My first tip to anyone who tells me they have an interest in journalism or the broadcast arts is – do you like to talk? Talking to random people and being comfortable doing so is a vital part of your fact-finding muscle. Additionally, being able to gain someone's trust quickly – be it a teacher, a government official or a bystander at a crime scene – will become an invaluable skill as you grow in journalism.
But have you ever thought about talking to yourself, too? Though it may seem weird, talking to yourself is a good way of assessing the rationality of your thoughts. If your ideas make logical sense to you, they’re probably worthwhile ways of thinking. If not, take a reality check and understand that it might be your emotions speaking.
As a journalist, it’s important to remain level-headed in even the most emotionally challenging of situations. As a young writer, in particular, there will be interactions with interview subjects that might rub you the wrong way. When that happens, have a good talk with yourself. Process your emotions and then push them aside to come to reason with yourself.
I have learned a great deal about the world and how people live in it by having conversations with individuals I usually wouldn’t approach. Learning new things is what you should be after. Conversing with folks outside of your comfort zone is a great exercise for a budding journalist. It opens his or her eyes to other ways of living that you wouldn’t otherwise know.
To accurately and vivaciously report on a situation or a person, you need to be in the moment of what’s happening both physically and spiritually. It’s not enough to just be at a place going through acts of talking to the people. You need to talk to and to snap pictures. If you can immerse yourself in what’s going on and block out all other distractions and responsibilities for at least the period that you’re reporting, your final product will be a thousand times more honest and engaging. Readers or viewers will pick up on the connection you felt with the story, the place, and its subjects and this will make your journalism a thousand times more worthwhile.
As important as it is to immerse yourself in the context of your subject matter, also be willing to take a step back and keep the big picture in the back of your mind at all times. Bias towards a certain viewpoint is lessen this way. Additionally, you can produce a much more impacting story if you always consider the relevance of what’s going on to the world as a whole.
Think of it this way: when you broke up with your significant other, the world felt like it was going to end. Without the passage of time, it was impossible for you to see that the relationship, though good, actually limited you in some ways and kept you from growing up. You eventually realize the lasting, and ultimately more valuable takeaway from the experience - a catalyst for your emotional and spiritual growth that you don’t regret at all.
Try to apply this same mindset to your reporting.
There’s more where this came from, but I don’t want to give it all away in one shot. Expect more of these tips soon, and in the meantime, happy reporting!
