Attention aspiring journalists:

In today’s world of digital media, most “readers” are actually “viewers” and very impatient to say the least. Most get their news from websites and are more likely to click on a story if it has some sort of multimedia or visual element to accompany it. Photos alone are in competition with photos accompanied with sound and info graphics. This may all seem like common sense, but some newspapers are slower at catching on than big names like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

While working for the Miami Herald this year, I had a pretty routine, but nevertheless, exciting reporting job. I would conduct interviews, attend events and write the story. But writing was all I had real experience with, except for the few short multimedia courses I took in college.

When I did my internship in Washington, D.C., my editor sent us out on every story with a high-tech camera, recorder and tripod. We had to return with a print story, photos and videos all by 5 p.m. But, it worked, sites started picking up our stories. Multimedia is taking over simple print. To be successful reporters we must adapt.

When I returned to the Herald a couple of weeks ago with my new multimedia knowledge and experience I told my editors I was ready to make videos and slide shows for my stories.

“Great,” they said.

There was one problem, they didn’t have fancy equipment to lend me. I was on my own. My first story when I returned was about Baptist Hospital’s Day of Smiles I decided to put my iPhone to use and record some of the interviews. If anything, I’ll just make a practice slideshow (with Max Reed, freelance photographer’s photos) for my own use, I thought.

Once I made it, I emailed it to my editors. Ta-duh! They liked it and attached it to the story.

Final point: Just go for it. If your piece comes out bad, at least you had practice.