An editor's advice to young journalists

January 17, 2012

I’ve been thinking a lot about young journalists lately. Maybe it’s simply because I’ve been invited to speak to some journalism classes in the past few months and have been impressed by how many bright, intelligent and ambitious young people still want to be part of an industry that few seem to think has a gotta-wear-shades future ahead of it.

On a purely selfish level, I would love to see many more people from this next generation of journalists working right now in newsrooms - including my own - because I believe their ideas, energy and creativity would be a much-needed antidote to much of what ails “traditional” media today. (Not all of what ails it, of course, so please don’t read the preceding paragraph as a dis towards experienced journalists - just the ones who checked out years ago and are now simply coasting toward the finish line with the big RETIREMENT banner flying above it.)

But I’ve also been noticing some strange and self-defeating attitudes expressed by some younger journalists recently, via Twitter and other social media, mainly, but also in their direct interactions with me professionally. I can’t be sure about what the root of that behaviour is; perhaps it’s something as basic as frustration over the inability to get a foot in the door of a notoriously competitive field. Or maybe it’s simply worries over its uncertain future. Or possibly it’s just “these damn kids today!” But what I do know is that I find it more than a little troubling and discouraging, and I felt the need to say a few words - okay, more than a few! - about it.

Let me state my biases right off the bat so you get an idea of where I’m coming from: I used to be a news and arts reporter for several years but am now the Arts & Life editor at The Gazette, an English-language daily newspaper in Montreal. I’ve never worked for a magazine or an alternative weekly. I’ve freelanced before, but have never been a full-time freelancer. (Honestly, I don’t know if I have the resourcefulness, energy and ambition to do that; I’m constantly amazed and impressed by journalists who make their living that way.) After several years of working on contract, I was fortunate enough to finally obtain a staff job, a resource that seems to have grown more scarce and, accordingly, precious over the past few years.

What follows then is inevitably skewed towards the viewpoint of a newspaper editor - think of it, spiritually at least, as something akin to “Shit Editors Say.” (See how cool and happening I am!) It’s also largely directed toward writers, but I think it can be applied to young reporters working in any medium.

So in the spirit of (hopefully) constructive advice, here are some pointers to (hopefully) help young journalists in getting their fledgling careers off the ground:

• I cannot express to you how important your first interactions with an editor are or will be. From pitching a story, to getting it accepted, to filing it, to invoicing for it, an excellent first impression is crucial. Because let’s say your second interaction with that editor is less than great. He or she will still have fond memories of your first, and will be much more likely to cut you some slack. However, if your first experience with an editor is a bad one (from the editor’s perspective, at least), I can assure you it will be highly unlikely that he or she will be interested in a second one. (I will pause here to demand bonus points for refraining from “first time” puns or “That’s what she said!” jokes. That wasn’t easy for me.)

Now, the above might seem like just common sense to most of you - “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” and all that. But you wouldn’t believe the number of story pitches I accept that writers then turn around and either file late (or, on occasion, never) or come up with a dozen excuses for why the story hasn’t been filed on time, or why it won’t come through at all. (And, by the way, if we agree on a deadline and you blow it, don’t think that just because I haven’t said anything doesn’t mean I haven’t noticed. Or that I haven’t added you to my shit-list. Believe me, I have. On both counts.)

To be blunt: as an editor, I get dozens of pitches a day, including many more good ones than I can afford to greenlight. (Freelance budgets just ain’t what they used to be …) What that means is that I have the luxury of choice, and I think I speak for most of my fellow editors when I say that, 10 times out of 10, I will choose the writer who makes my life easier over the writer of a similar calibre who makes my life difficult. Human nature, right?

• Do sweat the small stuff. Get my name right in your pitch email or any other correspondence. And every other word in it, for that matter. If you can’t even get that together, I will have zero confidence in your ability to get the basic facts straight in your story. My newspaper’s slogan is “Words Matter,” which is undeniable, but I would also add “Details Matter,” which, from my perspective, is at least as important.

• Much like with CVs, I think people overestimate the value of a “memorable” pitch letter full of “pizazz” and other stuff they preach in dopey HR guides. A succinct, confident pitch that presents the basics of the story, including a proposed length, filing date etc., and, if it’s your first time working with an editor, some writing samples (see next item) are really all you need. Stating your sheer awesomeness and/or explaining how I’d be an idiot for passing on your story will only guarantee that I will presume you are decidedly un-awesome and will absolutely pass on your story, without even blinking.

• Provide examples of your previous work. Published work is good, but it’s not a deal-breaker if it hasn’t been published. In essence, I want to know if you can write and report, and, frankly, the unedited writing on, say, your blog, will give me a better idea about what kind of copy I’ll be dealing with than your work that has been professionally edited. That said, I’m referring here to writing samples that are similar to what you are hoping to write for me. If you’re pitching a 1000-word visual arts feature, the posts from your what-I-had-for-brunch Tumblr, as yummy as they might be, simply won’t suffice.

• No one likes to discuss money, but it can be the source of some of the most awkward exchanges between editors and writers. I try to be as upfront about what I can pay for a story as early in the process as I can to avoid any unpleasantness down the road. If an editor doesn’t immediately tell you how much you can expect for a story, I would suggest you politely work out those details before you agree to write it. This will not be seen as uncouth or money-grubbing, I assure you. That said - and here I can only speak for myself and not all editors, since I’m not inside their heads - I’m not one to lowball a writer. If I quote you a fee, it’s generally what I can afford to pay, and I don’t have the time/interest to engage in any lengthy haggling.

Another thing young writers need to understand early on: in most (print) newsrooms, and for most editors I know, there’s no hard-and-fast formula as to how much to pay for a piece, no real x-cents-per-word fee, because, quite simply, not all words are worth the same. For example, that 1000-word commentary piece that you write off the top of your head in a couple of hours is worth a fraction of the 1000-word feature that requires two or three days of work and involves several interviews, setting up a picture etc. I pay for the amount of work involved in a story, not just the number of words it contains, because as most editors learn early on, if there’s one thing most writers have mastered, it’s the art of writing many words. (And, yes, I can already hear your pot-kettle jokes …)

Another issue that reared its head recently - thanks to news that The Huffington Post Quebec would be using unpaid bloggers - is whether or not to write for free. This is an especially divisive issue in journalism circles, and it’s a complicated one.

As an editor, I personally do not accept offers from freelance writers to produce unpaid stories. But I’m also not comfortable in telling all young journalists that they should never write anything for free. It’s a personal choice, and while I understand the argument that those who write for free devalue the craft of journalism, I can’t help but notice that many (though certainly not all) of the people making that argument are already well-established (and often, if not always, well-paid) staff or freelance journalists.

The proposition looks vastly different from the viewpoint of a young writer trying to break into the business, and there’s no doubt that sometimes a high-profile platform for your work, especially early on, can have significant non-monetary value. So all I will say on the matter for now is this: should you consider writing something for free, think carefully about how much it benefits you and your career in the longer term, or whether it simply benefits an organization or editor looking to exploit you for free (or near-free) labour.

• When you’ve filed your story, please be receptive to edits. I can assure you that I suggest them purely to improve the quality of the story. I have no vested interest in making your story worse. Why would I? The quality of the work that appears in my section/paper/website is a reflection on me and, by extension, every one who works in my organization. I want it to be as strong as possible. Yes, that might mean multiple drafts (and additional work) for you, but I’m sorry, that’s just part of the deal. And, when you get right down to it, editing your story is the raison d’etre of my job. It amazes me how many young writers are taken aback/discouraged by being edited, especially when they’re just starting out. I assure you this is quite a normal rite of passage and, approached with the right attitude, can be an important tool for learning the craft.

Also, while I realize it can be frustrating and require copious amounts of patience, sometimes an editor will hold on to your story for weeks, even months, until the right time and/or space comes along. This is especially true for stories that have no strong time element to them, and these “evergreen” stories are actually of great value to editors, especially at slower times of the year when strong pieces are at a premium.

• The above has so far been almost exclusively about freelance writing, but another area to consider is what to do do if you actually get an opportunity, be it via an internship or contract - the stepping stones to full-time employment for so many of my colleagues - to work in a newsroom. I was a Gazette summer reporting intern back in 1998 and speak from experience when I say that such internship programs are absolutely invaluable. (Sidebar: For university students, journalism or otherwise, I also cannot stress enough the importance of working for student media to complement your studies. The work that you do there is your strongest calling card when it comes time to show editors that you’re worth one of our increasingly rare hires.)

Internships, in particular, involve some serious tight-rope walking, particularly along that fine line between cocky and confident. It helps to always bear in mind that, no matter how much skill and smarts you think you’ve picked up in journalism school and/or student media, you will be, almost by definition, the person in the newsroom with the least amount of journalistic knowledge and experience. Presenting yourself as God’s gift to media will succeed only in ensuring that your internship/contract will be the last time you set foot in that newsroom.

Conversely, it’s just as bad to be seen as helpless, out of your depth, easily flustered and/or confused - what can be more generally stated as “high maintenance.” Sure, you’re there to learn - and most editors I know enjoy mentoring young journalists - but keep in mind that there just simply isn’t enough time (or staff) these days for hand-holding as there used to be. If you have questions or need advice, ask for it. But also know that editors today place a premium on those who show the ability to work independently. (Bonus advice: despite the cliche, there is, in fact, such a thing as a stupid question …)

• I encourage young journalists to be active on social media, of course, but you should know that it can be a double-edged sword. Criticism of media outlets, my own and others, is not just expected, but encouraged (at least if it’s done intelligently). But if I follow you on Twitter (and/or vice-versa) and you spend an inordinate amount of time dumping on me, my section, my paper, my company - well, I have to be honest, I’m not likely to want to work with you.

I’m not sure if this is the social media equivalent of that old notion of “negging” - which suggests that a shortcut to getting a man or woman to be attracted to you is to insult him or her - but I am sure it’s incredibly annoying and doesn’t work with editors.

Also, I cannot tell you how many times people who, just for example, rip The Gazette to shreds … then turn around and pleasantly pitch stories to me (or shamelessly suck up to me if we ever meet). Hypocrisy, in journalism as in life, is one of the most annoying of human qualities. As I referenced earlier, editors have a bounty of choice when it comes to which writers to work with, and I think it’s only natural that we gravitate towards the ones who don’t disdain us so much, especially publicly.

• Lastly - and I know this won’t come as a shock to those of you who have had the misfortune of dealing with me on the wrong day - editors are human beings, too. We can make bad decisions. We can take things personally. We can become frustrated. We sometimes can’t see the forest because of all those damn trees! Basically, we’re walking minefields, but the good ones among us are self-aware enough to realize that.

I strive to make decisions that are best for our readers and for our organization. You might not agree with all of them, or with my reasons for making them, but I hope you’ll grant me the courtesy of respecting them. In this age of the incredible shrinking newsroom, most editors I know are up to their eyeballs, and just getting through everything on our plates each day is challenging enough without having to engage in interminable debates about why a pitch wasn’t accepted or why certain edits have been requested.

Making those decisions is what we are paid to do. I think many of us do it well, but when we screw up, all we can do is learn from that mistake and apply that knowledge to the next decision we have to make. Just because some us can’t call ourselves “young journalists” any more - at least not with a straight face! - doesn’t mean we’re not constantly still learning, too.

Anyways, I truly hope that none of the above is perceived to be elitist, condescending or pretentious, and that it doesn’t give off a grumpy-old-fart vibe - which I fear it might! That certainly isn’t the spirit in which it is intended. I genuinely wish young journalists the best of luck as they set off on what I can honestly say is one of the most interesting and challenging careers a person can choose. Good luck to you all. And if you ever have any questions I can help you with … well, a good young journalist should have no problem tracking me down.

B.B.

P.S. Oh, and spell-check. Always. Then spell-check again.

9:12am | URL: http://tmblr.co/Zj1H9wEw3wl3

(Notes: 25)