Starting out your career as a freelance writer is daunting, especially if you don’t have much prior experience. Applications ask for a resume or CV, letters of recommendation, or links to previously published work. And if you’re a first-time writer, just starting out on your journey of digital publication, your catalog of previously published work might be pretty sparse. The strongest points of your applications rely on your interview and your writing sample.
Many of the people working forValnet Inc.started out as first-time writers when they began contributing. That’s because in addition to acquiring expert talent across our brands, Valnet has a history of aiming to discover new talent as well, by giving the beginning writers of today the opportunities they need to grow into the experts of tomorrow. We take the time to assess someone’s writing abilities separate from a lengthy CV, and then continue to coach and guide them once they have been hired.
FromScreenRanttoTheSportstertoSimple FlyingtoTheGamer, every Valnet brand has welcomed the opportunity to give these writers a chance.
The People Who Helped Us Along The Way
No matter what Valnet brand we talk about, it’s the people behind the sites that give each individual one their identity. Leadership is important, and there is no higher mandate for the managers of each brand than nurturing and encouraging talent on the rise.
Renan Fontesis currently a Deputy Editor on CBR (Comic Book Resources) overseeing the Anime, Manga, and Gaming vertical. When asked about his experiences being a first-time writer with the company, he had a lot to say, especially about the people who helped him along the way.
“Raphael Bennett took me under his wingvery early on in my career, so frankly, I owe a lot of what I’ve accomplished today to him personally. Which I think speaks to the strength of Valnet’s internal leadership — Raphael sought to empower one of his lowest-level writers and, eight years later, I’m not only still with Valnet, I’m a lead myself. It’s no exaggeration to say that Raphael is the best boss I’ve ever had.”
Many of us who got their start withValnet Gamingowe their career’s trajectory to Raphael Bennett.
Renan reflects on the skills and lessons Raphael imparted to him while they worked together. “Raph helped me become a better writer to the point I could be promoted to an editor less than two years into my career; he gave me amazing editorial training I still reflect on and make use of today with my own team; he trained me on how to use PhotoShop and general image editing techniques which are far more valuable than you’d think for this job; but most importantly, Raphael gave me a phenomenal foundation to model my own leadership after — one built on respect, a drive to win, diligence in all things, and a genuine passion for what we do.
The best bosses I’ve worked with here have all made an effort to steer me in the right direction and ensure I’m never stagnating, while still giving me the freedom to establish my own professional identity.
“At CBR,” Renan continues, “I had the privilege to keep learning under Bradley Davis and Natasha Taggart, who both helped me develop high level management and analysis skills I now use day to day. That in itself highlights what I consider to be one of the better parts of working for Valnet: a willingness to teach. The best bosses I’ve worked with here have all made an effort to steer me in the right direction and ensure I’m never stagnating, while still giving me the freedom to establish my own professional identity. Digital media is a fast-moving industry – it’s always changing and we always need to be adapting. I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have today without Brad and Natasha always keeping me informed, and teaching me how to adapt without direction.”
And all of these teachings have culminated with Renan’s latest position. “I now work as CBR’s Deputy Editor for Anime, Manga, & Gaming under Simon Cinq-Mars, of whose leadership and management I’m grateful for. With all the experience under my belt and everything I’ve learned from those who have empowered me, CBR has become one of the leading Anime & Manga publications, with a Gaming vertical that’s only growing stronger by the day. The support I currently have at CBR from Simon simply continues the trend of strong management and thoughtful, collaborative leadership I’ve experienced ever since I started working with Raphael in 2017, and one I employ with my own team of editors and writers today.”
The More Passionate You Are About Your Work, The Better
Each Valnet brand falls within a certain segment, be it Gaming, Automotive, Tech, etc. So it’s important for each brand to find talent that possesses a vested interest in the sites’ respective verticals. For first-time writers, with little experience under their belts, they need to rely on their enthusiasm for these verticals to move forward with their careers.
Jared Rosenholtz, now an Editor atCarBuzz, has always had a love of cars, and after graduating college, knew he wanted to become an automotive journalist. From small beginnings, he rose to his current position.
“When I first started writing for CarBuzz, I handled aggregate news stories before eventually branching out into original features, such asSmart Buy piecesthat highlighted cool used vehicles. Eventually, CarBuzz started to conduct new vehicle reviews, meaning that new cars would show up at my door for a week-long review.
“I can still remember the first time an automaker dropped off a car for me to review,” Jared relates, “a red Lexus RX Hybrid. This eventually led to invites for new vehicle launches and opportunities to speak with executives at industry and automaker events. Getting to interview the hosts of BBC’s Top Gear was another career highlight for me.”
In addition to a passion for your vertical, having a love for the intricacies of the job itself is vital for first-timers.Rose Graceling-Moore, now an editor at ScreenRant, absolutely devoured the many responsibilities and tasks that came her way when she was first hired. “I started out, like most of us, as a writer. At the time, the writers could tackle just about anything (except reviews), so I wrote news, features, and lists on any movies, TV shows, and comics that I knew. I was on the West Coast, and worked primarily late at night, which meant that I was the de-facto late-night news person, and I absolutely loved it! Being able to write on anything and everything was a whole lot of fun (even if it’s not what we do now), and I’ll always be proud of one article on Wolverine that clocked up over 3 million views.”
The joy Rose derives from the pressures of the job and the shifts in her role has sustained her throughout her time working with the company. “I have bounced around all over Valnet — going from writing on one site to writing on multiple, covering conventions and interviews, and tackling reviews. Over time, I moved from writing to editing, and then to leading a team that focused exclusively on lists across multiple sites. The sites are constantly adjusting how the teams are defined, to make sure that we are working in the best way possible to generate top-quality content, so when that team was dissolved, I took over other specialist teams on ScreenRant, eventually becoming the Deputy Editor for Reality and Network TV. Standout moments will always come back to covering major events like NYCC - getting to interview David Tennant and Simon Pegg on the same day (for different projects, obviously) was amazing.”
Advice For First-Time Writers
For aspiring writers aiming to break into the industry, especially those considering opportunities with Valnet, learning from experienced professionals is invaluable. We absolutely had to ask the people we interviewed what pivotal pieces of advice they would share with first-time writers, especially those looking to get published digitally.
It can be easy to take for granted because writing for any publication in a remote position focused on the media and art we love is so exciting, but you need to treat this like you would any other job.
Renan values treating remote work the way you would any other job, no matter how passionate you are about the vertical or what your duties entail. “It can be easy to take for granted because writing for any publication in a remote position focused on the media and art we love is so exciting, but you need to treat this like you would any other job. And what I mean by that is that you have to be professional, you have to be punctual, you have to be open to feedback, adaptable to change, and, above all else, write consistently. If you’re capable of accomplishing that, you’ve already distinguished yourself from most of your competition.”
Jared stressed the need to improve and to view work as a journey before reaching that “big break.”
“I would advise someone entering automotive journalism to ‘do everything.’ You need to be a well-rounded writer,” he clarifies, “but being able to hold a camera, film a video, and edit are useful skills. The harsh reality is you may need to work for a long time before the big break comes, but never stop improving. With each article or video, focus on one thing you would like to improve, and make it better for the next one.”
Alex Batt, a Senior Editor at GMS (GiveMeSport), advises newcomers to this profession to get your desired career started, no matter the scope of your initial jobs. “Don’t be put off by doing voluntary work to start with. Get busy, get your name out there, stay motivated and interested, the rewards will come.”
Ty Sherback, a long-time enthusiast for PCs and their components, got his start on XDA. “I interviewed for the Computing Author position while I was still in college, thinking I probably wasn’t going to get it. I remember getting the email with the offer, and being apprehensive about balancing everything I had on my plate with my studies and other jobs, but I really couldn’t be happier with the way things have gone. The day Rich [Woods, Editor-in-Chief at XDA] met with me to tell me I was moving to self-publishing was a really standout day as well.”
His advice for first-time writers? Just start writing. “If you’re passionate about something, write about it. Start a blog and begin to build a body of work, and don’t get discouraged! For the first two years of my writing career I was just sending words into the void, but those unpaid hours building a portfolio absolutely make a massive difference in getting hired.”
Giving Chances Is In Our DNA
Across the globe, across different sectors that are home to countless enthusiasts, there are writers just waiting to be given the chance to cover and publish articles on their favorite topics. Valnet encourages brands to give them that opportunity.
This isn’t just fluff. We’ve shared the stories of different contributors from different sites who have risen into new roles thanks to that initial opportunity. I personally know this as well because I’ve experienced this first-hand. I started writing for Valnet in 2017, when I was first hired at TheGamer.
Shout-out to all my friends there!
Even though I’ve moved from site to site within the Valnet umbrella (within the Valnet Gaming portfolio) and have gained so much experience from my eight years, I’ll never forget that all this wouldn’t have happened if someone did not embrace their role in giving a freelance writer like me a chance.
