One question...why did you want to be a journalist?

I will admit that once I tell someone that I am a journalist, you can see the cogs turning, they start thinking can I be trusted and then again why.


I have been asked a few times, in interviews for my course, my job and just in general.



Journalists do have a bit of a bad reputation especially at the moment where every other story about journalists is about hacking. But most local journalist would not be able to do something like that, well any moral person should think twice before doing it, anyway, nationals can tread on people, so to speak, because they have the money to and have enough stories out there that one local story can be replaced with another. But for regional papers to be honest people are usually more than happy to tell you their stories as everyone loves a little bit of fame. And we build a relationship of trust as those people may come back time and time again with differnet stories or let you know when something is happening.


So why do I want to be a journalist?

When I was 13, I wanted to be a TV researcher, but then one English lesson after a writing exercise my teacher asked me if I had ever considered being a journalist and it is almost as if a little bubble burst in my head and everything made sense.

I seem to possess a lot of qualities that journalists have, I am nosey or I like to think inquisitive, I ask a lot of questions and my mind is always wondering something. Sometimes completely random and sometimes quite sensible.

I enjoy learning new things and then writing something for others to learn new things.

I enjoy meeting people and chatting to them, that is what I loved about working a shop. One of the best things about my job, was when I did my first story about a baby's pram being stolen and then people pulling together to help her out, for the mum to come in and thank me. It feels nice to help some in a simple way, with words.

I, obviously, enjoy writing, it is very cathartic for me, especially my blog where I can have my rant.

Being a journalist is very varied, although we have the same deadline day. No two days are the same you can plan but then stories just happen. It's like one day you can do a story about a girl in a pop video, then a man who's wife has Alzheimer’s and then a planning story. There is no other job like it I don't think.

I think some people do it for money (not much to be honest) and some to see their name in lights...well print. But me I just do it because I love it. I think that is the only reason you can otherwise you won't enjoy it and won't do it very well. But then it may have been someone told me I was quite good at it and I have never seen myself doing anything else.

Some tips though for any wannabes:


* Get experience, anywhere and everywhere. You pick up a lot of skills and start to think where you could go.


* Get on a NCTJ course, a journalism degree is well and good but a lot of papers want those four letters... N.C.T.J (National Council for the Training of Journalists). I went to Highbury College and did the 20 week course, the hardest 20 weeks of my life but really toughens you up for the real world, I also got to make a lot of good friends. Their website is: http://www.highbury.ac.uk/client/content.asp?ContentId=377


* Don't bad mouth anyone, journalism is a small world and everyone knows everyone or at least someone who knows someone else.


* Keep everything you write, as a record of what you can do.


* I suppose if you want to do it your passion will shine through and those around you will see how much you want it.


* Oh buy a dictionary and a thesaurus.

So good luck!