I joined Study Hall a few months into the pandemic, when I was first trying to build a full-time freelance career. I ended up joining a Zoom skill-share group, and I found the process of learning from my peers to be enriching, especially because I don’t have a traditional J-school background. I also landed an anchor gig through Study Hall Slack that was crucial for me in building my freelance business. I ended up earning $11,000 of consistent income from that part-time client over about 5 months. You could say that the Study Hall membership paid for itself.

Amanda Silberling, senior writer, digital culture at TechCruch

“When I joined Study Hall in 2018, I was trying to transition out of another career field and all I knew was I wanted to write. Study Hall allowed me to carve out a community online and in Chicago, where I live. It has been essential in finding editor contacts, keeping up with media news and swapping gossip. Many of my closest friends today are people I met through Study Hall. It is hard to imagine what my journalism career would look like, had I not found a personal and professional support system early on through Study Hall.”

Taylor Moore, freelance journalist

“It was overwhelming when I first started freelancing because I didn’t have any immediate coworkers or bosses. After reaching out to another freelance writer, he strongly recommended joining Study Hall and I’m so glad he did. I signed up for the Study Hall Network plan, which has lifted so much of the fog that plagues the maze-like world of freelance media work. With an editor contact list, transparent rate guides, and active Slack channel, I feel so much more connected to the industry than I thought possible as a freelance writer. The Study Hall community has also been helpful, supportive, and constructive. I have noticed a substantial and quantifiable improvement in my work and what I am able to charge for it, which has made my Network subscription worth every penny.”

Brandon Summers-Miller 

“I’ve been a member of Study Hall since at least 2016. Early on, it was extremely helpful for my career. I was able to find editor contacts and talk with other freelance writers and journalists about etiquette around things that were new to me, like communication with editors, appropriate response times, and invoicing. The accumulated knowledge from people who have worked in so many different places is so helpful. I have also really appreciated the community side of Study Hall. It’s great to see the connections being made between more established writers and less established ones, which comes in handy when people seek mentorship. There’s a community aspect where different people can pick up the slack at different times to help newer writers, instead of a one on one dynamic. The different levels of expertise within the Study Hall community have made it really useful and a great place to learn.”

Ilana Masad, author of “All My Mother’s Lovers”

“I have been a member of Study Hall for over 5 years. When I first joined, I was green to the world of journalism and freelancing. So, Study Hall was how I learned the ropes: I got to speak with first-rate journalists, study successful pitches, and learn what was considered professional and courteous in the world of journalism. But more than that, Study Hall provided me the sense of belonging to a larger journalistic community, which was so important to me as someone who chose to not live in a major media hub like New York City. Over time, as I became a better journalist, Study Hall also helped me “level up” my skills. I could take on investigative stories, because I had access to journalistic databases, which are nearly impossible to afford as an independent freelancer. I also could take workshops to learn how to structure long-form features or fact-check intricate stories. All of these helped me feel more capable pitching and reporting more ambitious stories. Today, Study Hall feels like a quasi-union for me. I love being able to discuss what are fair and appropriate rates with other freelance journalists or discuss how to handle relationships with editors. To be frank, I can’t imagine doing any part of my work as a journalist without the guidance and community of Study Hall. No doubt, it is an immeasurably important and empowering organization for working freelancers today.”

Katie Jane Fernelius, freelance journalist and radio producer

“As someone who had never worked as a freelancer before, I learned a lot about expected rates, how to pitch, who to pitch to, and how to find resources using Study Hall.  When I moved back to Canada after grad school in January 2020, I knew that I somehow wanted to tell stories using audio journalism. I tried to find full-time, salaried positions, but very few opportunities fit the bill. Little did I know that all my job applications would be indefinitely paused a month due to the pandemic. 

“After a few short-term gigs here and there, I unexpectedly found myself working as a full-time freelance journalist. Luckily, Study Hall accompanied me along the way. I was lucky enough to get two jobs using the Opportunities newsletter. One of them was a reporter-producer gig on a new podcast about how race, gender, and power have shaped the American land and housing systems. It was truly a dream opportunity that I never would have found without Study Hall. Not a month goes by where I don’t recommend Study Hall to someone. It’s easily been the most important professional resource for me in the last 2 years.”

Melissa Fundira, freelance audio producer

“Through Study Hall, I’ve gotten suggestions for where to pitch, editor contacts, guidance in negotiating contracts, and, maybe most importantly, a community of friendly and supportive writers who are there for each other for crises and tiny questions, with every kind of help.”

Jaime Green, writer and editor

“As a writer, I’ve met editors who I am now writing for; as an editor, I’ve met writers who are now writing fantastic things for me. Who knew the circle of journalistic life could be so great?”

Tori Telfer, author of Lady Killers

“Study Hall is helpful for editors because it allows us to catch writers at all points in the process, not just at the end of a pitch.”

Michelle Legro, editor at GEN / Medium

“At the beginning of our editorial strategy, we sent a brief to the Study Hall network and got connected to dozens of excellent writers. We ended up working exclusively with Study Hall writers and the results speak for themselves.”

Toby Shorin, Underdog.io