How to Survive in Journalism
Surviving in journalism takes thick skin, perseverance and a healthy dose of humor.Similar to many other fields, the field of journalism is centered on your talents and skills. The catch with journalism is that your writing is put out there for hundreds or thousands of people to read, often with your name displayed prominently above the article.I am a 14-year veteran of newspaper journalism. In my career I have written stories on the environment, education, government, crime and various other topics. I have also covered people, from the man down the street whose house now has a tree through it to the famous singer who stops in town for a show.During that time I have learned that doing the job well means being able to take criticism. Some of it is warranted, such as when we make a mistake such as spelling a name wrong. Our mistakes are quickly corrected, while anyone who read the past story knows we are the ones responsible.Some of the criticism is not warranted. Often we fall victim to people's opinions of how they want to see the story presented or how they would have written it if they were in our shoes. Other times they know the person or issue portrayed in the story and they want to express their opinions to us, not understanding that we are only the carriers of the message, not those who originated it.Perseverance comes in handy when going after a story. The process can take a bunch of research. We have to talk to a variety of people, including sources who would rather not share their stories. If it is an issue that we are not the most up-to-date on, our research is done on the fly often while we are still crafting the story.Humor is valuable as we try to cope with not only the stress of covering the news but what we are covering as well. This is especially true for crime reporters who often shift through police reports of various assaults, murders, rapes and molestations. We tend to have a dry humor and find that laughing is often the best tool to use while navigating through parts of society that others may never fully see.We generally are not paid a lot, or at least not what many of us believe we are worth. That is especially true for newspaper reporters who do not work for metros. However, we are driven by a strong desire to inform the public. We believe that our words carry value, or at least we should if we are staking our livelihood on this career path. We also believe that we are making a difference in whatever area we are covering.Journalism can be a tough business. The community is both your best friend and your worst critic. You must know how to maneuver through mine fields that erupt when dealing with a variety of personalities and know who you can take for face value, as well as who requires a bit of skepticism.Despite its obstacles the field comes with great joy. Instead of dollars, the satisfaction comes in writing that story that does indeed make a difference. When you get that call of thanks or know you helped right a wrong is when you realize that you made the right career choice.
Surviving in journalism takes thick skin, perseverance and a healthy dose of humor.
Similar to many other fields, the field of journalism is centered on your talents and skills. The catch with journalism is that your writing is put out there for hundreds or thousands of people to read, often with your name displayed prominently above the article.
I am a 14-year veteran of newspaper journalism. In my career I have written stories on the environment, education, government, crime and various other topics. I have also covered people, from the man down the street whose house now has a tree through it to the famous singer who stops in town for a show.
During that time I have learned that doing the job well means being able to take criticism. Some of it is warranted, such as when we make a mistake such as spelling a name wrong. Our mistakes are quickly corrected, while anyone who read the past story knows we are the ones responsible.
Some of the criticism is not warranted. Often we fall victim to people's opinions of how they want to see the story presented or how they would have written it if they were in our shoes. Other times they know the person or issue portrayed in the story and they want to express their opinions to us, not understanding that we are only the carriers of the message, not those who originated it.
Perseverance comes in handy when going after a story. The process can take a bunch of research. We have to talk to a variety of people, including sources who would rather not share their stories. If it is an issue that we are not the most up-to-date on, our research is done on the fly often while we are still crafting the story.
Humor is valuable as we try to cope with not only the stress of covering the news but what we are covering as well. This is especially true for crime reporters who often shift through police reports of various assaults, murders, rapes and molestations. We tend to have a dry humor and find that laughing is often the best tool to use while navigating through parts of society that others may never fully see.
We generally are not paid a lot, or at least not what many of us believe we are worth. That is especially true for newspaper reporters who do not work for metros. However, we are driven by a strong desire to inform the public. We believe that our words carry value, or at least we should if we are staking our livelihood on this career path. We also believe that we are making a difference in whatever area we are covering.
Journalism can be a tough business. The community is both your best friend and your worst critic. You must know how to maneuver through mine fields that erupt when dealing with a variety of personalities and know who you can take for face value, as well as who requires a bit of skepticism.
Despite its obstacles the field comes with great joy. Instead of dollars, the satisfaction comes in writing that story that does indeed make a difference. When you get that call of thanks or know you helped right a wrong is when you realize that you made the right career choice.
