MY FIRST REAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ....YIPPIEEE!!!!!!

Alrighty!!! Way to go Adaure!!

Finally, my very first real newspaper article and It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. As strange as it sounds, writing for a newspaper has always been my biggest 'journalism' phobia. I mean, who reads newspapers these days, and why would I want to sit in front of a computer, typing away about something I probably don't give a jumping jelly fish about. I'ld prefer to write for a magazine or write feature articles but the reality and the bottomline is you have to know how to write, and what better place to get that hands on writing experinece that from a good old 'around-the-neighbourhood' local newspaper. As I have toiled to get my other foot in the door in the broadcasting field, it has always been at the back of my mind that 'babe, you may want to reconsider to survive.' That, along with wanting to boost my portfolio, enrich my experience, improve my journalistic abilities and broaden my professional scope were the things led me to seek this internship at the Chapel Hill Herald. The first two weeks have not been spectacular, in fact I find myself in a hurry up and wait situation. I am sure it will get better and more exciting with time, and as soon as everyone returns from summer vacation. Meanwhile, I am really excited about being published that I am having a 'serendipitous' moment reading the article online. I hope when I get back from Atlanta I will be able to get a hard copy that I can use for my soon to be created 'newspaper clippings' book, which I should have started a long time ago, considering all the random daily Tarheel Letters to the Editor that I have written in the past. Speaking of the the DTH, I deserve a slap and a knock on the head for not even attempting to write for them or any other publication on campus. BIG MISTAKE! I guess it was the whole 'snob the print department' attitude that us kids in Carolina Week had, plus the DTH was always getting into trouble and getting dissed because of huge editorial blunders and misinformation. But it's a 'student newspaper', a practice medium, so things like that were bound to happen. As for the other publications, I just couldn't find a niche so I tried revamping the OASIS Newsletter (Tenesa) but I was too bogged down with my final year that that didn't work out, even though we had articles, templates and some money. However and fortunately, some of the younger/junior student journalists in training have been able to make it happen and hopefully it will develop from just a newsletter to an actual monthly on campus. But back to my point, if you are trying to become 'any type' of journalist, or just interested in it, DO write for a publication of some sort, even if you absolutely hate it. Newspaper writing is the foundation of the profession and knowing how to write is the most important tool of the trade. If you cannot get an internship, read newspapers and get an Associate Press Handbook and teach yourself the techniques. Even though it's been at the back of my mind, I don't know why I never made an attempt at getting an internship at one of the two local papers, because it wasn't that difficult at all. May be it was easier because I already had experience, but how much more difficult could it have really been. I should not have second guessed myself at all and seized the opportunities that were available to me. Now I am retracing my steps, connecting the dots and plugging up the drain, and I will pay off eventually, even though I'm only getting like $2 per inch published... Gas and make-up money....HA! HA!