Being a journalist is no ordinary job. It means working long hours when you are on the trail sniffing out a scoop. It means getting the door slammed in your face when newsmakers refuse to talk. It means encountering writer’s block when your mind refuses to conjure up the words that can tell your story. But it also means that you get to meet people from presidents to pig farmers. You become witness to events that move people or transform the course of history. It is a job that makes you humble as the frailties and strengths of human nature are brought home to you. Yet, it makes you proud to know that you have a key role, recording what people want or need to know.It's not a wonder SPH produces quality newspapers.
| Tips on how to be a good journalist: |
| Have something to write about before you try writing it. If you can’t write it down, you don’t have an idea, let alone a story. |
| Tell your readers something new. That’s why they pay for the newspaper. Keep them in mind. |
| Write plain, simple English. Simple words are the most powerful. Remember, easy reading is really hard writing. If you can, make your words sing. If you can’t, at least make them clear. |
| Write so your reader will say, “I feel as though I have actually seen what you have described.” |
| Learn to edit your own copy. The easy part about writing is you don’t have to get it right the first time - unlike, say, in brain surgery. Besides, a good story does not need decoration. |
| Read every day - three, four books at a time and all the magazines you can lay your hands on. Read as much as you can of the best writers. |
| Feed your mind as you feed your body every day. Keep your mind open to new ideas and think. |
| Be obsessed with accuracy. It is paramount. If you don’t treat facts as sacred, you should be a fiction writer. |
| Learn your craft. As you learn, some grinding of the teeth is allowed, but not too much. No one puts a gun to your head and orders you to be a journalist. |
| Join us. All great journeys begin with the first step. |
