ABOUT

So what do you actually do?

I write opinion articles for numerous newspapers on topical issues.

What has your career path been?

I am the former Ethnic Minorities Officer at the University of Warwick Students Union. I also worked part-time as an advocate for the Warwick Decolonise Project, a project dedicated to broadening the scope of academia and reforming the curriculum to make it more reflective of the diverse student body. I recently graduated with a BA in History and Politics and have since decided to pursue a career in journalism.

What is the best part of your job?

I have a lot of control over what I choose to write about and therefore I write on topics of interest to me. This keeps me motivated as I’m very keen to highlight issues I’m passionate about.

Why do you do your job?

Muslims are significantly under-represented in the journalism profession and consequently our stories have not been adequately or accurately told. I want to change the narrative and I’m determined to shed light on issues which often go unreported, particularly those issues affecting ethnic minority communities.

One piece of advice for someone starting in your role?

Persistence is key.

Most pitches often go ignored when you first start out but the more you pitch, the better you get at it and the more likely you are to have your work commissioned.

Check out Taj’s socials below!

DAY IN THE LIFE

Morning

I start off the day with an early morning gym session. It takes me half an hour to walk to the gym and I often listen to podcasts on current affairs on the way. Since lockdown, my gym sessions have been replaced by a morning run followed by bodyweight exercises in my local park. When it comes to journalism, we’re often sat as a desk for multiple hours so I’m keen to have an exercise routine going. Exercise is also great for my mental clarity.

Following my exercise session, I have breakfast and then go through my inbox to see if I've received a reply on any pitches. If I do have a piece commissioned, I get started on writing my article. It's very similar to writing an essay for university.

I start by researching the topic in more detail, being sure to include links to any statistics or reports which I can cite in my piece. Some editors often require opinion pieces to be filed quickly as they relate to news agenda items and are therefore time-sensitive. I often try to write up these pieces as fast as I can to give ample time for editors to review the piece and send across any suggestions or edits before the piece is to be published.

Once edits have been completed, I fire across a headline photo and a short bio and wait for the piece to be published on the news outlet’s website. 

Afternoon

If a piece is not time-sensitive, I often spend the afternoon perfecting the piece and adding some more style and substance to it. I’m not commissioned to write a piece everyday. In fact, most pitches don’t get accepted as editors get sent hundreds of pitches a week.

When I don’t have a piece to work on, I work on pitching. I always keep an eye on current affairs and consider how I can provide a unique perspective on topical issues. As soon as I have an idea, I start drafting a pitch email to an editor.

I sometimes work on drafts on key issues of interest to me. Once in a while, these drafts will come in handy as I can hook them on to news agenda items, this makes the writing aspect a lot less stressful as most of the research and writing has already been done.

When it comes to pitching, it's all about the timing. I often write pitches in the evening but avoid emailing the pitch as they are more likely to be missed at this time. Instead, I schedule emails for the next morning.

Articles written. Pitches scheduled. I can finally relax. As much as I have a passion for politics and an interest in current affairs, it's nice sometimes to shut off from everything and just spend time with family and friends.