how do you get into journalism?

Question

if someone is wanting to become a free lance journalist how would they go about it

Answer 1

You DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT need a degree to be a freelance journalist. I freelanced for a number of places while I was working my way through college, in fact.

What you need are a few good samples of writing, whether from a college paper, local paper or newsletter of some sort. Try talking to your local paper about doing a guest editorial spot, covering some municipal meetings or if you have a story idea. Most papers are very open to hiring a freelancer for an occasional story, and that might be your foot in the door to building a portfolio of clips.

To freelance at larger papers or magazines, you often have to have your own ideas for stories, and a proven track record for writing. So basically, stick with writing for a local paper for a year or so first.

To be honest, freelance writing is really, really hard. It sounds great -- wake up when you want, no boss, sit at home and write in your pajamas. But in reality, it means dishing out money up front (paying cell phone/home phone bills to make calls), a tremendous amount of self-discipline, and waiting for payment. Many venues don't issue you a check until a story runs, so even if you hand something in in January, if it doesn't run until April, you have to wait four months for a check.

Call your local paper, or one of the smaller advertising weeklies, and I bet you can find yourself a few freelance gigs.

Answer 2

While in school get some experience with the school paper or yearbook. Also make sure you do well in your English classes and have good writing samples. Taking a few classes in journalism doesn't hurt, but there are ways to get around having to have a journalism degree to break into the journalistic career path. I majored in biomedical science in college, but now am the assistant editor of a paper, so you really just have to be looking for the right things at the right time.

If you can prove through your written samples and work history that you're intelligent enough to write a coherent piece that the paper would want to publish and responsible enough for them to count on you, you really shouldn't have that much of a problem...... all this to say that you should have some talent writing if you want to be any sort of journalist.

Answer 3

It's very hard to be a freelance journalist without having some experience in working full-time in newspapers or magazines. Quite apart from learning the skills and understanding how the whole publishing process works, you will also need the contacts you make - editors are very busy, and are unlikely to commission articles from someone they've never heard of who has no previous publication.

So my recommendation would be to go to college to get a journalism qualification - if you already have a degree there are good post-grad courses at Preston and City University (London), if not there are courses at Sheffield, Darlington and Harlow. Then get a job on a local paper or small magazine, and work from there.

Answer 4

Not sure if your name with 1983 is your birth year, if it is take some classes on community colleges for journalism, your idea to write to the local newspaper editor is a nice idea, though who knows if they'll get to see it or print and reply to it. But just start with writing a lot, whatever comes to your, things you notice in your community, your opinions on issues. the things you use to think about in your head, put them down in writing. Check out some books in your library on journalism, and when reading newspapers pay attention to the writing styles of the journalists who already have a job, how did they capture your attention, how do they present the information?

Answer 5

Like anything its a catch 22 situation. To get a job you have to have experience, but how do you get that experience. OK, you could try and get the relevant qualifications, but I am presuming that you must have some sort of gift of working with words. Speak to your local newspaper, see if you can start off with them, or start writing articles and just submiting them. If you really are good, someone will recognise that you have talent and offer you a position regardless of qualifications, may help you to get those qualifications, i.e. on the job training etc.

Answer 6

well you need at least a B.S. degree in Mass Communications. It at the University I go to requires 12 foreign languages and also you need to work on staff as a student journalist on newspaper, school radio or tv station or magazine. I did several semesters on the University newspaper and was made an Assistant Editor and also was on the University magazine staff for one semester. You should also do an internship at a local tv station, newspaper or magazine or radio station. It's a very competitive field to get into.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Well, you have to sell your soul just like the rest of them.

Answer 9

Good question. I dont have the answer, but definitley want to know it! Hope someone answers.

Answer 10

Apply at a newspaper and be an apprentice.