David Lenman

David Lenman, a local freelance writer known for his work in print, television and radio is an odd choice to talk about passion to a roomful of aspiring journalism students. In a presentation at Camosun College about his career as a writer, Lenman’s honest words about the not-so-lucrative career would make you wonder why you would ever want to get into the journalism industry in the first place.

“Freelance writing is not a money industry,” He says.  This is a theme repeated throughout the entire presentation. “Run for the hills,” says Lennam. “Freelancing is that hard.”

However, read between the lines, and you’ll understand why he’s been doing what he does for over 30 years – furthermore, why you should do it too.

“I like going out and talking to people,” says Lenman. “I like asking questions and finding out a bunch of information that no one else has,” Lenman states, after expressing his dislike for the lengthy writing process.

 “When you enter a room, look around. Snoop.” Throughout his presentation, Lenman reiterates the point that news is everywhere, you just have to be observant.

It is obvious that Lenman is a people person. His presentation style is reminiscent of having a chat with an old friend over a beer. His raw approach in discussing his career keeps you engaged and chuckling at his honest, realistic outlook of freelance journalism.

“Get excited about what you’re writing,” encourages Lenman while discussing the importance of figuring out your niche and writing about your interests. At the same time, he tells the class the significance of being a generalist and why, as a freelance writer, you should be able to write about anything.

A takeaway is that there really is no science to journalism. Although he gave some concrete tips such as hitting deadlines on time, pitching to the right market and to never argue with an editor, much of what he had to say consisted of advice from other successful writers that contradicted his very own opinions. So, David Lenman, should we pester an editor about a story, or leave them alone? Is it vital to have a unique writing style or should we be “boring” yet versatile? These questions in the business of journalism may not have a right or wrong answer, because writing is not a science – writing is an art.

“We write because we want to write. We write because we have stories to tell. We write because we want to change things. Those are the reasons you get into journalism.”