We spoke to a well-known journalist who told us about his work, daily habits, how he separates work and leisure, how much time he spends at home, and how much of his free time he devotes to completing various tasks at work.
-How you became a journalist?
I’ve been writing for a long time. When I was in my teens, I used to write on forums and at the same time started writing about game reviews for websites. And later this experience helped me get into writing as a profession.
– Do you have any special knowledge? What is it?
With every new job comes additional training that helps me do my current work more efficiently. At first, of course, everything is not easy – but with sufficient interest and motivation all these difficulties can be overcome!
In addition, while working online there are always some specific requirements which must be observed when writing news: so many words per article etc., good style of writing articles – especially if they will be published both in print media or online versions. But I try to follow all these rules.
– Do you have any writing rituals? What are they?
I write in the morning and at night, sometimes in the afternoon – it depends on my work schedule. And when I need a break – as soon as possible! It is also important how long I will spend writing: an hour or two hours per day; maybe more if there is something important going on.
– Do you have writing habits? What do they include?
Before writing, I always make a rough plan of the text and try to follow it while writing. It’s very important not just for journalists but also for all writers! Otherwise at some point you can get confused… Of course sometimes our ideas change during writing or we see that something is missing in the article – so when this happens we add whatever was necessary later on. But still, it’s better if everything was written beforehand. Sometimes I even use noise-canceling earmuffs, that helps to distance yourself from the world and focus on the work. But another time I try to listen to music while writing articles – that helps me concentrate better on my task!
A journalist’s working day lasts from early morning until late evening – but this does not mean that we are always busy writing articles for different publications. In our time off between writing tasks we often communicate with colleagues about various topics of interest (this helps to relax), go out into nature (if only briefly) after which everything is ready for a new “working day”.
– How do you separate work and leisure?
Of course, it is not always easy to switch off after writing articles or conducting interviews. But I try to relax by reading books (especially crime stories), watching films, going out with friends etc. As for my job – it’s important to me that I complete all the tasks that are assigned to me in a timely manner so that my editors are happy.
-How often do you perform urgent editorial tasks in the evenings, after working hours?
It depends on the publication I am writing for and also on my personal schedule. Sometimes there are urgent tasks that need to be completed in a very short time frame, but fortunately this does not happen very often. In most cases I try to complete all my work during regular working hours so that I can relax later on.
– Do you spend more time at home or at work?
I usually spend more time at work than at home – but this varies depending on the day of the week and my workload. On days when I have little work to do, I try to spend as much time as possible with my family.
– Do you have any favorite tools/resources when writing?
Usually I usr Evernote – an excellent program for taking notes and writing text. But when I’m writing a blog article for this website, then I use the special WordPress editor to write it quickly – without any distractions.
– Do you have any advice for aspiring journalists?
Yes, I do! First of all, it’s important to develop writing skills. And secondly, read as much as possible – not just about the topic that you’re interested in, but also about other topics. This will help you understand how to write well and make your writing more interesting and enjoyable for others to read.
