Four Lessons I've learned from being a Working Journalist

Twenty-five years ago, I became a journalist with my first job at Upscale Magazine in Atlanta Georgie. I had never met a journalist, or even knew how a journalist made their living, but I’d been writing stories, crafting articles in college and interning in Detroit, my hometown and applied for an administration position. Over 3 months and numerous emails and phone calls, I got my starter course on magazine publishing, from Sheila and Bernard Bronner with Renita Mathis as my managing editor. Within a year, I was assigned to the small business section to provide content, researching, conducting interviews, translation, fact checking, all on deadline. For many years, I worked with editorial teams to pitch ideas, research storylines and creatively share stories in Detroit, New York, LA, even Aruba, Milan Italy and most recently here in Johannesburg South Africa.

Journalist is an unlikely occupation for a west side Detroit-native — definitely not what my parents were anticipating from my Spelman Bachelors of Arts degree— but Journalism became an important source of income for me, as it is for millions of writers around the world. Although my article placements have dropped significantly since I focused my efforts on PR, Social Media and The Stylist Suite three years ago, I still get a freelance check every two months: from editors who know my work and accept my pitches, and a nice percentage of my income is made by dividends on a contract with California Newsreel for a documentary produced on fellow journalist Langston Hughes. It’s a perpetual reminder of not just how much I’ve earned, but how much I’ve learned from my years as a Working Journalist.

Learn How to Pitch and Sell, Because We’re All Pitching and Selling

Even if you’re not selling specific products or services per se, at some point we all have to sell ourselves. We have to convey our ideas, our experiences. Journalism taught me three things: (1) the importance of making an emotional connection through storytelling. (3) How to take no’s and still make meaningful connections. (3) To always ask for the assignment.

Focus on Technology and access through technology. Because Everybody cares about Social Media

I had a public falling out with VIBE Magazine’s Managing Editor in 2015 over his disrespect of freelance journalists. Vibe Magazine was the original hip hop freelance journalists network, but editorial management was painfully slow in paying their freelancers or to stay engaged. Vibe’s popularity has since tanked. Technology will continue to disrupt industries and processes, even those like our recent fake news backlash that seem far removed from the truth.

When You Write For Yourself, Be Prepared to Write Much More

One of my best quotes from Dr. Gayle in American literature class while at Spelman College when she used to inform her new students “Writers simply write. Be prepared to write more for yourself than you do for your reader?” Journalism rarely looks like the 8-hour a Day/40 Hours a work week. It takes long unorthodox hours, intense researched until-your-eyes-burn strategy, always-on optimism, and re-writing through perseverance.

Everyone Journalists’ words are Different. Find What stories Work for You

I’ve always subscribed to this theory, but didn’t really understand it until I heard Vogue Italia’s late Editor in Chief articulate it. I stood out as a plus-size African American female, native Motor City woman writing fashion profiles during my first New York fashion week in 2016. It caught everyone off guard — potential editors and journalist colleagues as well as, digital media companies. It made people curious — even snooty luxury fashion brands. And gave me the precious authentic opportunity of people's attention.