Becoming a political columnist can be achieved through traditional or non-traditional routes, with the latter being easier due to the proliferation of internet media sources. Those seeking a career in this field may need education and the right to work in this profession. Writing occasional articles for small articles or for many different internet sites can lead to professional work, but paid work is harder to come by.
There are many ways to become a political columnist, which could be a traditional or non-traditional job. Given the proliferation of Internet media sources, a non-traditional route is probably easier, with many sites where people can write political pieces, often for little or no pay, as many times as they like. Those who find their work unacceptable by these sources may have their own political blogs. The person who really wants a career in this field may need to consider Internet publishing as a way to get started, but it will usually need more than interest and may require education and the right to work in this profession.
Anyone who would become a political columnist needs to understand politics and know how to write. Typically, columnists come from a specific political orientation and their pieces are opinions about what is happening in the political world. For traditionalists on this path, the ability to write also comes from education. A person could study literature, journalism, communications or political science. Most people in this field have at least a bachelor’s degree, and some have received additional education or taken multiple courses.
With a four-year degree, many people apply for jobs in newspapers, magazines or well-known online sources to become a political columnist. Alternatively, people can take reporter jobs early on, especially those that have a political focus. While writers may initially have to keep their opinions out of their work, this kind of experience is invaluable and lends credibility to experience writing political columns later on. Working in politics for a few years is another way to approach this, as a background in politics can make for excellent column writing.
The less traditional method of becoming a political columnist involves writing occasional articles for small articles or for many different Internet sites. There’s usually no money in it, but the political columnist of this type may simply enjoy crafting articles for a specific audience and weighing in on the main issues of the day. Choosing sites on which to publish a column can lead to professional work. Some sites put authors through an approval process and only accept a certain quality of work, and these sites are so well known that one immediately gains more credibility by writing for them. These types of publications, even without pay, could be used to launch a legitimate search for paid work.
While it can be very easy to become an unpaid, non-traditional political columnist, paid work is harder to come by, even with training and experience. Many newspapers are cutting their workforce or closing, and this can make finding jobs more difficult. The person looking for paid work will need to stand out with provocative writing and a demonstrable ability to gather an audience. Writing for the Internet can be helpful, but education is also necessary to launch most political careers.
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