How can i prepare myself for being a journalist?

Question

i'm 13, and i want to become a journalist.

i always interview people, and doing sotry about events that go on at my school.

is there anything else i can do?

my school doesn't have a school newspaper and they won't let us make one until next year (it's a new school)

so what can i do?

i'm going to pursue my dream

Answer 1

I second Walter's suggestions. Additionally, The Citizens Journal allows anyone to publish legitimate news articles. It's also a great way to get feedback from readers and other writers. http://www.thecitizensjournal.com

Answer 2

There are several things that you may do immediately.

1)  Buy or ask your parents to buy the best dictionary on the market for you to use, preferably the "Complete Oxford English Dictionary" (in the two volume edition, not the 14 volume). This will help you with your school work and be a great asset for your career.

2)  Buy the best Thesaurus you can and use it constantly. Again, this will help at school and later with your work.

3)  Ask your parents to contact the local major newspaper and request a copy of their "Style Guide". A style guide is issued by the papers to help their journalists with how the paper prefers their stories written, which words to avoid, which words are often misused and other matters.

4)  Contact your local newspaper and ask if you may contribute some small articles of interest to you and your friends. Assuming they say yes, you then can slowly build up to later writing more serious stories and working on the paper during your holidays.

5)  Keep copies of everything you have had published. A good portfolio is helpful with later finding the job you want.

Things to plan for over the next few years --

1) Work out which type of journalism you wish to pursue. Is it "police rounds", Court Reporting, general reporting, aviation, shipping, fashion, economics,  politics at state or federal level, working overseas as a 'foreign correspondent', public relations or some other field.. Also, whether you wish to work on newspapers, radio, television or other formats.

2)  Concentrate on your schoolwork, especially your English.  Depending on which speciality you choose to pursue, you will need to do mathematics (for economics and politics and as a foreign correspondent), politics, legal studies, languages, geography etc.

3)  Start looking at which university you would like to attend to do your journalism course. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each course? When you do go to university, major in journalism with minors in your chosen sphere of interest. Also, work on the university's newspaper or its radio/TV station.

Answer 3

Read.

It's the best thing you can do. Read everything you can get your hands on, especially newspapers and news magazines. It'll hone your writing skills and give you a deeper appreciation for the written word, especially AP style, the style in which most journalists are expected to write.