I was in my third year of a four-year undergraduate degree before I decided to pursue a career in journalism. I was lucky that, after university, I had a lot of experience in student media under my belt and was able to put together a portfolio of my work before starting my journalism course.
So, what should you do if you ? like me a few years ago ? are eager to start building up a portfolio of your journalistic work?
Start a blog.
Stop talking about writing and start writing. It?s easy to get distracted and put off starting your own blog but with free websites like WordPress and Tumblr there really isn?t any excuse not to give it a go. If you find the idea of writing regular blog posts daunting, try to use your blog ? initially, at least ? as your own personal archive. Use it to show off the work you have written offline or for other websites. You?ll be surprised at how much content you have already, and then working on a regular flow of content for your site won?t be so intimidating.
Join a community.
I?m speaking from my own personal experience when I write this: you may well find it easier to write if you are writing for a group or community blog. When you work with other people on a project, you can brainstorm together and bounce ideas off each other. If you do end up writing for a group blog or becoming a contributor on a community blog, do make a copy of your work and save it elsewhere. On your own blog, for example. Join Twitter and start talking. Put a link to your work in your bio. It?s worth remembering that if you talk about relevant topical issues, relevant people will follow you on social networks.
Consider new skills.
Use YouTube. There are so many tutorials on there, ranging from the basics of Photoshop to expert advice on audio editing. You don?t need to splash out on any fancy new software initially. Your computer may have some free audio and video editing software already installed.
Set yourself achievable goals.
Don?t say you will post on your blog every day if you don?t have the time. You will be more likely to give up and delete the blog if you convince yourself that you have failed at it by not posting often enough. Why not try to write one post per week and build up your content gradually?
Be critical.
This is fundamental. If you are serious about becoming a journalist, you need to be critical and ask questions. As part of my application for my journalism masters, I had to write two critiques ? one of a news/factual television programme; one of a news/factual radio programme. While watching and listening to the programmes, I was constantly questioning why certain decisions had been made ? everything from scripting to the amount of music chosen.
Ask around.
You may think that it?s too late to find some journalism-related work experience. Do you have any contacts who could help you find a last-minute placement? Your English teacher, your university careers service, or a family friend may be able to help you out. Any experience is useful experience. A placement may confirm for you that a career in journalism is definitely what you want to pursue; or you may realise that it actually isn?t for you.
Read!
This is one of the luxuries of a long summer holiday ? if you?re lucky enough to have one! Have a look at the books we have recommended for journalists. Read as much as you can and your writing will improve.
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Before I started writing for Wannabe Hacks, I had tried ? and failed ? at starting my own blog. A year or so earlier, I wrote a few articles for a community blog. The blog was online one day, and then disappeared ? along with the articles I?d been stupid enough not to back up anywhere else. I have since learnt from that mistake. (Even if you don?t want to blog regularly, it is worthwhile setting up a blog to use as an online back up.)
What advice would you give to someone who has only recently decided to go into the world of journalism? Is any experience really useful experience? Should would-be hacks establish an online presence for themselves at the outset of their career? Do let us know what you think, either in the comments sections below or in a tweet @wannabehacks.
Image on the homepage courtesy of **Mary**
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Animal Crossing is the Seinfeld of the video gaming world; it?s a game about nothing. It?s hard to explain to someone why it?s so compelling as a game. They ask me what I do in this game and I say I collect furniture, I decorate my house, go fishing, talk with villagers, run errands for them, celebrate holidays, try to get enough money from collecting bugs, fishing and selling fruit (which is better than a regular drop) to buy upgrades for my house and stuff like that. It?s at this point that whoever asked me about the game stares at me a bit after I give this explanation and they ask, ?I thought you said this was a video game?? Yeah, it is, and a really fun one that despite the fact that you don?t really do anything, at least not in the traditional sense, there?s so much to do. I?ll be honest with you, my wife and I practically rearrange our lives around our alternate lives in the virtual world of Animal Crossing. When this game says, ?Welcome to your new life,? it?s not kidding. Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS is easily the best in the series thus far. Sure, you do a whole lot of nothing in the game, but there?s just so much nothing to do and it?s all so gloriously entertaining, it?s hard to put this game down and get back to real life.
You can also use ordinances to change things in your town. You can encourage shops to stay open later or open earlier, or you can enact new economic measures in your town. In truth, being mayor isn?t all that tough, but it?s a fun new element that draws you in and makes you want to obsessively check what?s going in town every day.
It?s an interesting questions and one that?s tough to answer. Once you play an Animal Crossing game, you?ll finally ?get it?, but what exactly are you ?getting?? Well, I saw one comment on this that I thought was remarkable insightful. The comment was that what draws us into a game like Animal Crossing is it conveys to us that deeply desired but often intangible promise that life can be ?better?. Life can be simpler, happier, and more enjoyable. It can be worry free, problem free, stress free and something that?s laid back and easy to just enjoy. That?s something that we all want, but something we?re resigned to never being able to have, so a game like Animal Crossing gives us a chance to live out the fantasy of that idyllic life of simple happiness.
It makes great use of StreetPass and SpotPass, offers even more fun with online multiplayer where you can visit a friend?s town or join others for some fun on the tropical island tours. It looks great with the 3D effect turned on, which can be helpful when trying to catch bugs, and it even has some fun uses for the microphone. Plus, being able to have it with you wherever you go means any time you have a few spare moments, you can go to your happy place and enjoy yourself. This game was one of the main reasons I wanted a 3DS, I just didn?t realize I?d have to wait such a long time after the 3DS release before I could actually enjoy it. Well, it was worth the wait. If you haven?t tried Animal Crossing yet, or need a reason to try out the 3DS, this is the game for you. It?s an oddly compelling and thoroughly enjoyable game?even though it?s pretty much about nothing.