Try your hand at journalism by researching and writing articles for your school paper! What issues would you like to cover? 

Advice

Write for your school newspaper!

Search for internships at your favorite magazine or newspaper and contact them to find out more. Ask about the requirements and when to apply!

Career

Intern at a magazine or newspaper.

Find a local band or musician you like and contact them to request an informal interview. Prepare questions in advance, but be ready to have a conversation where you share about your interests, too!

Day to Day

Interview a local band or musician.

Editors

Plan, coordinate, or edit content of material for publication. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication. Includes technical editors.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Third Interest High-Point

Second Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

First Interest High-Point

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Writers and Editors

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Media and Communication Workers

Prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, or supervise others who do this work.

Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and syntax.

Allocate print space for story text, photos, and illustrations according to space parameters and copy significance, using knowledge of layout principles.

Plan the contents of publications according to the publication's style, editorial policy, and publishing requirements.

Verify facts, dates, and statistics, using standard reference sources.

Review and approve proofs submitted by composing room prior to publication production.

Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal.

Oversee publication production, including artwork, layout, computer typesetting, and printing, ensuring adherence to deadlines and budget requirements.

Confer with management and editorial staff members regarding placement and emphasis of developing news stories.

Assign topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.

Read, evaluate and edit manuscripts or other materials submitted for publication and confer with authors regarding changes in content, style or organization, or publication.

Monitor news-gathering operations to ensure utilization of all news sources, such as press releases, telephone contacts, radio, television, wire services, and other reporters.

Meet frequently with artists, typesetters, layout personnel, marketing directors, and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.

Supervise and coordinate work of reporters and other editors.

Make manuscript acceptance or revision recommendations to the publisher.

Select local, state, national, and international news items received from wire services, based on assessment of items' significance and interest value.

Interview and hire writers and reporters or negotiate contracts, royalties, and payments for authors or freelancers.

Direct the policies and departments of newspapers, magazines and other publishing establishments.

Read material to determine index items and arrange them alphabetically or topically, indicating page or chapter location.

Write text, such as stories, articles, editorials, or newsletters.

Desktop computers

Digital still cameras

Digital video cameras

Laptop computers

Multi-line telephone systems

Personal computers

Precision rulers

Teleconferencing equipment

Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Video editing equipment

Videoconferencing equipment

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects

Adobe Systems Adobe Captivate

Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver

Adobe Systems Adobe Flash

Adobe Systems Adobe FrameMaker

Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Systems Adobe InCopy

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop

After the Deadline

Apple Final Cut Pro

Apple iWork Keynote

AutoCrit Editing Wizard

Avid Technology Media Composer

Cascading Style Sheets CSS

CCI Newsgate

Drupal

Editor Software Stylewriter

Elite Minds RightWriter

Extensible HyperText Markup Language XHTML

Extensible markup language XML

Facebook

File transfer protocol FTP software

FileMaker Pro

Google Analytics

Grammarly Editor

HP Autonomy TeamSite

Hypertext markup language HTML

LexisNexis

LinkedIn

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Word

myWriterTools

Orpheus Technology Pro Writing Aid

Polycom RealPresence

QuarkXPress

Style guide databases

Twitter

Web browser software

Web content management system CMS software

Whitesmoke

WordPress

YouTube

Senior Editor

<p>In Washington DC, Warren Brown, founder of the Cake Love Bakery, tells the Roadtrip Nation team about how he left his job as a lawyer to pursue his passion for baking. Also in DC they have the opportunity to interview Dr. Steven Rosenberg, a pioneer in cancer research. After DC the team heads to, New York City, where they interview David Fricke, music editor at Rolling Stone.</p>

Washington, D.C. - New York City

You were taking jobs that you weren't kind of in love with. Did you have an ultimate dream job in your head that you're striving for? >> [SOUND] This one. [MUSIC] You know, I knew I wanted to be in music. And the more I was in music, the more I realized that I liked writing a lot. I actually grew up in an era where people look back now and say, man, that must have been an amazing time to grow up in. To be 15, 16, at a point when The Beatles were actually releasing the records that we now think of as classics and talk about, oh, man, it's the 40th anniversary of meet The Beatles, and all of those business. It was an astonishing experience. And you really knew that you are part of something special, and it also made you wanna get out of convention. I had a good life and a good home, a hardworking dad and a good middle class home. But I wanted to do something else. And music had all of the things in it that I really wanted to be a part of. I just became absolutely obsessed with music. I basically lived two lives at school. I went to class, busted my ass. The other half I spent at the radio station, just listening to music, being on the air whenever nobody else could be bothered. I'm on at 3 AM and I know I'm the only guy listening to me. But I just did it, because I wanted to do it and it seemed like it was a way forward. So, I graduated with degree in English with absolutely no idea what I was gonna do. I had no job prospects. And I hadn't pursued any, which was a bit of a disappointment to my parents because they put me through college. And the first job I got out of college was as a stock boy in an Army Navy store. And at the same time, I managed to do some writing for the local free newspaper. The magazine called the Drummer. And I remember the first check I got for my first review. It was $5. I didn't cash it. Guys, I wanna remember this. [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] >> I wanna remember this cheque, cuz it's my first cheque for being paid as a writer. I have since lost it- >> [LAUGH] >> But the memory of it of, what it looked like, with my name on it, five bucks. It's burned there on it. At that point I knew that, even if I wasn't able, wasn't going to succeed at it, I had at least gotten that far. And then, I just kept writing for anyone who would publish me. People will ask me, how did you do what you did? And I said, I just did. You know, well, how did you learn to write? I said, well, I write. I just sit down and I do it. But I couldn't imagine having studied journalism in some degree, and having my English degree, and having this passion for writing, that I was ready for anything. I learned it, I actually at one point, I had heard that the Washington Post was looking for a music critic or rock critic. And so, I send in my clips. And I sent in a letter and I did the whole drill. And I got a letter back that basically said, your stuff doesn't measure up, go away. And I was hugely bummed. Not because I thought I was a shoe-in, but it was like getting a cannon ball in the gut. Basically it was quite clear, I wasn't that good. Certainly, people of that caliber didn't think I was that good. And at the same time, I had written a review for a magazine that I was working for in Philadelphia, a newspaper. And it was a review of a book of articles and columns by the late Ralph Gleason, the guy who co-founded the magazine with Jan. Very famous writer, actually a guy really admired and looked up to. And so I wrote this review and basically, what I said in it was that when I grew up, I wanted to be Ralph Gleason. And this little review in this little newspaper in Philadelphia, somehow got to a woman who work as a publicist for fantasy records who knew Ralph Gleason's widow. And she passed it on to Mrs. Gleeson. And she wrote me a letter. And the letter in it was, it was very kind about what you said about Ralph and it was very moving and I really appreciate it. The one thing that Ralph always believed is, if you're gonna be a writer, you have to be your own person. You have to say things your own way and do what you wanna do. And that was a very important thing to him. And that letter meant more to me than the Washington Post rejection. The Washington Post rejection was reality. The letter from Ralph Gleason's widow told me that I was on the right course. And that regardless of how much money I made, regardless of how successful I might be, or how little successful I might be, I was doing the right and I was doing it for the right reasons. And that letter has been, you know, that's been my ticket. >> It's funny cuz we've like heard, I mean, we've been talking this whole trip about how we've heard these cliches our whole lives. Do what you wanna do and be happy with your work. Somehow I just feel like so many people end up not happy with their job, I guess. >> That's gotta be a huge drag. The truth, the thing about cliches is that they're actually elementary truths that become cliches cuz they're so abused, and they're so overused. Do what you wanna do. Idiotic thought. But it doesn't mean that you can't pursue, I don't wanna say your dreams cuz that sounds so cliche- >> [LAUGH] >> But it doesn't mean that you just gotta stop. I could stop today right at this minute and I could look back and say, man, I had a great time. I had experiences that I never would have imagined when I was working at the radio station or writing my little reviews for the school news paper. The things that I dreamed about, but couldn't actually imagine. It's amazing to me how many of them actually came true, but I'm not done. You know, just, you know, best of luck. The fact that you're doing this means that you're not just going to be taking jobs at Sears. >> [LAUGH] >> And if you gotta, you know, you make some bread and you fund your road trip somewhere else. >> Yeah. >> That's why I work at a drugstore, so I can go to Woodstock. >> [LAUGH] [MUSIC] 

Desire

Family

Individualism

Passion

Perseverance

Success

Interview

You know, I knew I wanted to be in music. And the more I was in music, the more I realized that I liked writing a lot. I actually grew up in an era where people look back now and say, man, that must have been an amazing time grow up in. To be 15, 16 at a point when the Beatles were actually releasing the records that we now think of as classics and talk about oh man, it's the 40th anniversary of Meet the Beatles and all this business. It's an astonishing experience, and you really knew you were part of something special. And it also made you want to get out of convention. I had a good life and a good home, a hardworking Dad and a good middle class home, but I wanted to do something else and music had all of the things in it that I really wanted to be a part of. I just became absolutely obsessed with music. 

Outside of Convention

I basically lived two lives in school. I went to class, busted my ass. The other half I spent at the radio station. Just listening to music, being on the air whenever nobody else could be bothered. Like I'm on at 3:00 AM, and I know I'm the only guy listening to me. But, I just did it because I wanted to do it and it seemed like it was a way forward, so I graduated with a degree in English with absolutely no idea what I was going to do. I had no job prospects and I hadn't pursued any, which was a bit of a disappointment to my parents, because they put me through college. And the first job I got out of college was as a stock boy in an Army/Navy store. And at the same time I managed to do some writing for the local free newspapers, a magazine called the Drummer. And I remember the first check I got for my first review, it was $5. I didn't cash it. I just wanna remember this, I wanna remember this check as my first check for being paid as a writer. I have since lost it, but- >> [LAUGH] >> The memory of it, of what it looked like with my name on five bucks is burned there. And at that point, I knew that even if I wasn't going to succeed at it, I had at least gotten that far. And then I just kept writing for anyone who would publish me. 

Paid For Writing

People will ask me, how did you do what you did? I said, I just did. How did you learn to write? I said, I write. I just sit down and I do it. But I couldn't imagine having studied journalism to some degree and having my English degree and having this passion for writing that I was ready for anything, I learned it. I actually, at one point I had heard that the Washington Post was looking for a music critic or rock critic. So I sent in my clips and I sent in a letter, I did the whole drill and I got a letter back that basically said your stuff doesn't measure up, go away. I was hugely bummed, not because I thought I was a shoo-in but it was like a cannonball in the gut. Basically, it was quite clear I wasn't that good. Certainly, people of that caliber didn't think I was that good. At the same time, I had written a review for a magazine that I was working for in [INAUDIBLE], a newspaper, and it was a review of a book of articles and columns by the late Ralph Gleason, the guy who cofounded the magazine with Jann, very famous writer. Actually, a guy I really admired and looked up to and so I wrote this review and basically, what I said in it was that when I grew up, I wanted to be Ralph Gleason. This little review, in this little newspaper, in Philadelphia, somehow got to a woman who worked as a publicist for Fantasy Records, who knew Ralph Gleason's widow. She passed it on to Mrs. Gleason, and she wrote me a letter. The letter [INAUDIBLE], it was very kind what you said about Ralph, and it was very moving and we really appreciate it but the one thing that Ralph always believed is that if you're going to be a writer, you have to be your own person. You have to say things your own way and do what you want to do, and that was an important thing to him. That letter meant more to me than the Washington Post rejection. The Washington Post rejection was reality. The letter from Ralph Gleason's widow told me that I was on the right course. And that, regardless of how much money I made, regardless of how successful I might be or how little successful I might be, I was doing the right thing. I was doing it for the right reasons. And that letter, that's been my ticket. 

Struggle

Be Your Own Person

Music had all of the things in it that I really wanted to be a part of. You know, I just became absolutely obsessed with music. I graduated with a degree in English, um, with absolutely no idea what I was going to do. I had no job prospects. And the first job I got out of college was as a stock boy in an Army Navy store. And at the same time, I managed to um...do some writing for the local free newspaper. It was a magazine called The Drummer. And I remember the first check I got for my first review was $5. And I didn't cash it. I was like, "I wanna "remember this. I wanna remember this check "'cause it's my first check for being paid as a writer." And then I just, I just kept writing for anyone who would publish me. And people, you know, will ask me, "Well how did you do what you did?" And I said, "I just did it." You know, "Well how did you "learn to write?" I said, "Well I write." You know, "I just sit down and I do it." 

David Fricke

Senior Editor

Videos

David Fricke

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Journalism

Music

Being Creative

Interviewed By

Break the Norm