Making ends meet

Most freelance journalists who make a decent living combine journalism with something else. Corporate work (selling your skills to companies for breathtakingly large daily fees) and teaching are popular among established hacks. Younger ones do bar work, call centres or anything they can get.

One young journalist has sworn off his sideline earner. Tom de Castella used to volunteer as a lab rat, doing clinical trials at the Parexel unit in the grounds of Northwick Park Hospital. Not any more.

I imagine he'll miss the money. Two grand a fortnight will take some replacing at the 250 pounds per thousand words that's typical for most jobbing freelances.

Les