Everyone’s got a new year’s resolution: hit the gym enough times a month for membership not to be an act of charity. Return to the dreaded Duolingo and submit yourself to the iron will of the owl. Finally deploy that pasta maker somebody bought you as a “present”.
But how about — and hear me out here — you consider a resolution that would be (a) fun and (b) profitable: like pitching us here at The Tribune? I’m Sophie, a part-time editor here (mostly, I work for the Trib’s sister paper, the Mill in Manchester). Historically, we’ve been reliant on Dan and staff writers lent from other papers to cover most of the articles the Tribune needs. But my resolution for 2023 (along with wrapping my brain around the subjunctive in Spanish) is to ensure we have a lot more freelance writers contributing pieces for the Trib, because I think a truly great publication should have a huge range of voices and styles and interests — something that our tiny core team can’t really provide.
This isn’t our first rodeo! Some of the greatest pieces we published last year were authored by freelance writers — Mina Miller wrote an incredible essay about Spital Hill’s underrated restaurants, David Bocking wrote evocatively on how place making is transforming Sheffield, Lucy Brownson detailed how Sheffield’s radical bookshops fostered working-class activism in the 1930s and beyond, Harry Shukman documented Alison Teal’s suspension from the Sheffield Green Party, Daniel Timms mapped the climate challenge facing the city and Rachel Pronger told the compelling story of a feminist documentary-film collective in the 80s.
What are we looking for?
- Lively, interesting ideas for articles about Sheffield and the surrounding area that haven’t been covered before, whether by us or another publication.
- News investigations, spicy FOI reveals, pieces which hold powerful individuals or institutions to account, as well as fun voicey reads, opinionated cultural longreads and reviews, proposals for interviews or op-eds.
We’re looking for people with a passion for beautifully-crafted writing, investigative reporting and hard-hitting news who want to bring about a renaissance in journalism in Sheffield. If you’re incredibly witty, read the Trib regularly and have a strong authorial voice, that’s great too. You might be a professional who has worked in journalism for 30 years, a freelance cultural critic or someone who is just starting out. Either way, if you have some experience and think you can offer something fresh, we’d love to hear from you.
Please send your gorgeously crafted Sheffield-focused pitches and any previous clips to sophie@manchestermill.co.uk.
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