To the outsiders, it often looks impossible.  Mystifying and locked-up.  Yup, we’re talking about the big J - journalism.  In reality, I’ve found it’s one of the things which is actually open to people. You don’t need to have done work experience and you don’t need a specific grade in GCSE or A level.  What you do need is the following: a ’story’ (i.e. subject and angle of what you want to write), the ability to convince the editor about your story, and the ability to deliver whatever article it is you’re promising.

Around October I started thinking about pitching something.  In January (I think it was January?) I sent the article to The Independent.  I told them a few stats, I gave the old anecdotal info, and they took it.  In February they published it.  The editor was not scary.  She was patient with my inane newbie comments, and she even gave me some helpful advice on the phone.  It was nothing to worry about.  (But that didn’t stop me being terrified about calling, of course.)

This is not the general way.  The ideal way is to sell your story by pitching it to the editor.  You need to answer these main questions: what is your story?  Why do you need to write it?  (i.e sources for interview, personal relevance etc) Why does it need to be read by our readers now?  And you need to try to do that in the style of the article you’ll be writing, ideally.

If you’re thinking about pitching, I would advise you to do it.  Go and google the editor you’re after or try and find them on Journalisted.

There aren’t any excuses for not being a journalist if you want to be one.  You have to contact the editors, look for the stories, and hone the pitches.

This is only what I’ve learnt so far.  It isn’t gospel by any means.  Don’t shoot me down yet.  I’m just learning to crawl in journalism.