As I've gone through this incredible journey with the Honors Mentorship Program, I've learned so many things through my internship with Cumming Local. I haven't however, gotten every answer to all of my questions simply by experiencing life as a journalist; I still was curious about certain aspects of this profession. Because of this, I sat down with my mentor, Rachael Walkup (owner of Cumming Local), and asked her a few questions.
Note: Bolded questions are those that I have written (C for Christina), regular font words are Mrs. Walkup's responses (RW for Rachael Walkup), and anything written in italics are my responses to ideas and answers Mrs. Walkup has provided me.
C: Who was your inspiration when you decided to pursue this career, and in what ways did they help you get on your feet?
RW: Oh man, that's a tough question! Well, I started realizing that I started considering to even consider writing on my own time probably back in 2007; about ten years ago. I was being mentored by a woman that was older than me, and would always talk with her about how, when I would pray, I would always get lost in my prayers. I'd be in the middle of praying, and then all of a sudden, I would be thinking about something I was doing that evening; the next thing I knew, I wasn't praying anymore! She had suggested that I start writing down my prayers, and so, I did. As I started writing, I started figuring out that I love the voice that I had when I took the pen to paper. I was amazed at my ability to really articulate my words in such a way that was so much more than simply externally processing everything. What I was doing had much more of an effect on me than talking ever did; it was a way to internally process the world around me. It all started with journaling, and from there it spun into my career. I then decided to try marketing and marketing copy. Andy Stanley, even, had helped me a lot with trying to figure out how to write things in such a way so that people wanted to read more. I think that would be how I kind of got started!
The way in which she began her love for writing amazes me; who would have ever thought that simply writing in a journal could eventually lead to a fulfilling and exciting career? While I always thought that it would be so difficult to jump-start a career in this field, it seemed like such a simple process for her. This keep me optimistic in regards to my future in journalism.
C: What type of climate was the world of journalism in when you first started your career, and how is it different than that of today's?
RW: About four years ago, I first started writing for Cumming Local. At that time, even though it was so recent, people were still subscribed to printed newspapers. Over the four years, I've seen that change from paper to browsing. Everything now is on your phone; if you look at any website, even Cumming Local, you've got 80% of people reading from their mobile device. People don't read paper anymore. Things certainly have turned a lot more towards the electronics side of it.
Payment, too, has seen an extreme change throughout the years. I know back when I was doing marketing copy, the going rate was somewhere around $100 an hour for someone involved with the marketing side of the business. I know today that's probably doubled, since inflation is now more of an issue. But I think that the way journalism is today is better than it was before, because, even though you still have people subscribed to newspapers, you have the opportunity to reach more people. Having a digital footprint nowadays makes a much greater impact; if you post something on the internet, someone across the world has the ability to read it.
It's amazing to me that, while journalism has faced many changes and challenges throughout the years, it seems to have come back more solid and stronger than ever. People are not only paid more for doing what they love, but they are also able to reach a wider audience, allowing for much more of a digital footprint (which is a very valuable asset in this profession).
C: What challenges did you face in your own, journalistic-based company at the start of your career?
RW: I think the biggest challenge that I faced was my inherit desire to not only try and do everything, but to also do it perfectly. I've quickly found out that it's impossible! That was the big challenge: realizing that I am one person. The people reading my articles are not looking at them the way that I do, so I can allow myself to take a step back. In doing this, I created processes to help me to help me keep things a little more streamlined. This helped me feel like I didn't have to write fifteen articles a week; I could work at my own, more realistic pace. I could simply write five to seven; I could even find it within myself to be understanding with myself if I only wrote two or three. All that mattered was whether or not my company stayed up-to-date and relevant.
The other thing that probably was a challenge for me was the issue of trying to find information for the articles, while also keeping my followers and subscribers connected through outlets like social media. I had to figure out how I was going to keep up with the maintenance of a website. So my beginning experience turned out to be a mesh of all of those problems together.
Through working with Mrs. Walkup, I have found that her and I are a lot alike. In this instance, I find that I, too, always strive for unreachable perfection, which inevitably results in my torturous insanity; I can't do everything at the same time while also expecting for my writing to end up perfect. During my time at Cumming Local, I've found ways to push though this challenge, but it is still a work in progress!
C: What challenges do you continue to face to this day/ what new challenges have arisen?
RW: Technology has always been kind of a challenge for me, simply because I know that I will always need help in areas of my website that I don't completely understand. I think that the biggest challenge that I will face this year, though, will be the issue of trying to keep traffic alive on the website and to post articles that will continually engage my audience. This makes people want to share them more often, which brings new followers in. The last year that I was "new" to Cumming Local, I brought in a huge following. All of my friends and family members came and continually followed the website. Now the question is, how do I grow it? That's going to be the true challenge; how am I going to get to that next level?
Because I am interested in possibly creating a company like this in the future, this issue is one that I have truly struggled with: once you have a following, how do you grow? I'm very excited to see how Mrs. Walkupcan continually grow her following, so that I can take her tips and tricks into account in the future.
C: As this company has progressed, what tips and tricks have you learned that have helped you face some of these challenges?
RW: Well, I learned a long time ago that it's really important to pull people in who are experts in fields that you are not. You find out what your strengths are, and then you pull other people in to help with your weaknesses. I, for instance, quickly figured out that I could not take complete care of the technical aspects of my website alone, so I hired a tech company who handles all of the support. And, like I said before, creating processes to keep things organized, was definitely something that has helped me on my journey.
One key concept that I have learned from Mrs. Walkup is how to effectively manage my time through careful and meticulous organization. She's graciously shown me different tips and tricks to help me with these matters, and I use them on a daily basis!
C: In what ways would you encourage young, aspiring journalists to take the leap of faith and to start pursuing journalism to its fullest extent?
RW: I think that the real key here is to start small while you are in college. You can pick up little contract jobs: ghost writing, contract writing. Even if you could write for your college newspaper, that would help develop a trail and get your name out there. Taking the leap starts with small jumps. As the years go through, you could hopefully gain bigger and bigger jobs each time. You could even start a blog! Whether it be about recipes, or even devotionals, anything that sparks your interest helps you start a small blog. This helps with your digital footprint too; that way, you have little publishing jobs on the side as well as an established brand. With this experience, you could more easily take that big jump right out of college.
Because I've never truly been exposed to the world of journalism, I've always wondered how successful writers first started; I always imagined aspiring journalists to simply jump right into an internship with a big newspaper corporation. I never even thought of immediately starting my own business! And while that may still be a viable option for a select few of the immense crowd eagerly anticipating their "big break" in the business, Mrs. Walkup highlights several important steps that can help those big dreamers out along the way.
C: Would you encourage future journalists to start working with a larger company, and work their way up, or to start as entrepreneurs and create a website like this?
RW: I think it depends on your personality. Some people, like myself, may have always known that they wanted to be entrepreneurs; even when I worked for someone, I was always writing something on the side. I knew I wanted to be my own boss and create something that was all mine. While there's definitely job security available through working for a large firm, I'd always recommend the consideration of going down the path of an entrepreneur. To me, it's one of the best of life's joys. It has caused me to trust The Lord so much more. Every paycheck I get makes me think, "this was literally provided for me; all of my hard work has paid off." I know it sounds weird, but I guess it really kind of depends on whether or not you have that entrepreneur spirit, or if you'd rather play things safe. Maybe, in the beginning, it's better to play things safe and simply experiment on the side. It all depends on your personality.
Even though she's a true entrepreneur at heart, Mrs. Walkup speaks with a certain clarity, making sure that she highlights the pros and cons of both pathways. In the previous question, she even spoke of a path where both sides met in the middle. The most poignant thing she says, though, is how everything in journalism depends on who each person is individually. She truly exemplifies the essence of a writer, in that whatever she does is for the sole purpose of helping others achieve their true potential. Here, for instance, she specifically mentions that she doesn't want to discount any pathway to a career; if it works for you, then go for it!
C: What future challenges do you think aspiring journalists will have to face as the world changes around them?
RW: Obviously, everyone thinks that they can be a writer. But you have to find where your niche is and where your market is. I, for instance, always knew that marketing writing was my thing. I couldn't write a book, because I don't think that it would be interesting. I want to sell my audience more with what I write, rather than have them fascinated with a book I create. You have to find your own voice and figure out which direction you are supposed to go. Once you figure that out, the only trick is to stay true to who you are! I would never try to be anything other than a marketing writer, because I wouldn't be very good at it. That's a hard lesson to learn, because I think that most journalists think that they can do all types of writing. I think it's important to stay in your lane. The challenge is, while you want to accept all jobs and find your true voice, you need to find the best path for you.
Another challenge is that the job market may be flooded with other writers, and there will always be people that have more experience than you do. But you can always find a way to learn from these people, so this will eventually help you in the long run.
I came into this interview with the perception that most freelance, independent writers and journalists find a hard time gaining traction in this career, especially when they first start. While Mrs. Walkup agrees with parts of that conclusion, she always chooses to see the best in her job. Even the most challenging aspects that she thinks aspiring journalists will have to face are really about being yourself and remembering to dive in with an open mind. This made me stop and think; maybe journalism isn't as full of disappointing end results as I thought...
C: Do you believe that journalism is a viable, valid career choice for aspiring writers.
RW: It's one of those jobs that can be so rewarding, especially for someone who's naturally very good at writing. It a form of expression. Just as people love to listen to music, they love to read articles. Regardless of whether or not it's printed or digital, people are captivated when they read. I, for instance, always find myself thinking about this blog that a man wrote about his struggle of being homosexual while raised in a Christian home in a normal, Suburban area. His whole blog was about his story of how he kept himself from actually being gay. It was fascinating. He's had millions of views on his blog. People just love to read stories, no matter the type. So when I think of this as being a viable career, I think of the multitude of directions it could go; whether it be through a news channel or a blog, people are just waiting for something to read. That's how people get information today: through these types of articles.
Because of the multitude of articles I found prior to this meeting (all pointing me in the direction to expect a negative response to this question), I found myself surprised at her answer. She had nothing but wonderful things to say about the world of journalism, and was dumbfounded herself when I shared with her some of my concerns. Because of I discovered these two differing perspectives, I now find myself curious about the obstacles facing aspiring writers on a large scale, and why these challenges may arise.
C: What are some of the negative aspects about your career?
RW: Just like any kind of art, the creative mind of a writer is always running. Sometimes I will be in bed, and then an idea for an article will make its way into my mind. It's like I can see all of the words in my head, so I then have to hop out of bed and type up an outline. For me, writing is not a nine-to-five job. I don't get to leave work; my brain is always on. I've just had to learn some techniques to help me work through that. You know, I have a notebook by my bed so that whenever an idea comes to me, I can just jot down some notes, that way I can release it from my brain.
Another thing is that, with my blog, the cyber world around me is constantly changing. I publish all of these articles every week, and sometimes I have to remind people that these articles are there to use as a resource. I guess the monetary piece of the work was also a challenge to figure out. When I first started at Cumming Local, I had to figure out what to charge advertisers; it's still is a work in progress.
Because of her radiating positivity throughout the interview, I knew that this would be the hardest question for her to answer. And even though she did list several negatives that come with the job, even these seemed harmless for the most part. While Mrs. Walkup only represents one part to an entire equation, I've found that listening to her perspective has caused many gears in my head to turn. Maybe my original perception was wrong; maybe journalism is just a world full of endless opportunities, with only a few casualties here and there. Thankfully, this article, full of wonderful tips and firsthand experiences, certainly will be a valuable source for me to look back on while continuing through the Honors Mentorship Program.
No comments:
Post a Comment