Journalists in 2019 are totally overburdened by the pressure-cooker of this industry. It’s beyond just being a tough job – the pressures can take a toll. Add to that the increasing pressures of adult life that everyone faces, and it can be too much. As a precaution against spiraling and a protection against despair, over … More Finding your inner “do list”
By Genevieve Belmaker for Poynter.org Social media is a particularly powerful tool in the Middle East, where in some countries it gives people a way to express themselves. That expression takes many forms, from social protest, to political criticism, to sharing news and information. Most recently, groups such as the Israeli Defense Force have been using … More 5 ways journalists can use social media for on-the-ground reporting in the Middle East
Getting physically close to a story is not as easy as it seems. First of all, most people are not conditioned to think in terms of potential sources of information, getting close enough to take a good photo, or whipping out a video recorder to document something interesting and unique. It takes repetition and practice … More Getting Too Close for Comfort
Living the life of a writer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. … More The Serious Business of Writing
It’s seriously tempting as a journalist these days to take the low road when it comes to finding work. But if you calculate the time and energy it takes to search for freelance work, you’re better off getting really good at being a journalist. The trick of dressing up hack journalism with the title of … More Just Say No to Being a Content Producer
It’s tempting as a journalist to give up and just find some other job. Something more stable, predictable and that feeds a steady paycheck into the bank account. There is also the in-between realm of working a “day job” that pays the bills and doing journalism on the side in one’s spare time. There is … More Don’t Give in to the Temptation to Give Up
Most writers will agree that you need a regimen of some kind. I have to agree. Whether you’re a novelist, a journalist, or somewhere in between. A good place to start when you sit down to write is to put your phone away. Since most of us now have phones with email, your cell can … More Writers Live Their Craft
Think about telling a story to someone. It could be anything: a car wreck you saw, the rude waiter who shocked your dinner party with his behavior, the job that’s just killing you, etc. Now think again, and ask yourself a question. Why do so many stories we tell have such a negative angle? Consumers … More The Trick of the Story Angle
Reporters often talk amongst themselves about what makes a great quote in a story. For readers, a good quote is a voice that resonates with the topic at hand. A great quote can make you hear the music of the human voice, even though you’re reading. Without good quotes you can have an article, but … More Quotes are the Voices in a Story
A frequent question that newer reporters have is, “How do I find good story ideas?” Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question. Also unfortunately, it is often a process of trial and error. Some writers swear by jotting ideas down in a notebook for future reference. Other people live and die by a … More Finding Story Ideas that Move You to Action
