Profession columnist

Columnists research and write opinion pieces about news events for newspapers, journals, magazines and other media. They have an area of interest and can be recognised by their writing style.

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Personality Type

• Artistic / Enterprising

Knowledge

• Editorial standards

  The guidelines on how to deal with and report on privacy, children, and death according to impartiality, and other standards.

• Copyright legislation

  Legislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.

• Writing techniques

  The different techniques to write a story such as the descriptive, persuasive, first person and other techniques.

• Rhetoric

  The art of discourse that aims at improving the ability of writers and speakers to inform, persuade or motivate their audience.

• Grammar

  The set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language.

• Spelling

  The rules concerning the way words are spelled.

Skills

• Consult information sources

  Consult relevant information sources to find inspiration, to educate yourself on certain topics and to acquire background information.

• Write to a deadline

  Schedule and respect tight deadlines, especially for theatre, screen and radio projects.

• Use specific writing techniques

  Use writing techniques depending on the type of media, the genre, and the story.

• Follow ethical code of conduct of journalists

  Follow the ethical code of conduct of journalists, such as freedom of speech, right of reply, being objective, and other rules.

• Present arguments persuasively

  Present arguments during a negotiation or debate, or in written form, in a persuasive manner in order to obtain the most support for the case the speaker or writer represents.

• Apply grammar and spelling rules

  Apply the rules of spelling and grammar and ensure consistency throughout texts.

• Stay up to date with social media

  Keep up with the trends and people on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

• Participate in editorial meetings

  Participate in meetings with fellow editors and journalists to discuss possible topics and to divide the tasks and workload.

• Follow the news

  Follow current events in politics, economics, social communities, cultural sectors, internationally, and in sports.

• Evaluate writings in response to feedback

  Edit and adapt work in response to comments from peers and publishers.

• Study topics

  Carry out effective research on relevant topics to be able to produce summary information appropriate to different audiences. The research may involve looking at books, journals, the internet, and/or verbal discussions with knowledgeable persons.

• Build contacts to maintain news flow

  Build contacts to maintain a flow of news, for example, police and emergency services, local council, community groups, health trusts, press officers from a variety of organisations, the general public, etc.

• Develop professional network

  Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB