How To Become an Automotive Journalist

Edmunds.com

How To Become an Automotive Journalist

A Quick Guide To Getting and Keeping an Automotive-Writing Career

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imelvin

This article scratches the surface. Would love a follow-up. Something a little more concrete. It seems that the summation of this is luck, but above all else: connections. That isn't entirely helpful...but good to know for when you do, by some miraculous chance, find yourself surrounded by automotive writers and editors.

What would be nice is to maybe, for those seeking just the fulfillment of being included at press events, that there is some way they can get started...without the "good luck buddy" article.

I subscribe to several small auto vlogs on Youtube that seem to get a plethora of opportunities to attend press events, track days, and other industry only events. All these guys are fairly small time. Maybe a few hundred views at best, but the point: they are there. They are doing what they love and what many of us would love to do. Sure, we'd all love to write for the big names, but maybe until then, to polish up our chops, we could at least start small.

It would be nice to speak to that segment, those of us just looking to get their feet wet. Those just looking for a start. We all know how the rest comes about (building relationships, talking the talk, and hoping that one day someone notices how great you can be).

So John, let's start again, how does your everyday Joe who is a complete gear head, without the connections, who doesn't work in the industry, who is looking to check off an item from his automotive bucketlist...where does he start?

Thanks!

pearley

imelvin,

Consider this response to your query seven months late.

You start by writing something worthwhile. It was a long time ago, but I had no experience and had published exactly nothing when I sat down and wrote my parody of Car and Driver in 1989. It was all me, working alone, and it ran 28 pages. And it was pretty good. So I sent it to every car magazine in the country back then and got three job offers and about 35 freelance assignments. That's how I broke in, back in the pre-Internet days. It's easier now. Write for the sites that will take your stuff and write as often as possible. Just ask if you can. Don't expect any pay. And push it until your eyeballs explode. If you're everyday Joe, don't write like one. Be an extraordinary Joe. And if you have bucket list, throw it away. This isn't an adventure, it's a job.

kyleisthestig

being that cars have been my passion since I was a little kid I have always dreamed of either designing cars or reviewing them. I am currently going into mechanical engineering to try to branch off on my own company. I also am thinking about going into journalism because I enjoy writing on blogs as well as writing for school projects. I also am thinking about switching my major because I suck at math compared to other people in my engineering classes. I was curious if I could have one of your emails to just have a friendly conversation about how it is being an automotive reviewer. I have written a few reviews about my little car and I really enjoyed the process I had taken to do it. I am not expecting you guys to read it at all I am just curious on how you guys were able to expand your contacts and each of your individual experiences. Thank you guys a bunch!

Geershead347

I am thankful for the insight provided in this article.