Journalists have a pretty cool job. They get to talk to interesting people or go to interesting places or review movies or bands and then put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to share the experience.

And, unlike many other great jobs, with writing, there's no minimum age requirement!

Intrigued but not sure how to get your feet wet? First you need to learn about the types of articles you can write. Next week, I'll give you tips on how to write them!

TYPES OF ARTICLES
News: These articles put the reader in the know by answering the five W questions: who, what, where, when, and why? News happens every day, everywhere so you'll never be at a loss for something interesting to cover!

Features: These articles let you be creative and go more in-depth because you're not on a tight deadline like you are with a fast-breaking news story. Profiles of interesting people or a travel diary of exotic locales, for instance, have long "shelf lives" meaning they'll be relevant for a long period of time.

Entertainment: Watch movies and plays, listen to music, eat in restaurants, and read books, then give your opinion on them. (How fun is that?!)

Opinions/Commentary: Share your opinions on controversial topics, whether they affect your small community or the entire world. Or, you can write about your life and ideas – searching for a common thread or theme that might appeal (or, if your prefer, NOT appeal) to others. Everyone loves to pick sides…it's human nature.

Sports: Recap games for those who missed them and write about the star players. You'll bring the action to life again!