Free Toolkit
Want to Know If You Could Be a Journalist? Write Your First Article and Pitch It to an Editor
Have you ever wondered how to try journalism but struggled to know where to start?
In my Free Journalism Toolkit, I’ll walk you through the steps to find a story, research and report it, write your first article, and pitch it to an editor, so you can experience what it’s like to do journalism and start building your portfolio.
Sign up below to access your free Journalism Toolkit!
Learn the basics
Find and develop a story
Hands On
Stop studying and start doing
Interview Help
Identify sources and questions
Writing Guide
Complete a news article
Pitch It
Learn how to get published
Build a Portfolio
Start showing your work
Get Confident
Know what to do at each step
Repeat
Have a process for writing articles
Hi, I'm Shella
As an experienced newspaper and magazine editor, I’ve worked with writers from all kinds of backgrounds, including many who didn’t have journalism degrees.
Over the years, I discovered that a journalism degree wasn’t a reliable predictor of success. The writers who thrived had something else: curiosity, persistence, strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn. And those skills can be taught.
I coached many inexperienced writers as they developed their reporting and writing skills, learned how to find stories, and built the confidence to pitch their work.
Eventually, I turned what I’d learned into my ebook, How to Become a Journalist Without a Degree.
Today, I’m on a mission to help aspiring journalists and writers skip the unnecessary barriers, develop the skills that actually matter, build a portfolio, and pursue the writing career they want.
