Page 1 of 4

Newsletter Writer (Contractor)

About us

Calder News is not a traditional news company. We don’t chase crime, politics, bad news, or hot takes. There's enough of that out there. And it's just noise.

We focus on the small portion of interesting news and good things happening in Greater Grand Rapids. At the same time, doing it in a new-media-native, easy-to-understand, easy-to-consume format so locals who care about what's happening in their backyard (but don't have time to filter the noise) can stay informed.

Now that you know what we're about, let's get into what you're here for.
But first...
Who this role isn't for
1. Someone trying to get a big paycheck or 2. Someone who needs to be told what to do at every step
We're a young company. We're scrappy. And we're unpolished (for now). But even with that, we have a big impact on our community. And there's potential to continue to grow our presence, trust, and position in our market.
Tens of thousands of locals will look forward to seeing your work. Some may be your next/ current employer, co-worker, future clients, neighbor, or someone who passes by you.
So if you're a solid writer, take pride in your work, have personality, are self-motivated, and more importantly, can spare 2-4 hours per week, submit an application - I'd like to see if this role is a good fit for you.
- LeQwane (Founder @ Calder News)

The Role

The newsletter writer is responsible for writing the Calder News newsletter 2x a week. The person in this position should live in or around Grand Rapids, speak the language of a local, and be a competent writer. They should have personality and be able to express it while remaining professional, accurate, concise, and neutral on topics.
Tasks will include...

- Craft subject lines - Coming up with creative introductions to the newsletter

- Writing about pre-selected stories

- Creating original stories or articles

- Spend 2-4 hours per week writing the newsletter/ occasional articles

- Research additional context on stories - Reviewing analytics and insights to inform/ optimize performance

- Inform our team about interesting stories you see around Grand Rapids

Unwritten tasks: Be an advocate of Calder News. Spread the word.

Skills & Experience

- Writing newsletters, articles, blogs, and or social media content - Experience with Slack, Notion, and Google Drive - Strong knowledge of neighborhoods, businesses, and locations (etc) in Grand Rapids

Benefits

- Flexible schedule
- Remote - Occasional freebies (event access, giftcards, experiences, etc.)

Compensation

This position will pay a starting flat rate of $50 - $75 on each newsletter that's written. Each newsletter is around 1,000 words.