A Collegiate Introduction to Professional Journalism

When I began my career as a journalist in high school, I wanted a book or something that would tell me how to write. In essence, I wanted someone or something to do the writing for me. When I began this project, I realized, very sheepishly, that I was still looking for someone or something to do the writing for me. I sat down and evaluated the experiences of the past eight years and came to a not-so-earth-shaking conclusion, but an insightful one: No person or thing can ever write for you; writing is too personal and deeply imbedded, if it is a true talent. We can learn the mechanics and the format and know these as we know an often-traveled path, but if we don\u27t have the spirit, the drive, the need to write, we will merely be putting words to paper. Those who have the inner spirit of a writer know that putting words to paper is creation, fulfillment, and in ritual, the end result of the need to write. With this in mind, I can only attempt to provide guidelines for the aspiring journalist, for the soul must be within. Creating a good news story, a solid feature, a guiding editorial, an enthusiastic sports story or an accurate investigative piece comes from what cannot be provided by any book or person: the heart and soul and spirit of the individual