How can you get your first byline in journalism?

I got mine through a friend. She saw a tweet seeking freelance journalists, she sent it to me, I cold pitched the editor, she accepted, I wrote the piece. Then I wrote two more under her guidance after that! I did my research on the editor and the publication and provided an angle I knew no one else could write better than I could. Even though I had no formal journalism experience, my newsletter and LinkedIn posts sufficed as writing samples. It just takes one yes to lead to more yeses.

Antes de presentar las ideas, también es importante definir cuáles coinciden con el interés de nuestra audiencia. Porque, por ejemplo, si nos gusta investigar y queremos realizar un periodismo de investigación, con las características que este género tiene, debemos tener bien en claro a quién le vamos a hablar. Y, a partir de esa decisión, a quienes le vamos a acercar la propuesta.

Look for call-outs for pitches in a topic area you’re interested to write about. There are loads of freelancer newsletters you can subscribe to for free to get these in your inbox, you can follow editors of your favourite publications on social media and search hashtags like #journorequests. Brush up on pitching guidelines where available and do your research. Then pitch away!

En mi caso fue, precisamente, por un pitch. Investigué a la empresa desde su propia web, a partir de allí pude conectar con ellos. Pero antes de cualquier envío de propuesta, primero evalué cuáles eran los temas que iba a proponer para su evaluación. Tengo claro que sí fue una buena investigación previa, y que no me llevó mucho tiempo comenzar a escribir para ellos. En mi opinión, evaluar qué se va a ofrecer (los temas fuertes de cada uno) y el estilo del medio, y con eso en mente, hacer un pitch personalizado. Creo que es fundamental, considerando que el uso de la IA ha invadido hasta las comunicaciones personalizadas. Por supuesto, luego puedes incluir lo que creas conveniente para sumar a tu correo.

If there's a hyperlocal news outlet in your community, approach the editor. Things they often need help covering are local government meetings and high school sports. If you're interested in local government and/or sports, those are great ways to break into journalism on a freelance basis.

When was the last time you picked up an issue of your hometown's local newspaper? In the earliest stages of my career, my mentor always preached on being "relentlessly local." To be relentlessly local means to find stories that resonate with a local audience. Those stories of the Girl Scout troop who sold a record-breaking amount of cookies in the county to local city politics are just as impactful as the stories that make national and international headlines. The difference is there is a smaller audience. But it is those stories that help build a portfolio to discover bigger and bigger stories. Once you master theses stories, the world is your oyster.

It depends on where you live. I'm a New Yorker. NYC is as big as it gets. So many journalists live here so we're all pitching to the same editors. If you live in a smaller town, your odds may look different. Newer outlets may be more welcoming as well. My first pieces were published in Business Insider and NYLON. Both were cold pitches. It came down to the angle and timing.

Con la conectividad global, no creo que este sea un punto determinante. Si puede sumar experiencia. Hoy todo está digitalizado, lo que escribo en una web de mi vecindario, lo puede ver el principal diario del mundo. Suma experiencia, y si se desea crecer, no se puede ir directamente a los medios que uno tenga idealizados como meta. Medios chicos son una plataforma de crecimiento, es el paso a paso de ir por objetivos mas ambiciosos.

The most important thing you can do to get started in journalism is, not surprisingly, to write stories. If you're young, jump at chances to write for school papers. If you're young and lucky, you should try to join Youth Journalism, which offers a free education, a worldwide network and the chance to get published on a respected site. But the important thing is to write, as much as you can, wherever you can. You'll need the clips to show editors you can do this stuff. But, honestly, the only way you'll get good enough to be worth hiring on any basis is to write stories regularly. Practice may not make perfect, but it surely helps you get better.

Since this question is obviously of the most interest to beginners in journalism, I should add one other key thing: Pay attention to a whole bunch of newspapers and news sites. It's not enough to write well or even to get the hang of reporting. You also need to develop a keen news sense -- to know a good story when you see one and how good stories are crafted. Young people often want to tackle topics, like racism or abortion, instead of searching for stories that illuminate the topic. You have to learn to think in terms of stories, not issues. It's a skill you can develop.

I concur with what Steve Majerus-Collins said in his comments. And, starting local is always a great way to be notice and grow one's network. Thanks

Nowadays the best starting point is college. Take a journalism course, get to know people in the business, and start writing for local or school papers, and don't be shy. Journalism is talk and walk. Though today journos spend most of their time in front of a computer, they still have to "walk" and talk to as many people as possible to gather sources for potential new opportunities.

If the blog era taught us anything, it's this: become the platform. As often as I pitch to publications, I'm a multimedia journalist beyond them. My content on short- and long-form video and text platforms continues to open doors. We live in a time where everyday people can change their entire lives because of how they leverage their platforms. This is true for media professionals too.

Technologies such as mobile phones, tablets, and others enable anyone today to capture scenery, adding some words and transform it into a clips that could easily be uploaded to one's social media platform. Although, there are many ways to do this, the best is to start with what you have in your hands. Thanks

The tools are all there, at your disposal. But remember, don't start something that is not adding value to you and your community. Make sure what u will be doing is useful and trustworthy. With that in mind, make sure you consistently provide content. Update it regularly. Create unique stories. Listen to your public needs and always tell the truth (the most u can).

Be your advocate. My favorite writers are always the ones who aren't limited to a newsroom and know how to move independently. It's crazy out there. Take good care.

As a student with limited opportunities in my environment, one thing that helped me the most was creating my very own publication on Substack. Not only did I write stories I cared about, but I also got ample practice on honing my writing skills. I now use my Substack as a portfolio when pitching stories to editors for opportunities in the industry. Having your own platform is an excellent way to build your image as a journalist, too. You get to show your personality and let your voice be heard as well. Over time, you may develop yourself into a brand, too.

Feedback is key to a freelancer's success. Rejection is part of the feedback, but many editors don't automatically offer it. At the same time, many journalists don't proactively seek it. Take the time to evaluate your rejected pitch. Was it a poor fit for the publication? Was it not well communicated? Or was the idea not strong? Do some reflecting and then ask the editor directly. Every pitch rejection is a chance to learn.

Pitching can feel very demoralizing. All the no's and—even worse—all the no responses can weigh on you. But it comes with the territory. You only get better with each pitch and more resilient with each disappointment. I'm grateful for every interaction (or lack thereof) because these experiences have made me the journalist I am today. I've worked with some amazing editors who've helped me tailor my pitch to better fit the publication or most effectively convey an angle. Being open to feedback is the difference between a pitch and a published story.

Consistency and commitment go together, and are great way to hon your skills. Make sure to put those in your pocket, and watch your results.

Pitching can feel like a chore sometimes. Honestly, I sometimes don't like to pitch. I just want to write it already. But I understand the importance of being persistent and flexible as I pitch. If I get accepted great! It's always a bummer when I get a flat "no" and it's frustrating to hear crickets. But pitching is part of the job. One day it gets easier to pitch and that's because you've developed a network for your work.

This really depends on your goal. If you want to build a career as a writer, columnist or public speaker, getting a byline is an advantage for building a personal brand. However, if you want to pursue a career as a reporter or journalist, don't be in a hurry to become known through your byline. It's best to serve your journey step by step. Be a strong reporter and a great team player first. Moreover, your news report is sometimes more impactful when it is done collaboratively and relies more on your newspaper's reputation rather than the individual journalist pride. For a journalist, the opportunity to write a byline should be because you are worthy and deserve it. Avoid giving the impression you targeting it blatantly.

Try writing pseudonymously initially. It help you identify where you're missing out in your articles. Make a checklist that includes accuracy in facts, completeness, tone, and more. Ask for feedback on your writings and pitch your articles to editors. If you're genuinely good at writing, it will help creating trust. After you have established some presence and trust, you can ask for the byline. Or you can try platforms like that allows for self publishing.

Look for call-outs for pitches in a topic area you’re interested to write about. There are loads of freelancer newsletters you can subscribe to for free to get these in your inbox, you can follow editors of your favourite publications on social media and search hashtags like #journorequests. Brush up on pitching guidelines where available and do your research. Then pitch away!

Con la irrupción de la IA, muchas carreras se vieron afectadas, entre ellas la de redacción periodística. El camino debe ser recorrido a paso firme, cada paso debe dejar una huella. En el día de hoy, nadie tendrá problemas en reemplazarte por un bot, entonces, ese paso a paso debe el ser diferenciador. Hoy el trabajo a cambiado la perspectiva, ya no te ofrecen trabajo, o al menos son los menos; lo que hoy se ofrece son negocios, dónde una inversión de tiempo o trabajo habrá que hacer. Hay que estar muy preparado, en conocimiento y en autoconocimiento.