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Freelance writers with a nose for the news will find journalistic opportunities being offered, but they will have to search for them. It is taking some time for the concept to become acceptable since this is a big change in how things have always been done down at newspaper offices. As freelance writers prove they are are a viable source of important for the communications industries, more jobs will become available. In the future there will be better use made of those who have facts and details to add to a news summary; this will happen but it will take time. What a hopeful journalist need alongside opportunities is lots of practice; and add to that confidence in their ability to carry out any assignments coming their way.

Here's one scenario: An important news event has been posted on some news network such as CNN, MSNBC, or on one of the other top newscasters and instead of the usual quotes from bystanders or those in the know, citizen journalist are invited to fill in the details and add credibility and somehow further advance the story. Of course this will not be immediately a part of the story but will be carefully selected from the best sources.

Other opportunities for freelance writers will be to call in or e-mail with more details of stories that are in the news. These could be corrections of some of the facts of the already printed story, or newer happenings, or simply opinions that will give more depth to the story after an astute and knowledgeable free lance writer has read it; thus their additions will give it more depth and will lead off into other directions. Busy and alert freelance writers are an invaluable source for busy professional journalists.

I see more use of freelance writers in research and in comparing of sources. This takes time and busy professionals and editors and publishers and those in the business of fact gathering have little time for this tedious task. This could be a good way for hopeful citizen journalists to get on work lists. In fact, citizen journalists are limited only by their lack of imagination and their ability to go after viable facts and to follow leads.

In this fast paced society where stories are written and uploaded quickly in order to get there first, many innuendos and hear-says and plain old untruths often take up space where only genuine facts should be. If I were out to become a citizen journalist and not simply a writer writing about citizen journalism, I would be diligent about my sources and I would know

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