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How do I get more into the journalism field as a 16 year old?
I'm. 16 year old highschool student. I currently so online school so I have a lot of spare time.
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3 answers
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Nik’s Answer
Great question! First, read a lot of journalists. Find the ones that inspire you. Track them down on X. Follow them. DM them. Tell them what you like about their writing. Ask them for tips. And look for opportunities to practice journalistic writing. Any organization that has a newsletter might give you an opportunity. A local school, library, or other organization. Look for any local publication and reach out to see if you can help them in some way.
Get involved with your school newspaper or yearbook group. Take a theatre class. Try toastmasters. Try to get into an Upward Bound program and start looking at colleges. Good luck!
James Munoz
Updated
Joanne’s Answer
Victoria, You have so much in your favor right now - an interest, the time and the ability. Please use it.
Start your own online blog or Social Media site for news. REPORT, and you can start small and grow. Once you prove yourself to those engaging, they will give you ideas and encouragement, and you will get your name and your work out there to show future employers.
So, start small = "The local pizza restaurant, PIZZA HERE, has reopened after being closed for three months. It is under new ownership."
Next, interview the owner and works for hours and menu items. Next, dig deeper about the restaurant and its place in town. Online media gives up the opportunity to deliver bits and build on them. Once you are done, you have a lengthy story you can pitch to the local news.
Age does not matter. Mark Twain started when he was 12!
What does matter is accuracy - always - provided by reliable sources and data.
Start an online newsletter for your online school, your neighborhood. Go big and go bold!
Follow other writers, ask for advice from teachers and mentors. Good luck.
Start your own online blog or Social Media site for news. REPORT, and you can start small and grow. Once you prove yourself to those engaging, they will give you ideas and encouragement, and you will get your name and your work out there to show future employers.
So, start small = "The local pizza restaurant, PIZZA HERE, has reopened after being closed for three months. It is under new ownership."
Next, interview the owner and works for hours and menu items. Next, dig deeper about the restaurant and its place in town. Online media gives up the opportunity to deliver bits and build on them. Once you are done, you have a lengthy story you can pitch to the local news.
Age does not matter. Mark Twain started when he was 12!
What does matter is accuracy - always - provided by reliable sources and data.
Start an online newsletter for your online school, your neighborhood. Go big and go bold!
Follow other writers, ask for advice from teachers and mentors. Good luck.
Jeiana Lottie
Tutor/Youth Mentor/Human Resources Consultant/Administrative Assistant
28
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Jeiana’s Answer
So you are 16 years old looking to go into the field of Journalism and you have a lot of spare time because you do online school. Well, this sounds like a perfect time and opportunity for you to gain some relevant experience in this field. I'd suggest looking for internships or apprenticeships elsewhere or maybe your school offers something like this. Consider asking your counselor about this and tell them about your interest in this particular field. Internships and apprenticeships are meant to introduce you to working with something of your passion or interest, that you can see yourself doing as a career in the long-term. Some journalism intern titles you can consider are a journalism editor, technical writer, social media intern, journalist, communications assistant. You can also search for early career opportunities in journalism and see what comes up. I'd suggest looking for internships, apprenticeships, or even volunteer opportunities on the job board sites, Handshake, Indeed, and/or LinkedIn. Just make sure you create a profile on those job sites if you haven't already just to look more visible to potential employers. You'd also need to figure out if you would want to do these opportunities in person or virtually, whichever you're more comfortable with.