someone willing to do the same job cheaper, so price is always an issue.”

“Book publishing seems to be contracting, so I expect to have to pursue work in corporate editing/publishing more than I do now.”

“More competition from full-time writers being laid off.”

“Less staff writers, more freelance work available but for lower rates with higher competition.”

“More uncertainty but need to keep on the ball and branch out e.g. wanting to set up a coaching editing and writing consultancy for non-writer professionals.”

“Magazine companies are already gearing up for reducing print and increasing digital. The most interesting area is companies setting up their own media channels and employing journalists to produce content. I suspect that’s where I’ll head.”

“Telecommuting to embrace new clients in different verticals worldwide.”

“I think unfortunately journalists and writers are insufficiently valued – it’s ironic that people call out for content and don’t realise that journalists and writers actually generate and craft content already. There’s a lot of lollygagging around ‘social media’, etc, too. People who commission the work have undeveloped understanding of the skills that go into being a journalist.”

“Industry is demanding a lot more bang for its (minimal) buck! Content will always be required but writers must broaden their skills set / sources of work base in order to be employable and make the same income.”

“I don’t see work drying up but the competition will become fiercer and can’t see any improvement in pay rate. It’s not just journos being being laid off but more graduates joining the queue.”

“Not sure. Am thinking seriously of getting out of journalism.”

“I’m regional and too isolated to have an opinion on this. If I didn’t need the money I’d retire.”

“I think there will be more work for freelancers.”

“More emphasis on needing multimedia content, but no one seems prepared to pay for it.”

“I see things getting better for freelancers as more content is outsourced, but there is a need to find a niche/specialise so you can differentiate yourself from the herd.”

“There’s plenty of work however I am concerned about the downward pressure on word /hourly rates. I think content management (rather than production) will become a growing field for experienced writers to move into.”

“Down the toilet. Social media/technology taking over, standards falling, purses tightening. Outsourcing everything is terrible.”

“Optimistically, I think employers will begin to realise they need to pay for quality but that may also make it harder to prove yourself and get work. I think the industry moves in cycles.”

“I feel that the lines of PR and journalism are becoming ever more blurred and it depresses the hell out of me. It’s all about branded content, clickbait and SEO rather than good, honest storytelling. The future? I can’t see one for me in media. But I’m over 40 and jaded by recent tough times, so maybe this is just the natural order – making way for the bright young things.”

“Given the disruption the industry is undergoing it’s to predict where the industry is heading or what anyone will be doing in.”

“Much more online publications which should mean more freelance commissions but maybe then more writers… so the competitiveness continues.”

“Fewer well-paid assignments for mid-level freelancers; competition from overseas based on price, not quality. I don’t expect my role to change as I have 30 years’ experience and get enough work on that basis.”

“With more competition for fewer roles, I think that as well as offering quality services, freelancers need to really work at nurturing their existing clients as well as seeking new ones. I think a freelancer has to decide whether to become an entrepreneur/business brand, or be content going from contract to contract. For me, I’ll need to stay versatile in my service offering, while somehow also offering niche expertise (whether it’s skills or the content I work with) – in order to stand out from other freelancers – especially those on the O-desks/Elance sites of this world, who work for pittance, thus undervaluing our skills to clients.”

“I believe I will need to keep my relationships going across the three industries I work in so that if one sheds work, such as the arts, I can hopefully pick this up in another industry. I think this means there will be less specialists dedicated to one field, and more people trying their hands across a number of fields. I believe I’ll be looking to continue with a range of short-term work alongside my two permanent part-time in-house jobs. No longer will I be looking for a full-time in-house role as I would have in the past.”

“I mostly write features for mainstream and custom magazines and I fear the magazine industry will continue its sharp decline. As the industry moves towards online content delivery I need to expand into the online space where shorter stories are commissioned at lower rates. All of this means I need to diversify into PR and corporate writing/editing.”

“I see the industry moving more into the corporate sector as magazines’/newspapers’ budgets tighten up. Unfortunately, the pessimist in me sees less appreciation shown towards the written word and untrained or inexperienced ‘writers’ becoming a large proportion of the freelance/in-house workforce.”

“There are more people freelancing, the market is tight and competitive. I have diverse income streams (writing, photography, PR/marcoms) but it is harder to find regular work for organisations who respect and value the skillets.”

“I work in old media (read magazines). Let’s just say that I’m studying psychology and no doubt will have clients who have gone crazy in this industry.”

“Integration of print and digital, skewed more to digital, multi-skilled and multi-tasking – all with the same pay and too many people competing for the same job.”

“Down the toilet! Earning 1/3 what I did 10 years ago yet working as many, if not more, hours. So many publishers – print and online – want everything for nothing and so many wannabes are willing to do it for nothing. Pay peanuts, get monkeys.”

“More and more content writing, making it more important to have my finger in the blogging world and a social media following than ever before.”

“I guess I’m a little different to others in that I work freelance for niche sport websites to support my research work in similar areas. I use journalism as an outreach tool for academic objectives as much as for an income and for supporting a particular lifestyle with products and experiences. As this particular sporting industry pays lower than most other areas of the media, I see my role either branching out to broader, more profitable and sustainable markets, or lessening (but remaining visible) if the academic work becomes more stable. In the immediate future, I see freelancers as needing to be able to produce more quick, snappy content aimed at short attention spans and drawing on a wider range of publishing and promotion skills. I worry about the visibility for, and value placed on, content that is stepped back, reflective, original, collaborative and more in depth.”

“If only I knew!”

“Less print, more online work. Magazines are a dying art/ product and I don’t think the majority will be around in paper form in ten years.”

“As much as I love freelance writing and it’s all I want to do, I do forecast further issues. I personally love print and there are obvious concerns about the future of press and the print industry. And with more and more publications shutting down and laying off staff, I worry the competition is just getting too great. There really are no new ideas anymore, how do we find them?”

“I see more work being outsourced to freelancers resulting in more people working freelance, and thus greater competition for jobs.”

“More niche, more citizen journos and less respect for paying people for words – I feel there will come a time when video and photography will sadly eclipse words.”

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