Writers step forth!

We're going on a comissioning spree

Dear readers — Quality writing has always been the backbone of what we’re trying to do. It’s what (we hope) sets us apart. And today we’ve got some very exciting news. We’re looking to expand our team of freelance writers at The Post. 

Some of our all-time best pieces have been written by freelancers. David Lloyd was one of our freelancers when he wrote his classic piece about a nightmare visit to the Adelphi Hotel. We love Ophira Gottlieb’s beautiful features — like this one about the Liverpool Poets (and their obsession with food). And how about Matt O’Donoghue’s investigations: like when he revealed that Liverpool City Council had blown £1 million on an investment in supercars. We’ve only got a tiny team. Without our freelancers, we’d be nowhere.

So much of local journalism in the UK is written in a tired, formulaic way (the most important stuff at the top and maybe a pre-written statement by a “council spokesperson” or a “police spokesperson” or “whatever else spokesperson” at the end). No shade to all the wonderful spokespeople out there, you’re doing a fine job, but we believe this is a blunt, mechanical way to present local news. 

Because it’s not how you’d tell a story at the pub, or to a friend. You’d tell it as a story, with characters and twists and subplots and passion. So that’s what we want: stories. We’re looking for people with a passion for beautifully-crafted writing, sentences that sing, characters that feel like real people. Why shouldn’t Liverpool have well-crafted stories written about its successes and scandals, its butchers and beekeepers.

More specifically though, these are the types of story we’re most keen to commission:

• Beautifully written features: These are the backbone of The Post. Great writing is what we’re all about. It could be an interview, an op-ed, it could be a story about the surprisingly high-octane battle between fried chicken shops to develop the perfect sauce (see below!) We want to see strong narratives, lively characters and stories that speak to the bigger themes that define Liverpool’s development. Mostly, we want to give you space to really write. Some examples of brilliant features from across our parent company: An interview with Joe Anderson, Liverpool’s fallen mayor; A night at the Adelphi Hotel; Manchester’s chicken shop wars.

• Scoops and investigations: Investigative deep-dives have been some of our most popular pieces so far, and we’d love to commission more. If you’ve got the inside story of what’s really going on at one of Liverpool’s big institutions, or a spicy FOI reveal, we’re the place to come. Examples of superb investigations: How a utopian north Liverpool housing association was sold from under residents’ noses; The Michelin star chef who might be Manchester’s worst boss; The rise and fall of a Birmingham property hotshot.

• Cultural essays: we’d love to cover the arts in Liverpool with the same passion and flair that we apply to news. Since we’re all about stylish longform, we’d prefer to steer clear of Q&As — we’ll leave that to more time-pressed outlets. We’d love to hear your argument about what Liverpool’s visual arts scene needs to excel compared to London; we’d be delighted to read a deep-dive into an old film set in Liverpool from the 40s; we want your voicy reviews of latest play at the Everyman. Equally, if you’re a news writer who’s eager to cover foul play, newsworthy developments or controversies happening at arts institutions, we’d also be excited to read this too. Examples of cultural essays we loved: A love letter to one of Liverpool’s greatest ever films; Sophie Atkinson on Manchester’s Aviva Studios ; a deep dive into Wirral author Tabitha Lasley; Phil Griffin on a night at The Electric Circus.

And finally, the brass tacks. We’ll pay between £150 and £500 for a piece. That’s quite a broad range — naturally the higher fees will be for stories that take a large amount of research and digging. Experience is a factor too. But if you’ve got a great story for us, you deserve to be properly paid for it.

If you think you’re a good fit, please email: editor@livpost.co.uk. We are looking to commission some stories over the next few weeks — whether that’s culture writing, essays, reviews, a news feature or an investigation. We want three links to stories you’ve written — these can be links to blogs or posts — so we can see your writing. If you’re unsure what we’re after, please read a wide variety of stories on The Post before pitching — that’s the best way to understand the kind of journalism we want. We can’t wait to hear from you.