Guidance for journalists at every stage of their careers. From breaking into the field and building a beat to navigating newsroom dynamics and adapting to a changing media landscape, Journalism Advice offers practical tips and industry perspective.
58 articles
Watch out for these pitfalls when penning your true story
As an official judge for the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition, I read a lot of essays, the quality of which fluctuated from powerful to pointless. Despite this range, what struck me most were the handful-and-a-half…
Joel Schwartzberg
In the spring of 2006, Amy Sutherland was looking for ways to promote her second book, Kicked, Bitten and Scratched. When her first idea—pitching magazine and newspaper editors stories related to her book's subject—didn't pan…
Michaela Cavallaro
There is intrigue in our daily lives, our reactions to events and the harmony or dissonance between our goals and realities. All of these can become inspiring and salable personal essays. But crafting your experiences…
Amanda Layman Low
As print newspapers and magazines continue to shutter or lay off staff, one thing remains evident as we move further into the 21st century: Digital has officially taken over. And while scoring a gig with…
Andrea Williams
An insatiable appetite for world news. A feeling that the world outside your country’s borders is beckoning you. A frustration with the quality of political discourse on foreign policy. If any of this strikes a…
Hampton Stephens
Editors, both print and online, are often on the hunt for holiday story ideas that haven’t been done a million times before. A creative pitch could help you get your foot in the door at your dream publication.
Amanda Layman Low
When you’re freelancing, a lot goes into finding work, managing projects, invoicing clients and showcasing your future-gig-landing work samples. Here are websites that can help.
John Lombard
So, you want to be a freelance writer, huh? It looks really glamorous with little-known writers getting a bajillion views for their work on Huffington Post, or gaining overnight success with a single viral article…
Amanda Layman Low
In the world of freelancing, one price doesn't fit all jobs. That's the beauty—and curse—of being a contractor. Coming up with a fee can be challenging. Do you charge different amounts depending on the client or…
Kristen Fischer
For journalists looking for freelance or full-time work, making a good first impression is all about the clips. Often requested before a story is assigned, clips are simply your writing samples or published articles. But…
Meena Thiruvengadam