Training time

THE NUJ is offering a wide range of courses relevant to freelances this autumn. Confirmed courses in London include the following, presented by the Branch experts Humphrey Evans and Phil Sutcliffe:

• Getting started as a freelance - 1 November (£60 to NUJ members, £50 student members, others £110);
• Pitch and deal - 15 November (£70 to NUJ members, others £130)
• Money Matters - 9 September - free FEU course (see below)

Others (some possibly subject to sufficient interest) include:

• Making internet journalism pay - 11 September, 9 October & 13 November
• Numeracy for journalists - 17 September
• Writing for the web - 23-24 September & 18-19 November
• Build your own website - 3-4 October & 28-29 November
• Business for journalists - 29 October
• Writing headlines, standfirsts and intros - 6 November

For details and to book, contact training@nuj.org.uk - and members in Northern Ireland can contact the Irish Confederation of Trades Unions education officer, kevin.doherty@ictuni.org - in Scotland joanm@nuj.org.uk - and in Wales see nujtrainingwales.org

Always Ask For More

Humphrey Evans gives a foretaste of the Pitch & Deal course with this true story: Footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored all four Swedish goals when they beat England in a 2012 friendly. The one that reverberated around the football world was an acrobatic overhead bicycle kick from 30 yards that looped over the head of England goalkeeper Joe Hart straight into the net.

Someone on a national newspaper sports desk that night tells us that their picture people quickly established that only one photographer had a good image of Zlatan launching himself horizontal. They rang and asked how much he wanted.

"30 euros," he said. Our source says they virtually had to stuff socks in their mouths to stop themselves laughing in gleeful amazement. The full story is at londonfreelance.org/fl/1308more.html

Managing finances correctly and efficiently is an important issue for any freelance. This workshop will help you get to grips with key financial issues and to ensure that you don’t waste your hard-earned cash through ignorance. Details: www.feutraining.org/news/free-workshops/