Tips on improving my CV and broadening my work?

[The Nightingale]

I suppose I can't say I'm a proper freelance journalist yet, as I am rather tender in years and have little experience, but I would really like to improve my CV and begin to get more work. The only issue is, I'm not sure where to go or who to contact in order to do this. I suppose for someone of my age I have done quite a bit. Here are links to some of my published work:

Article:

A Declaration - By Jessica Beasley

Interview with bestseller:

Interview with author of The Declaration - Gemma Malley | cube publisher | Radiowaves

Film review:

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review (DVD Movie/Film) Ben Barnes, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes

I also have experience in performance poetry, short-film making, proof-reading and being a magazine editor.

I've also won a few national writing competitions and covered a few theatre events. The only problem is, my contacts are limited. I think I could get more work published if I had a few decent contacts, but I don't! I would like to get a few articles published in national broadsheets, and maybe do some more interviewing and critiquing. Any tips on how to go about this?

Obviously I am interested in being paid for my work, but money comes secondary to improving my CV at the moment. Oh, did I mention I'm only sixteen to no official qualifications YET, but most people who have published me don't seem to bothered about that seeing as I'm freelance.

Any advice appreciated

[johnthecoach]

Hello,

I read your review of The Declaration - it was really enjoyable to read, and I'm not generally one for reading such things, but I found your style engaging and direct.

With respect to contacts, you could write to the magazines you enjoy, or those in similar markets in the writers yearbook. Perhaps send them some examples and/or suggest some articles you could write for them.

I coached a travel writer for a while, and she found that it required persistence and a lot of "rejections" - but hey, you're in good company, most great books were rejected many times over.

Or, you could take a "fictional approach".

Imagine a character, just like yourself, who decides to make a game out of building contacts and getting her writing known. She is fearless and has limitless energy. How does she go about it?


With kind regards
John