Recently, the hashtag #AdviceForYoungJournalists was trending on Twitter after financial writer Felix Salmon tweeted a piece he wrote for Fusion entitled ‘To all the young journalists asking for advice…’ His advice, in a nutshell, was “don’t do it”. Ouch.
As a journalism student myself, I naturally preferred Vox editor-in-chief Ezra Klein’s response to Salmon, which is less cynical. Some of the advice offered on Twitter was hilarious, some of it was shady but lots of it was genuinely helpful. I’ve rounded up some of my favourite tweets below.
.@bjacksonuk #AdviceforYoungJournalists don't get involved in student media if it's going to be censored, lazy or unchallenging 😉
— Paul Bradshaw (@paulbradshaw) February 11, 2015
#AdviceForYoungJournalists always be polite and friendly to security, cleaners, drivers etc,these folk will save u,hook u up,look out for u
— Jasmine Dotiwala (@jasminedotiwala) February 10, 2015
#AdviceForYoungJournalists if you're BAME don't get stuck speaking/writing "minority themed" articles. You are more than your ethnicity.
— Jasmine Dotiwala (@jasminedotiwala) February 10, 2015
I've never learned anything while I was talking. Always listen! #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Larry King (@kingsthings) February 10, 2015
Please, please, please, please, please, please hold your camera phones horizontally. #AdviceForYoungJournalists pic.twitter.com/B06MQR5Yye
— James West (@jameswest2010) February 10, 2015
When you do not read the publication that you are pitching, it shows. It really, really shows. #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— jamilah lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) February 11, 2015
Read a lot. Write more. And beware of advice from has-been journalists who rose in a different era. #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) February 10, 2015
#AdviceForYoungJournalists Your network is your networth. Get out there and talk too & meet people in the real world not just online
— Annika Allen (@annikaallen) February 10, 2015
Best three interview questions:
Really?
Oh?
Go on…#AdviceForYoungJournalists— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) February 10, 2015
Don't pretend you understand things. "What do you mean?" and "but why?" are perfectly valid interview questions. #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Ryan Sheales (@RyanSheales) February 10, 2015
Aim for at least one read-out-loud-to-a-crowd quotable line in everything you write. #advicetoyoungjournalists
— Alix "Now Bring Me Some Friggy Pounding" Fox (@AlixFox) February 10, 2015
Journalism isn't just writing. And journalism isn't just what journalists do. It's a way to look into the world #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Alberto Cairo (@AlbertoCairo) February 10, 2015
39 Pieces of #AdviceForYoungJournalists and Writers of Colorhttp://t.co/4D8KajwIfZ
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) February 10, 2015
Please read and bookmark this if you’re a non-white wannabe journalist because it’s brilliant.
Never question or attempt to independently verify anything the police say. They never lie to reporters. Ever. #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Africa Is A Country (@africasacountry) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/andrewmseaman/status/564988382728552448
Read. Read everything. Read newspapers, magazines, websites, great literature. All help form your writing style #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Alan Fisher (@AlanFisher) February 10, 2015
Carry the tripod. #AdviceForYoungJournalists
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) February 11, 2015
And here’s me offering my own advice…
#AdviceForYoungJournalists Follow @journalismnews @wannabehacks @Journograds @WritersofColour @BBCCollege (from a fellow young journo).
— tenelle (@misstenelle) February 13, 2015
Writer Laurie Penny offered lots of useful advice, check out this Storify to see all her tweets.
In addition to the tweets above, here are my own pieces of advice, as a fellow young journalist:
- Be a nice person.
- Be proactive. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you.
- Say yes to things because you never will know what an opportunity may lead to.
- Network. This might not be the easiest thing to do if you’re shy or don’t consider yourself the “networking type” but try to get into the habit of it and build relationships. Maybe start by asking yourself why you want to network and come up with a plan and decide what your goals are.
- Social media is great, but don’t be on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram 24/7. Go out and do stuff. Start practising journalism now. What’s stopping you?
I’m sure Salmon meant well with his piece but if you really want to be a journalist, you can. Believe in yourself, work very hard and don’t give up. Now is honestly the most exciting time to be a journalist, regardless of what others might tell you.
