What gem of wisdom would you pass along to a hopeful journalist/writer?

I just got this query from Profnet and just couldn't resist posting it on this site to see what wonderful, pithy sayings would spring from this website's collection of inspired genius.

"Call for contributions to a textbook, "Tap Your Passion: The Art and Heart of Reporting and Writing."
I am targeting this call specifically to those who have worked as journalists, or in related fields, or who teach journalism/communications at the college or grad-school level. Here is what I need: If you met an aspiring journalist/writer in a hallway and had a minute to give them your best gem of advice, serious or witty, a Golden Rule or a pitfall to avoid, what would it be?"

The submissions are supposed to be a couple of sentences long, if that.

Release the hounds ...

(I'm not the writer of the textbook, just to be clear.)

 

Make your internships count.

 

Change majors.

 

Try to land at a Gannett paper. ;D

 

You can't be a good writer unless you are an even better reader.

 

Run, don't walk when you go to the registrar to do so.

 

Are we disillusioned?

 

Run. Run. Run. Run. Run.

Sorry if those each count as a separate sentence. But two of them didn't tell the importance.

 

Serious question: when do journalism professor buyouts begin?

 

Change your major now. Thank me later.

 

Thumper, Are you just trying to goad an industry in freefall? To see how cynical seeing colleagues and friends get sent out the door after decades in the business with a buyout that could get them a used car?

Are you posing a similar question over at Subprimemortgagebrokers.com?

 

Too late: that web server crashed months ago.