Live Conference
the institute for independent journalists presents the
2026 Freelance Journalism Conference
Solo Together: A conference for independent journalists and creators to find community and build thriving businesses
Registration is now open for the IIJ’s 2026 online conference on March 5 and 6! Level up your freelance career with our first-ever pitch fest, sessions on fellowships and grants, earning income as a solo creator, self-care and much more!
Registration is now open for the IIJ’s 2026 online conference on March 5 and 6! Level up your freelance career with our first-ever pitch fest, sessions on fellowships and grants, earning income as a solo creator, self-care and much more!
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Key Takeaways
- What 20+ editors want in a pitch, and how to win assignments
- New strategies for financially and emotionally sustainable freelancing
- Ideas for building community and new networking contacts
Enrolled Users Get Access To
About the Conference:
The Institute for Independent Journalists invites you to the 2026 Freelance Conference, live online March 5 and 6! Take advantage of dozens of opportunities to connect with commissioning editors, as well as sessions on funding your reporting, earning revenue through newsletters or social media, using AI to streamline your business, and much more! Register today for only $49 and gain immediate access to a bundle of freelance resources, including tip sheets for pitching more than 20 media outlets, sample contracts, budgets and more.
Day 1
Session 1:
AI for Freelancers
Thursday March 5, 10:00 am - 11:15 am ET
Learn how to enhance your reporting and streamline your freelance business through the use of AI. This panel will include expert insights into the most cost-effective AI tools for freelancers, from data scrapers to chatbots and more. When it comes to running your business, learn what kinds of tools you can use to improve your systems and manage time more efficiently. This discussion will also contend with the ethical responsibilities of independent journalists who choose to deploy AI in their reporting workflows.
Keynote Speaker: TBD
Thursday March 5, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm ET
Session 3: Pitch Fest
Thursday March 5, 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm ET
A first for the IIJ: We’re taking the pitching live! Submit your pitches in the run-up to the 2026 IIJ Freelance Conference, and we’ll select a handful of lucky winners who will have the chance to pitch their story on camera to a panel of editors. The audience will learn by example what works to pique the interest of editors – and sell your next story.
Session 4:
Decoding the Editor Relationship
Thursday March 5, 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Strong editor relationships are often the key to consistent freelance work. In this session, editors and experienced freelancers unpack what editors look for, how to communicate effectively, and how to turn first assignments into ongoing opportunities. Panelists will share practical guidance on pitching, follow-ups, feedback, and boundaries, plus common mistakes to avoid, so freelancers can build authentic, professional relationships with confidence.
Sponsor
The O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism
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Session 5:
Bringing Your Journalism Skills to Fiction
Thursday March 5, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm ET
If you’ve ever wondered how writers succeed in taking their stories to Hollywood, come listen to this group of writers with experience doing just that. From magazine journalists to fiction writers, the panelists will share the steps it took for them to get their stories on TV or the big screen, and tips for others just starting out on this path.
Session 6:
Find Your Community (Not Recorded)
Thursday March 5, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
After a full day of learning, join your freelance colleagues for an interactive networking session. Connect with IIJ leaders and other independent journalists in the main room and breakout groups organized by subject area and topics you‘d like to explore. This popular IIJ session has led to accountability buddies and writing groups, and we guarantee camaraderie!
Day 2
Session 7:
Revenue Secrets of Creator Journalists
Friday March 6, 10:00 am - 11:15 am ET
There are more platforms than ever where journalists can build a paying audience, and plenty of success stories to prove that doing so is a real possibility. Whether it’s podcasts, TikTok or YouTube channels, or newsletters, these creators have spun sustainable businesses on their own terms by cultivating a mixture of revenue streams. Learn how you can get started carving out your own unique niche as an independent creator with guidance from experienced pros across different platforms.
Session 8:
Maximize Your Money
Friday March 6, 11:30 am - 12:45 pm ET
Making freelancing sustainable often depends on accessing additional funds to supplement an outlet’s standard pay rate – especially for long-form and investigative stories. This group of journalism fellowship and grant directors will outline how to write a winning proposal for major projects on health, mental health and contemporary American society – and how these opportunities can transform your freelance career.
Session 9:
Pitching Stories That Make an Impact
Friday March 6, 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm ET
Mission driven, nonprofit newsrooms are increasingly filling information gaps. In some places, they are helping to mitigate news deserts. Others are focusing their coverage deeply on one beat – like gun violence, or reproductive rights – and many of them look to freelancers for coverage. Join this group of nonprofit newsroom editors to learn about their audiences, and how to craft a pitch that gets noticed.
Sponsor
Democracy Fund
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Session 10: Reporting With Care
Friday March 6, 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Journalists bear a unique responsibility to their sources, especially when reporting on sensitive topics. These days, that’s almost every journalist. This panel of editors and freelancers will share how reporters can practice journalism that looks honestly at injustice and abuses of power, while taking care to do no harm to sources and to themselves.
Session 11: The Scoop on Sustainable Lifestyle Freelancing
Friday March 6, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm ET
Session 12: Networking and Takeaways (Not Recorded)
Friday March 6, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
Keep the energy of the conference going in a networking session with IIJ leaders, speakers and other independent journalists. Share your favorite learnings, ask a follow-up question or maybe meet an accountability buddy to help you with conference-inspired freelance goals. This is a live session that will not be recorded. Even if you're an introvert -- you won’t want to miss it.
Thank you to our Sponsors
The Institute for Independent Journalists
The Institute for Independent Journalists is an education, professional development, and mutual support organization for independent journalists, focusing on Black, Indigenous and people of color. Our mission is financial and emotional sustainability for independent journalists of color, through community learning, innovation and advocacy.
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