How to Work as a Reporter Overseas
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- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Before departure, apply for and receive a journalist's visa or work visa.
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2
Just before leaving, call publications you hope to write for and introduce yourself to editors. Get email addresses and names, and send clips. Don't worry about brush-offs.
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Set up a U.S. bank account with a small amount of money.
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Go to a country.
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Read the local press. An English-language newspaper is especially helpful. Identify local issues not well-known in the U.S.
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At a cyber-café or with a laptop computer, email a letter pitching a local story to a small U.S. publication. Expect resistance from large publications, most of which have little interest in local news. Industry-specific newsletters and business publications are traditional places to break in.
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When you sell the story, ask if you can call the editor collect in the future, to save yourself an expensive phone bill.
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Write and file a story of the agreed length. Remember time differences and datelines when figuring out deadlines.
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Arrange payment to U.S. account.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't be too pushy.
Having your own phone and computer is very helpful.
Local language skills are an enormous advantage.
Don't misrepresent yourself. You are not a representative of a publication until the publication agrees to buy your story.
Expect to lose some money on phone calls and faxes at first.
