The World of Journalism
By Northernstar
Northernstar@excapethematrix.com
“Chavez, what’s
your passion and what are your future plans?” people would ask when I was in
high school. I was too embarrassed to even answer that question because I felt
like I wasn’t living up to their expectations of me and that I would end up
nowhere if I continued to carry a careless attitude. It wasn’t until I got to
college (The Community College of Baltimore county) majoring in Mass
Communications that I realized I had a passion for something. It was a given
that I loved music but what I didn’t realize was how good of a writer I was. I
have always written poems, short stories and essays but I never knew I would
gain readers and fans of my writing.
“It has been revealed in a recent study that the journalism field is expected
to grow rapidly…”
The website, myspace, became a great outlet for me because I
started posting blogs and received major feedback I’d never expected. I’ve also
always been interested in the music field, so I combined my love for music and
writing skills together to become a music journalist. In the Fall of 2005 I
received a great opportunity…the privilege to write in “eXcapethematriX.com.”
In comparison to other jobs, journalism is a competitive field that consists of
different types of writers, qualifications, work conditions and earnings.
Therefore, there are several things to know if you are interested in journalism.
Since the phrase, “to each his/her own” applies, there are different
types of writers. An author writes fiction/nonfiction stories, poetry or
literature. Creative writers are more imaginative and for the most part,
fictional (think J.K. Rowlings). There are many fields in editing; whether it’s
copy, film, managing, sound, and text. The similarity that each writer has is
that they must meet the qualifications to be writers. First, they must
know how to read and write. Secondly, many companies prefer to hire individuals
who share college degrees in communications, journalism, or English. A
journalist must also be able to work under the pressures of deadlines and
competition. Deadlines are sometimes a pain in the butt because when a date is
given to me, sometimes I think “Oh, it’s just a month from now.” But time
starts to fly and I start to say, “Darn it, a month is NOT enough time.” It is
recommended that you are a person who can handle deadlines and aren’t tardy with
them. It is also recommended that you have computer experience in Microsoft Word
because it will become a writer’s best friend. After all, stories, articles and
poems will be typed in the software.
“A journalist must also be able to work under the pressures of deadlines and
competition.”
If you are an aspiring journalist, you must be aware of the working
conditions. Some writers work in comfortable private offices to stay focused and
get their job done precisely. Others work in noisy rooms where they hear and see
their peers typing on keyboards all day and it can be very distracting.
Therefore, the job may not be as accurate as opposed to being in a private
environment. I would recommend being in a private office because I am easily
distracted and when I’m alone, I tend to get so much done. M
ost
journalists make their own schedules, so whether they write in the morning or
evening is their decision. If you are a morning person,
then I suggest you write in the morning and vice versa. Lastly, a journalist
tends to travel to different work places such as factories,
libraries or labs for research.