The
greatest thing about Second Life is that you can be who you want to be. You can be over 7 foot tall with abs
you could stop a train with, or a sex siren with massive.....potential,
regardless of who you are or what you look like in the real world.
You can live your dream, usually instantly,
and without qualifications or long boring interviews. My personal dream is to be a radio DJ; the
closest I've got to that is DJ-ing in a club a few days a week. But I've always secretly wanted to be a
journalist. So you can imagine my
delight when I found out about the SL Enquirer.
Writing
for a virtual newspaper might sound a bit silly to some people, and the more
pedantic among you will say you're not actually writing for a newspaper,
merely a blog with idea's above it station.
But, as most of the people here in Second Life know already, none of
this is real. The only thing that's real
about Mackenzie Abbot, or you, gentle reader, is the person behind the
avatar. We all know that the reality is
far from what our avatars lead people onto be.
I'm 7 foot tall, have blonde hair and a washboard stomach to die for. In reality I'm 5 foot 10 inches tall with
wild brown hair and a belly that goes
around corners before I do. Ladies...?
So
if you yearn to write for a virtual living, how do you go about it?
Which
Language Do You Speak?
Ideally,
unless you want to write for a specific language group, you should be as near
to fluent in English as you can. You
will need to type up your reports and articles, but remember, spell-checkers
are a great help but they're not quite there yet, even after 25 or so years of being around, so
your ability to write English and spot mistakes is important. Most editors will usually pick up on this and
eather make small corections themselves, or ask for a rewrite. Here at the SL Enquirer, the editor usually
makes any adjustments to articles that she deems necessary, but that should not
detract from your ability to spot mistakes and make corrections. (If you're not smirking at this point, then
you've missed the fact that a few lines back, there were 2 deliberate spelling
mistakes). A polished and tweaked report
that is, as far as you can tell, ready for publication is appreciated more than
something that was written in ten minutes without love, care or attention. As I always say, “Ah f**k it, that'll do”
usually doesn't. Think about that
for a sec.
How
Do I Apply?
Different
publications will have different methods of applying, but by far and away the
best thing to do would be to do what you would do in real life. Check with the publication first, most will
have directions on how to apply to be a writer for them. If you can't find any directions on how to
apply, simply write the editor an application letter on a note card and really
sell yourself. Yes it's virtual, but the
role play factor must still be respected.
The editor expects professionalism from day one, so receiving an IM
saying something along the lines of “Hi, I can haz job?” will get you the size
ten boot. But a well thought out and
carefully written note card could work wonders and show him or her that you're
serious about writing and not just after a quick few Lindens. If you are serious, then your opening
application should be an example of how articulate and creative you are.
What Do I Get Out Of It? What's The Pay Like?
Well,
firstly, different journalists get different things out writing. For some, it's just something to do as and
when they need money. For others, like
myself, it's a labor of love. Getting
the assignment, gathering the facts, interviewing people and putting it all
together is more than a quick five minute thing. It takes preparation, planning and, in most
cases, luck. My own personal experience
of interviewing people has relied on people either being available to speak or,
indeed, willing. I've had to return
several assignments to the editor with a rather pathetic note saying “nobody
wants to speak to me, it's not fair.” but this shouldn't be taken as a sign of
failure. Some people only log in for an
hour a day or may have their IM's capped.
Some are simply too busy in real life to find the time to speak to
you. Some may even be in different time
zones. Persistence and patience are the
keys to a good journalist. You will need
huge amounts of both to turn that difficult report into a masterpiece,
especially close to your deadline. Most
stories aren't time sensitive so a gentle word with your editor usually buys
you a few extra days to get it finished.
Here at the SL Enquirer, our editor, Lanai, is very accommodating to
people who want to try their hand at being a virtual newshound. In fact, she is the best boss anyone could
ever work for and there is certainly nobody better than her. Oh and she pays us lots and lots of money and
we all love her!
(Please,
just release my family....please.....)
What
Qualities Do I Need? Do I Need
Qualifications?
Generally,
you can just be yourself and inject your own flair into any reporting you
do. However, when facing interviewees,
common sense applies. If you are doing a
spotlight feature or an interview with anyone, don't rock up in ripped jeans
and a tee shirt that says “Man I Love Titties”.
That give the wrong impression of the publication you work for an, if
your editor finds out, you'll get the size ten boot in an uncomfortable place
and, more to the point, you'll ruin the chances of that particular person ever
doing any sort of business with that pub again. Every person has a Linden value. How much will your editor (and in turn, you)
lose if you're not the ultimate professional with everyone you meet? How do you know that the member of the Gorean
Battle Re-enactment Society, who may look like a geek with too much time on his
hands, isn't actually your publications biggest advertiser? If you're rude to him, all that revenue goes
down the toilet and so will your job.
You don't have to be overly happy all the time, you're a journalist not
a children's TV presenter, but giving the right impression is everything. Smart clothing, neat hairstyle and a little
bit of role play can go a long, long way.
Don't just say “Good Morning” or “Hello”, add on “/me offers to shake
your hand”. The little things tend to
matter most; if the thought is there, the other person will appreciate it, even
if they don't want to follow through with it.
As
for qualifications, again, the Editor will have their own views on
qualifications and whether you need any.
Obviously a degree in Journalism and/or English will be a big plus for
your chances, however, if you had them you'd be working as a newshound in the
real world. Most editors know that you
wont be a professional in the writing field, so they will more than likely give
you a sample assignment to see how you get on, what your writing abilities are
and, in the end, if virtual journalism is for you. A good editor will provide constant feedback
and will most certainly be honest with you.
If you deserve praise for an article, you will get it, but be prepared
for the alternative as well. You will
get things wrong to start off with, but how quickly you turn things around is
down to how well you listen to your editor, and how quickly you take their
feedback on board.
Personally, I love being able to write
and get rewarded for it. I've been with
the SL Enquirer for nearly 3 weeks now and the buzz of seeing an article of
mine get published still hasn't faded.
Now I will be honest with you, the pay is good, but you wont be putting
down deposits on luxury cars and whole regions of land quite yet. But when you get told that your article is
the most read that month, or you see people +1'ing it on Google Plus or liking
it on Facebook, you feel invincible.
Somebody out there actually read and liked what you had to
say. How cool is that?
So,
to summarize, if you fancy a go at what can be a personally rewarding career,
here's the key points
·
Find
a publication via search that is recruiting.
Even if it doesn't say, make a speculative inquiry to the editor via
note card. Remember to keep it
professional and as if you were applying for a real job.
·
Play
to your strengths. If you speak more
than one language, or you have a superior knowledge of (or a keen interest in) a certain subject,
find a publication that specializes in that.
For example, if you speak Spanish and you love all things to do with
motorbikes, look for a Spanish Motorbike publication. If you enjoy doing it, it exists somewhere on
Second Life!
·
Keep
everything professional, from the initial interview with your editor, to
the finished article you submit on a subject.
If you are given or choose an open topic, then you can generally do what
you like, but don't set out with good intentions and end up making a donkey of
yourself. Keep it professional around
people, have fun in your article but make sure nobody will be offended/upset by
what you've written.
·
Don't
expect to get rich quick. Articles are
generally paid for when the article is published or shortly before. Sometimes there will be a wait while changes
are made or articles are shuffled to match the balance of that day/weeks
particular edition. Also, don't pick
several assignments to work on at the same time. As a rule, I have 2 assignments on the go at
once, just in case one falls through.
And never ever ever bombard your editor with articles for
publication. This causes undue workload
on them and will result in delayed publication and payment of your
article. I use the OPOS method (One
Published, One Submitted). In other words, once an article of mine is published, I can then go ahead and submit the
next assignment I have to the editor.
That way, She's not snowed in under articles my colleagues and I have
submitted and we can relax a little while she catches up.
This
isn't meant to be a “Journalism For Dummies” kind of guide, it's merely a
personal point of view about what it is and how to get into it. No doubt, someone will disagree with points
I've made and things I've said. But that
is Journalism 101. You're reporting on
newsworthy items and topics of general interest for the public, but you must be
willing to hear what the public have to say.
After
all, without readers, you're simply typing to yourself. And you can get locked away for that...
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