Straight from the hack’s mouth

Nicole Davis and Michael Perry dish out some tips from journalists at this year’s NUS Student Media Summit

This years Student Media Summit logo Photo: NUS/Amnesty International

At the end of August, two members of the Boar team had the privilege of attending a student media summit in Shoreditch. Jam-packed with some of journalism’s biggest names, free sandwiches and the opportunity to network, the atmosphere of excitement was beyond tangible.
Over the course of two days several talks and workshops were offered, ranging from sports journalism and interviewing skills to photography and newsgathering. No matter what speciality or format you’re interested in, the same basic advice kept cropping up. We bring you the sagest snippets straight from the equestrian mammal’s mouth.

1. “Write in 3-D”: make it direct and visual
      Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian

Using a wealth of imagery: “articles are like fast-moving rivers”; feature-writer Simon emphasised turning your article into a narrative. At the end of the day it has to grip the reader, so get those 3D glasses on and get typing.

2. Get out there and PITCH PITCH PITCH (AND PROTECT) YOUR IDEAS)
                                Ramita Navai, Unreported World

Ramita is a straight-talking, awe-inspiring journalist who has made documentaries and covered events in Egypt, Zimbabwe and Libya. Pitching your articles is her sure-fire way of getting started, the more you get your ideas out there, the more likely you are to get a response.

3. Report FACT with ZERO interpretation
           Deborah Haynes, The Times

Another frontline female journalist who has visited conflict zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Deborah’s straight-talking advice is targeted mainly at news pieces, as opposed to comment or opinion writing.

4. “If you’re a journalist and you love your job, you must work every day.” To think otherwise is “FUCKING BOURGEOIS.”
                                                                              Iain Cobain

Pretty to-the-point, laziness is not for journalists…

5. Be charming! “It’s easy to get a reputation as a pest, but use persistence and charm. Enchant people”
                                                                    Lizzie Catt

Flutter those eyelids, flick that hair, be interesting! If only it were that easy. But Lizzie has a point and if you’re polite and engaging you’re more likely to make a good impression.

6. Focus on ignored or neglected issues and carve out a niche in that area to give you a unique angle.
                                                                   Owen Jones, The Independent

When you’re trying to break into national publications as a student, be smart about it. They employ hundreds of writers to cover the big stories, so it’s unlikely you’ll get those gigs. But student type issues, or stories personal to you – you’re in a unique position to cover.

7. On interviewing: do your homework! Preparation will inform your questions. But equally don’t over-think it and forget to ask the obvious questions.
                                                                                      Ronke Phillips, ITV

Ronke Phillips has interviewed some big names and in all sorts of countries, and won awards doing so. So if she says prepare, I would go in knowing who you’re interviewing and what to ask.

8. When contacting potential employers, ask questions such as “what’s your online rate?” or “what’s your word rate?” Don’t let editors assume you’re willing to write for free
                                                                                                 Paris Lees

With the rise of the unpaid internship, Paris has a point. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

9. On websites: Understand your audience: WHO are you targeting, and WHAT are you offering them?
                                                                           Anna Doble, Channel 4

You wouldn’t send your Grandma a snapchat of you twerking… Cater to your audience – use the right terminology, tone and style and they’re more likely to come back for more.

10. Be compassionate; remember it’s not just a story, but someone’s life. You are a person first, and a journalist second.
                                                                                  Narveesh Puri, BBC News

And the ones that everyone seemed to mention:

•  Constantly refine your writing.
•  Be accurate.
•  Have an opinion.
• Sell yourself! Not literally of course, but don’t be afraid to tell editors why you’re the best person to write that article – what unique perspective do you offer?
• And be prepared for rejection and very little money… (But then as students, you’ll be used to that already!)

It’s a tall order of to-dos and what not-to-dos, with the possibility for slip-ups at every turn. But the event reminded us that there isn’t a singular route to journalism; some of us may have a more scenic journey there, whilst others will take the highway straight to the top. There may be diversions, distractions and rejections, but if you want it enough, you will keep trying. Every speaker here had a different story and a different setback to share (Simon Hattenstone described his approach as “cack-handed”), placing a different amount of value on what you need to make the cut – some prioritise education, others recommend experience at your local paper.

Ultimately it’s down to you to work at it. And university provides the best opportunity for you to do so! From blogging to the Boar, to other media outlets and creative writing publications throughout campus, the time to write has never been so, well, right. You can test the water to see if you like it, hone your skills, get feedback from other students and get the opportunity to attend such events as this one. And you don’t even have to be charming to do so.