Is it worth it?

And you're an Internet message-board troll who failed at life.

Somehow, I'd rather be us.

 

And Write, that's the best answer of all.

 

-30-

 

Literally anyone can get a book published. This is not proof that you are a failure or otherwise.

 

The last few years have amply proven anyone can be published in a newspaper.

 

I was thinking about this too. The funny thing is working in finance for a decade might be the best way, since with diligent savings you could in effect self-finance a career switch later. I've often thought that is one way I could get back into journalism -- hit semi-retirement and find somewhere that I could write once a week, on whatever/wherever I wanted, at a low price to whatever outlet would take it.

 

Financially, yes it's rough. My first job paid $22,000. Then I moved to another paper that paid $23,900. Lost that job and a year after being told I was a "failure," I end up working within McClatchy (an upgrade from a senile old man who refuses to have any web presence for the newspaper) and make just above $30,000. Eventually, if I do my job right, I can advance and move up to a higher-paying salary.

The reason so many people are negative about the journalism industry is the fact that so many jobs are cut and basically one job posting may get anywhere from 100 to 1,000 applications. If you work hard and you throw enough spaghetti at the wall, something is going to stick. Now granted my "enthusiastic" and optimistic view is a bit based on my religious beliefs. Everything works out for those who are trusting in their fate.

In the end, those of us who are in it want to do it. I'm speaking as a parent of three and is the only income in the family. It's where I've been led to and if God's willing, will be where I move to a bit higher salary that will get us out of debt.

 

A whole lot of survivorship bias going on ITT

 

It's not worth it if you have to question yourself at the age of 22. At this point, you need to examine the approach. How does your resume, cover letter, and clips look? How are you in interviews? What skills do you possess besides writing?

 

Ah, fuck it. It'd be like pelting a 37-pound 9-year-old with a kickball.

 

If you want to be like shotglass and contribute nothing to journalism, go ahead and stay in it for 30 years. You, too, can be as ignorant of the world as he is.

Maybe, though, you can accomplish everything he has by drawing the best darn boxes you can possibly draw and write the best-ever cross-country brief.

 

He sure does know his tee-vee though.