Something I have been wondering is how do journalists in the workplace choose their stories? Do they tell their editors about a story they are interested in and then it is approved? Can they write about anything they want to as long as it hasn’t been done the same way before? Will I be able to write about things that I care about when I am working as a professional journalist or will I be assigned stories about things I don’t care for more often?
Because I like to write about things that I think will impact people and hopefully bring about positive change, I am worried that I won’t be able to do that when I work for a newspaper. What other options are there for journalists, besides working for a newspaper (or online publication site)?
Another thing I am thinking about is whether reporting is actually a good position for me or if I would enjoy editing more. I hope to take an editing position in The Lumberjack soon, but until then I won’t really know what it is like to be an editor for news stories and will only have experience with writing.
Reporting, for me, is very energy-intensive. I wonder, do other people feel the same way, or am I just cripplingly introverted? I feel like most journalists feel like reporting is the perfect job for them because they like talking to people. In theory, I also like talking to new people and understanding different perspectives from my own, but I am still struggling with mustering the energy to talk to people constantly for my stories. That part is the least enjoyable for me, really no matter who they are, or whether I agree with them or not. Despite my struggles with the first part of the reporting process, I really enjoy piecing together my stories in a way that makes sense and flows nicely, and that is why I think that I would enjoy editing more than reporting.
Writings on Journalism 