How to set rates, negotiate, and other freelance FAQs with Katherine Lewis and Shernay Williams

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Times are hard for journalists, even though our work has never been more important. That’s why IIJ leaders Shernay Williams and Katherine Reynolds Lewis wanted to take a moment to set you up for success by answering some common questions from our community of independent journalists of color. Listen in for advice on setting rates, finding clients, maintaining your work life balance, and more.


Katherine Reynolds Lewis is the founder of the Institute for Independent Journalists and special projects editor for the Greater Good Science Center. A science journalist and author who writes about relationships, equity, mental health, parenting, journalism, entrepreneurship, and social justice, she previously worked as a national correspondent for Newhouse News Service and Bloomberg News.

Shernay Williams is a 3x entrepreneur and an award-winning independent journalist and content strategist with 15 years of cross-platform experience. She worked as a newspaper journalist before transitioning to local TV as a reporter, anchor, and producer. Since then, she’s run a content firm, served as an entrepreneurship coach, and launched a national directory and resources platform for Black mompreneurs.

The Freelance Journalism Podcast is a production of the Institute for Independent Journalists, whose mission is the financial and emotional sustainability of freelancers of color. Learn more about our work at theiij.com

Episode Links

  • Episode transcript

  • Katherine’s new client checklist 

  • The IIJ’s free start-up guide for freelancers

  • The IIJ’s sheet to track income, assignments and invoices

  • Jake Hylton’s strategy for generating revenue from personal relationships, as reported by Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow Monica Williams