More Failure

This time the job I didn't get was at The New Republic, being a reporter-researcher, which is a kind of small step above intern, but paid a little with some benefits. Rats. The funny—or perhaps unsurprising—thing is that each rejection is a little less of a downer. I feel like I'm learning something from each one, honing my technique, and learning how this business actually works. I didn't think it would really be easy—though I have had some breaks already—but the big realization has been that all the big-time names I have been reading these last few years all got tremendously lucky. It's no coincidence that most of the big-time bloggers—Sullivan, Yglesias, Drum, Klein, Dave Roberts, etc.—all started blogging from about 2000-2003. There was a window there, and that window is now shut.

But I ain't giving up, not by a long shot.



Something Old Man Coates said in the video above really spoke to me (about 45:00), when he was telling his own story of coming up as a journalist:

I knew what I wanted to do. And I really think that nothing else matters besides that... From my perspective, no one should ever go into journalism—or writing of any real form—for money. It probably pays worse now than it paid then. I think there were career tracks then—there are probably less career tracks now... You do it because you can't not do it.

That's exactly how I feel. Now that I've made the initial leap I can't imagine not being a journalist and writer for the rest of my life. I'm just as certain and confident now that I have made the right choice as I have ever been.

And so, today, I had another interview, this time at Mother Jones, for a paid internship. I'll keep you posted how it goes.