Science journalist and editor Hannah Hoag dives into the sad state of affairs that drives freelancers to supplement their income with better-paying work. Photo: Hoag and the CCGS Amundsen, a Canadian Arctic research icebreaker she lived and worked on in 2008; courtesy Bennie Mols.

Writer/editor Amy Westervelt relates lessons learned by herself and her freelance colleagues on the road to financial stability for their reporting endeavour, Climate Confidential. Photo: Westervelt speaks at the Nov 13, 2014, “Food Fight” in Brooklyn. Credit: Mariya Pylayev, Climate Nexus.

Winnifred Bird and Jane Braxton Little, a former SEJ mentor program pair, describe (with humor!) the process of how they turned their shared interest in the Fukushima disaster's affect on forest ecosystems and rural communities into a successful writing collaboration.

Perhaps the biggest value in fellowships is that they can provide a base of knowledge about issues a journalist has not yet investigated. And there’s no telling when that knowledge will come in handy. Read how freelancer Lisa Palmer's experiences with fellowships profoundly shaped her career, and explore resources to help you find a program that will best suit your needs.

Freelance writer and editor Jennifer Weeks extolls the virtues of freelancers attending conferences and shares her wisdom on choosing ones that meet your needs ("SEJ’s annual conference... my favorite after a decade of freelancing"), and what to do before, during and after. Photo: © Roger Archibald.

Public radio journalist Karen Schaefer shares how she pursued and won a grant, bumps in the road she overcame, lessons learned, and tips for unearthing funders. Photo: Schaefer on the job at a cow barn at Vander Made Farms near Sherwood, Ohio. Photo by Chris Kick, Farm and Dairy.

Environmental journalist Adam Hinterthuer (pictured, estimating the circumference of an old-growth tree) shares in Freelance Files [22] his tips for staying sane while balancing a love of writing with responsibilities as employee, father and husband.

Freelancer Erica Gies shares how she has created a "citizen of the world" reporting portfolio, gets paid to travel, and gains perspective on herself, her country and the common problems we all face.

Freelancer Christine Woodside shares her hard-earned wisdom about myriad aspects of weaving a life and business out of independent status in the inaugural column, "The Freelance Files."

Bud Ward covers topics of interest to freelancers, including cash flow, incorporation, health insurance, business expenses and more.