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Conducting Investigations As a Freelancer
Kuala Lumpur in November 2025�sylke.gruhnwald@protonmail.com
Hey.
I’m Sylke Gruhnwald — I’m a freelance investigative reporter and authors based in Zurich, Switzerland.
�I’ve worked on projects that range from cross-border investigations and theatre productions to long-form investigative podcasts. And over the years I’ve learned that freelancing isn’t just about chasing scoops — it’s about surviving between them.
�So this talk is not about journalism itself, but about what keeps it possible: how to make a freelance life as an investigative reporter sustainable — financially, legally, and emotionally.
�I’ll share a few lessons and tools that helped me, from negotiating with editors to setting up insurance, finding grants, and building what I call Banden — alliances that make the work bearable and strong.
We Need to Talk
When I started freelancing, no one told me that the hardest part wouldn’t be the reporting — it would be the invoices, the contracts, the silence after you send a pitch.
�Freelancing as an investigative reporter often feels like an act of endurance. We move between countries, fund ourselves between grants, chase editors who ghost us, and still — somehow — believe in the work.
�But to stay in this profession, we need to talk about money, safety, networks, and time.
�This talk is about that: how to make investigative freelancing sustainable — financially, legally, emotionally.
The Economics of the Job (1/2)
Let’s start with the obvious question: Who pays us to do investigative reporting?��When you pitch to media outlets, make sure you know how they measure your work: per word or per day. �In Germany or Switzerland, you might get a lump sum.
�Rule #1: Always ask for written confirmation of your fee, kill fee, and expenses.�Learn how to negotiate: https://www.thenegotiationclubs.com/ ��Rule #2: Learn to negotiate across systems.�Make sure you understand whether it’s standard to talk money up front. In continental Europe, it’s more hidden — but you should still do it.�Make use of databases such as: WhoPaysWriters.com.��Rule #3: Pitch stories — and budgets.�
The Economics of the Job (2/2)
Never forget:
Freelancers are small businesses. You need to think like one: track costs, income, and hours.�
This might help you:
Break down: research time, interviews, travel, fact-checking, revisions
Key principle: Your day rate must cover not just writing time, but:
Admin work (invoicing, pitching, research)
Sick days
Holidays
Equipment and software
Professional development
�Ask yourself: is this story worth my time and my rent?
Building Stability: �Grants, Associations, Insurance (1/2)
Sustainability doesn’t come from heroism. It comes from structure.�
Start with grants. Think of them as your R&D budget: they fund the slow reporting that journalism rarely pays for. Plus: funding for your own training!��Some good places to start:
The Global Center for Journalism and Trauma (GCJT / formerly known as Dart Center): they support reporters who cover violence and crisis.
�The Kim Wall Memorial Fund: funds freelancers as well as HEAT-trainings.
�GIJN keeps a directory of international grants and fellowships. Think of national networks as well such as Netzwerk Recherche in Germany or investigativ.ch in Switzerland. ��Some fellowships even have a stipend and offer to cover healthcare.
Building Stability: �Grants, Associations, Insurance (2/2)
Next: insurances. Sounds boring yet hell important!��Have health insurance.�
Always have travel insurance that includes war zones or protests.
�Equipment insurance for your camera, laptop, phone.
Legal insurance — especially for libel protection or contract disputes.
�In some countries, freelancers can join professional unions that include legal advice. Unionise!��And yes: consider a limited liability company. It separates your private life from professional risk. If you’re reporting on corruption or crime, that can be vital.
Bildet Banden!�Networks, Collaborations, Solidarity (1/2)
In German, we say Bildet Banden — form alliances.
�Freelancing is not solo work. The most powerful investigations today are built in small, international teams.
�Collaborate — not only to share data, but to share protection.
�A small cross-border partnership gives you editorial backup.
�A shared budget helps apply for bigger grants.
�And emotionally, it keeps you sane.
�
Bildet Banden!�Networks, Collaborations, Solidarity (2/2)
Teaching, theatre projects, speaking engagements — they all count as part of your professional ecosystem. They bring income and visibility, but also new collaborators.�
Join communities like GIJN, ICIJ, or Arena for Journalism in Europe.�Attend local meetups, join social media groups for freelancers, and find mentors who can help you navigate contracts.�
Think of your network as your safety net — and as your newsroom.
Infrastructure: Tools, Time, and Hidden Costs
Most freelancers underestimate the invisible work. Administration, invoicing, IT maintenance, time spent waiting for replies — these are working hours.�Count them.
Software can help. Some companies offer deals:
1Password for security.
Trint for transcription.
LinkedIn Premium sometimes offers discounts for journalists.
�Track your equipment and subscriptions like assets in a small company.
Remember: laptops, microphones, encryption tools — these are not luxuries, they’re your newsroom.
�And don’t forget to schedule time off. Burnout is not a badge of honour.
Working With Editors – and When to Walk Away
A good editor challenges your work, not your dignity.
�If an editor becomes toxic — leave. No story is worth emotional damage.
�Look for editors who communicate clearly, respect boundaries, and honour written agreements.
�Check contracts:
FIRE Newsroom Contract Template (US): protects freelancers from liability gaps. FIRE Guide to Freelancer Protection: evaluates newsrooms by how well they protect their freelancers.��Rule: Do not work with outlets whose contracts shift legal liability onto you.
�Healthy collaborations keep you safe — legally, financially, emotionally.
Freelancing as Freedom — and Responsibility
Freelancing is often framed as precarious. And yes, it is. But it’s also freedom — the freedom to follow a story to its end, to build your own newsroom, to say no to what doesn’t fit your values.
�To do that sustainably, you need structure:
Know your worth and negotiate it.
Build alliances.
Protect your health, time, and data.
Treat your freelance work as a business — because it is one.
The best advice I ever received was simple: �You can’t expose systems of power if you collapse under their weight.
So — take care of your finances, your safety, and your joy.
�
Merci.
What would you like to add?
Kuala Lumpur in November 2025�sylke.gruhnwald@protonmail.com