Pros
You can work from home, and the hours were flexible. It was a great way to gain experience and exposure.
Cons
I started here in 2010, and at first there were lots of opportunities for a freelancer. I did this as a side job in addition to my full-time position, and it was a great way to gain extra exposure and experience. However, I quickly realized that there were too many writers working for Patch in a very small local area and not enough work for us all to succeed. There was also very little communication between me and my local editor, who constantly shot down my story ideas as being "too small." I did not want to keep covering events at the local library or lacrosse games, so, I moved on to other opportunities. It does not surprise me that Patch is slowly on its way out, although I am upset to hear that this is now the case since this website started off with such promise. But I think it grew too fast, added too many towns and areas, and couldn't keep up with everything they had started. No one in higher management really seemed sure what to do in order to keep up with the demand.
