Coming Up
Newest Webinars:
We produce The Business of Freelancing series of webinars, meetings and workshops for our members and non-members alike.
While we finalize our fall and winter schedule for this year, here’s your chance to view for the first time or a refresher and FREE OF CHARGE to all members in good standing, and members of our partner organizations*, such as the CMG’s Freelance Branch and the Society of American Travel Writers Canadian Branch.
We’ll release additional re-runs in the next few weeks.
If you’re a member of one of our partner organizations with a discount, use our form to apply for your discount.
If you’d like to pitch a webinar, workshop or meeting, then use our form to submit your idea.
* RELATED ORGANIZATIONS: If you belong to an organization operating in the Canadian media environment, use this form to get our attention. We’d love to find out how we can work together for everyone’s benefit.
“Investing Basics For Freelancers”
This co-presented webinar focused on the two main retirement saving vehicles for freelancers: RRSPs and TFSAs. Helen and Rita covered the key benefits and also the potential pitfalls of each, including ways to maximize tax efficiency in asset allocation. Rita Silvan, Chartered Investment Manager, is an award-winning former publishing executive who has held leadership positions in print and digital publications. Her freelance writing has appeared in RBC’s Inspired Investor, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and many more. She’s passionate about personal finance and investing as a means to a happy and self-empowered life.
Helen Burnett-Nichols is a Hamilton, Ont.-based freelance writer with more than15 years of experience covering investment, business, legal and personal finance topics. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Globe and Mail, National Post Legal Post, Golden Girl Finance, Benefits Canada, SAGE Magazine, EY Reporting and Tangerine Bank’s ‘Forward Thinking’ brand. Helen completed the Canadian Securities Course in 2010.
Log in to view this video
“CFG Experts Panel: Finding Corporate Work”
Traditional media transformed to the point where every organization is now a publisher and broadcaster. Plenty of freelancers have taken their journalism skills and turned them to corporate work, where most clients are ill equipped to take on these new media responsiblities.
We invited four long-time freelancers and CFG members, to discuss the ways they have found success in finding and producing corporate work.
Log in to view this video
“Ask the Experts: How do you publish your first book?”
Should You Self Publish? Or Follow The Traditional Route?
We lined up four Canadian Freelance Guild members who’ve been there. Join us. Hear their stories. Ask your questions.
- Julie Barlow, author of eight books including Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong and The Bonjour Effect
- Sandra Phinney, author of four books including Waking Up In My Own Backyard—Explorations in Southwest Nova Scotia, with two more in the works
- Robyn Roste, who’s going through the publishing process now, with five other titles in the works
- Nadine Marie Robinson, self-published author of a Canadian best seller
Log in to view this video
“Is A.I. Coming for your Freelance Clients?”
A.I. – artificial intelligence – isn’t just coming. It’s here and expanding it’s range and capabilities.
Just last week, The Atlantic published an article written by a bot. The Guardian did the same thing more than two years ago.
We’ve all seen ads – thanks to our searches related to ‘freelancing’ and ‘writing’ – about Grammerly and how it will fix your writing.
Photographers and graphic designers were sent reeling a few months ago following the release of Dalle-e, an A.I. bot that can whip up a high-quality image on demand.
A.I. isn’t just coming: it’s here and playing an increasing role in our digital lives.
This webinar includes a look at A.I. and a Q&A session with Owen Brierley to learn how we can use A.I. tools to our advantage.
Log in to view this webinar
“Understanding Freelance Contracts”
This panel explained common freelance contract clauses and terminology, including the most dangerous clauses freelancers are often asked to agree to when it comes to indemnity and liability. Our panelists also discussed how to make counteroffers and negotiation tips on language and payment.
Our Panelists: As a creative entrepreneur and organization co-founder, Tracey Arial has thirty years of experience dealing with contracts.
Don Genova was the founding organizer of the CFG’s former president of CMG Freelance, where he negotiated contracts with the CBC along with his freelance writing and broadcasting outside of the Corporation.
Alison Motluk has been a freelance journalist for over 20 years. Her work has appeared in The Economist, The Walrus, Maisonneuve, Toronto Life, The Local, Nature, The Globe and Mail, New Scientist, Quirks and Quarks, TheCurrent, The Sunday Edition, IDEAS, and others. She always reads her contracts very carefully.
Log in to view this webinar
“Pitching for Success – Sell That Story!”
You have the story. You know you can write it and deliver it. But how to get the editor’s attention—and a green light to proceed?
CFG Founding Member Sandra Phinney takes you on a journey down the freelance “pitching for success” path. This workshop covers:
- today’s most common complaints from editors (and how to capitalize on that knowledge);
- how to analyze magazines, newspapers and websites before creating a pitch;
- tips to make your query jump off the page;
- sample pitches/queries are included, along with a real-life email trail with an editor, from pitch to filing story, including negotiating the best rate.
Watch the video of her presentation below, and if you want to go back over her slides you can open a pdf of them from this link.
Log in to view this webinar
“How to Win Government of Canada Contracts”
How would you like to land a client that spends ABOUT $20 BILLION YEARLY on goods and services?
That client exists: The Government of Canada.
Even sole proprietors can sell directly to the feds: no matter where you are in Canada, whether or not you offer bilingual services, you’ll benefit from this guide to the basics led by Ottawa-based Marion Soublière of M.E.S. Editing and Writing Services.
Marion has been winning Government of Canada contracts since 2008.
This has been one of our most popular Business of Freelancing sessions ever. And it’s now FREE OF CHARGE TO CFG MEMBERS and our affiliates.
Log in to view this webinar
“Tax Time for Freelancers – 2021 Tax Year”
Financial guru Shannon Lee Simmons helped us last March get ready to file our 2021 income taxes.
Guess what? The deadline is fast approaching to file for 2022.
Get ahead of the curve as Shannon takes you on a deep dive into eligible and ineligible deductions, GST / HST returns, income from foreign sources, and yes, what to do if you end up taking that shoebox full of receipts to a tax professional.
Shannon answered nearly 30 question in a fast-paced back and forth with the audience.
This webinar is now FREE TO ALL CFG MEMBERS and to members of our associate partners.
We plan to bring Shannon back live this year to help you prepare for your financial year end with another of her fact-filled sessions.
Log in to view this webinar
“Getting The Most Out of LinkedIn Learning”
LinkedIn Learning is one of the most valuable benefits you receive as a member of the Canadian Freelance Guild. The resource contains thousands of training videos to help you learn skills across many disciplines. To buy it for yourself would cost $342 a year. If you’d like to register for a LinkedIn Learning account, please contact the CFG Organizer for instructions.
In the webinar, CFG member Michael Strickland gives you a basic introduction to the learning platform, then talks about his experience, what he liked and what he’d change. Then he takes you through snippets of courses that he thinks are of value to freelancers and does some live searches on topics that participants ask about.
Log in to view this webinar
“Managing Your Social Media Expectations”
In this hour-long session, presenter Rebecca Coleman looked at the different social networks and which ones may be important for freelancers to participate in, talked about some best practices for those platforms, and then there was a great Q&A to help answer all your social media questions!
Rebecca Coleman teaches Social Media Marketing at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), and is a Social MediaStrategist. She is also a blogger and the published author of two cookbooks, and regularly contributes to the GoDaddy Marketing Blog.
Log in to view this webinarRebecca passed along some helpful links to videos she mentioned during her presentation:
How to start a Facebook business page
Three types of posts for Facebook pages
Understanding the Facebook Algorithm
How to use Creator Studio to schedule content
And a couple of her personal favourite social media resources and the pdf of her presentation:
