Name: Alex Waddington
Job: Freelance writer

"The best thing about being a freelancer is definitely the freedom and lack of routine."

Alex Waddington, your Question and Answer session starts now...

How did you get into the job?

I have always been interested in writing and back in my early teens I decided it was the career for me. I did my first lot of work experience on The Bradford Star in 1992, and started writing articles and reviews for the Telegraph and Argus during my A-Level studies. I used this experience to land a place at Bournemouth University on the Multimedia Journalism course, and after graduating in 1999 I took a job with a technology and games magazine publisher in Bournemouth. After that I spent a year working in the United Arab Emirates and on my return to the UK in March 2001 I decided to turn freelance.

What is the job about?

At present, I work with Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for three days a week as a Media Officer. This involves researching, writing and distributing media releases to newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations. I also deal with enquiries and requests for information from journalists from a variety of media organisations. Other jobs include proofreading publications and leaflets, sourcing images and keeping the Authority's Website updated.

The rest of my week is usually spent writing about digital photography and digital video, which are two of my specialist areas. I produce a lot of articles for national magazines that focus on people who are using digital recording equipment in interesting and creative ways. The interviews for these articles are usually done over the telephone from home. But sometimes, if an interviewee lives close by, I will pay them a visit and take the chance to take some photographs to accompany the article.

I also write reviews of new digital cameras, which means I regularly venture into the centre of Bradford or down to Saltaire to collect sample images for publication. Other work includes the occasional theatre review, which means a very pleasant evening out every once in a while.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best thing about being a freelancer is definitely the freedom and lack of routine. I get to set my own working hours, so if I fancy a lie in on Wednesday, I can have one.

One of the biggest downsides is the length of time it takes to get paid. Some companies are better than others, but you might finish a piece of work and not see the money for three months. Occasionally companies go bust and you never see a penny. Fortunately this has only happened to me once. Another downside is tax returns. I hate accounting and mathematics and always avoid completing them for as long as possible!

Have you had any embarrassing moments or have you got any funny stories tell?

Plenty of embarrassing moments. In my first full-time writing job after University, I spent a good hour interviewing the founder of a financial website. He gave me the makings of a cracking article. But when the interview was over, I checked my recording, only to find I had positioned the telephone microphone too close to my computer screen. Due to the interference, I couldn't decipher a word he said and had to sheepishly ring him back and ask him to repeat the entire interview.

As for funny stories, well, I once attended the Middle East launch of some very expensive cigarettes at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which is apparently the world's only seven-star hotel. I finally left at 3am in the morning, having watched the MD of company hand over his credit card to settle the bar bill of £10,000.

If you weren't doing this job what would you be doing?

I quite like the idea of being an antiques dealer, giving the casual nod to the auctioneer to confirm a bid. The job of auctioneer also looks like pretty good fun. I like the idea of wheeling and dealing, so perhaps I would be wearing braces, a striped shirt and working in the City, dealing stocks and shares.

Have you got any heroes in your field of work?

There are certainly plenty of people I admire, but not heroes as such. I have a lot of respect for people like Richard Branson, Stelios Haj-Ioannou and Michael O'Leary for their entrepreneurial and business talent. In the field of sport, really dedicated and successful athletes like Steve Redgrave and Paula Radcliffe are people I really admire. In the field of writing, I enjoy the work of George Orwell, Tony Parsons, Hunter S Thompson, Tom Stoppard and Sir Alan Ayckbourn.

I also look up to fellow graduates from Bournemouth University who have gone onto successful careers. One of them is Nev Pierce, who is now Content Producer for BBCi Films. I worked with him on the student magazine during my time at Bournemouth University and I have a lot of respect for what he has achieved.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in your field?

If you want to work as a print journalist or writer, get published any way you can. Build up a cuttings file by offering to write articles and reviews for no payment. These can then be used to persuade other people you are worth employing. If you're looking to take a degree that will lead to a career in writing or journalism, pick a course with a high vocational content and preferably one with compulsory work experience modules.

If you want to work freelance, take a full-time position first and build up some good contacts. If you have influential friends in the industry and can point to an impressive portfolio of published work, you will find it much easier to get work.