Angelica Malin: 'Don't be afraid to follow up'
The founder and editor in chief of About Time magazine on what she looks for in new writers
In 2014, when she was just 22 years old, Angelica Malin launched a lifestyle website for Londoners. Five years later and About Time has become a go-to online magazine for food, travel and style, attracting a loyal readership that has extended far beyond the capital.
As a female founder who knows all too well how challenging it is to strike out on your own as a woman, Angelica makes it a priority of hers to help others achieve similar goals. She runs festivals and events for women, including the brilliant #SheStartedIt festival for female entrepreneurship. When she’s not inspiring other women to start their own ventures, she’s working on hers. Angelica often talks about how she started a magazine with little business knowledge, learning what she needed along the way.
In this interview with The Professional Freelancer, Angelica shares her best advice for new writers and how to start thinking about your freelancing as a small business. She also reveals some exciting opportunities for freelancers to work with About Time.
What advice do you have for people starting out as freelance writers?
People will tell you endlessly that you need a "niche" as a writer – a specialism that you can centre your work on. I don't agree. The best writers all let the words do the talking. Focus on your craft – how to use words, how to weave a story, how you create a narrative around the everyday. Your writing will always, always, be the thing that is uniquely yours. So while it’s important to start by building your network (chatting to other freelancers, trying to meet editors, engaging with journalists on Twitter) don't forget about the craft.
Have a road map of how you intend to make money in the first 12 months
Also, save, save, save. Nothing kills a dream like stressing out about money within the first month. Build yourself a 3-month buffer of cash so that you can feel secure whilst trying to build up your freelance business (remember, it is a business after all, and no business magically makes a profit in the early days). Be realistic with yourself with what you expect to make the first year and plan accordingly. And don’t forget to keep back some money every month for tax and unexpected costs.
What do you look for in new writers?
We're a unique publication in the sense that we run most things in-house and we work with journalists largely for travel and food stories. We always look for a journalist that can add value to the publication, whether that's great photographer, a strong social following or unique access to a story. We like writers who are bursting with enthusiasm (exactly the opposite of how I feel on a Friday afternoon) and can't wait to get stuck into a feature.
What’s the biggest mistake you see freelancers make when they pitch About Time?
We get pitched the WHOLE time for destination pieces when it's clear they just want a nice holiday or comp hotel stay out of it. Make sure the story is good first, not just that you want to have a nice time! There's a fine line in lifestyle journalism and trust me, the editor always knows. *Insert laughing crying emoji*
Is there a good time of day to pitch to editors or does it not matter?
I think it really depends on where you are pitching. If it's a national like Metro or the Times, I would say either really early in the morning so it's in time for conference (the daily editorial meeting), or mid-afternoon to be filed the following morning. However, it really depends on the nature of the story and its time-sensitivity. Not every story is about being the first one to publish and lots of the best stories take time to work on. Get to know the editors and ask them when and how they like to be pitched. It's really that easy sometimes.
Do you feel about follow-up emails from freelancers?
Definitely follow-up! I get hundreds of press releases every day so inbox zero is basically impossible for me. I often lose things in the avalanche that is my inbox, so don't be afraid to follow-up. Software like Boomerang can help you find out if your email has been read, which is fun, if a little maddening.
People think of you as the editor of About Time, but you're also a self-employed entrepreneur. What advice do you have for any freelancers who want to step up their game and start a small business?
I actually think you should be thinking of yourself as a business from the off. Many freelance writers now have many strings to their bow, as the industry demands (hello, cash flow), such as podcasts, moderating events, writing books. If you get in the mindset of being a business owner, not just a freelance journalist, I think you subconsciously give yourself permission to be bolder with your career and take more risks. Our careers are ever-evolving, ever shape-shifting and getting into the mentality of "being bigger than you are", it helps you dream a bit bigger too. I started the magazine on my own straight out of university at 22, with zero investment, and we've since grown to a team of 5, with a network of over 90 freelance contributors, 4 festivals in the pipeline for 2020 and 2 new podcast series. I didn't have any business experience and I'm still, very much, making it up as I go. But so much of that is just the confidence to step into your light, as it were, and allow yourself to be flexible in the concept of your "work". We're designed to evolve and change. Don't be scared of that.
Not every story is about being the first one to publish
On the practical side of starting a business, have a road map of how you intend to make money in the first 12 months. Figure out your revenue streams and, if possible, try to diversify those streams. For us, that's advertising, brand collaborations, events and festivals. Having multiple revenue streams means you don't rely too heavily on one thing and should your industry change (Instagram, for example), you're not totally stuck. Make your offering pretty clear cut and figure out how you can dedicate time to working "on" the business, as well as "in" it. I take Fridays to do all the admin side of my business – invoices, payments, strategy – so I can relish the ways of creativity and visioning. And, for Christ's sake, find some people. It's a lonely old road out there as a business owner, and you'll have so many moments when you want to throw in the towel and run for the comfort of someone else's payroll. Those are the moments where you need a fellow founder on speed dial to go have a glass of wine with. Find those people – they will be the raft that carries you through many a storm.
What kinds of pitches do you want to see more of for About Time?
At the moment we're actually looking for more journalists who want to moderate events. We've got our next #SheStartedIt LIVE festival of female entrepreneurship, happening on the 14th March 2020, and we're looking for journalists who have experience in hosting panels to get involved. So say hi! Other than that, we love food listicles and those always go down well on the site.
Next week’s members’ post will be another instalment of Ask A Freelancer, a series in which I address any and all questions about freelancing, modern work and careers. If you have a question for the Ask A Freelancer series, simply reply to this email with it.