To be a journalist now a days, you need experience. You need to be published to gain experience. But you can’t get published without experience. The circle continues.
What if you could get published though? What if you could write about whatever you want so long as it is interesting? Well, that’s where MoonProject comes in. As we all search for somewhere for our voices to be heard, for our work to be showcased, this could be the first step on a long ladder.
MoonProject is the brainchild of Charles Bowes-Lyon. Having written articles for Hubpages, Charles saw an opportunity, not only for himself, but to help others to get those crucial bylines.
Charles, now marketing director said: “If [Hubpages] has given me the opportunity to get a job, what would the next step be? So I created MoonProject on the premises that I could help other people, young people much like me, get jobs and improve their CVs by having content published online.
“On the flip side, I wanted us to be a respectable magazine with interesting and well written articles, so on that basis I wanted everything to be edited before being published.”
That editing before publishing has paid off. MoonProject has been around for less than a year, but has had over 700 people produce multiple articles for the site. Some users may have become inactive over time but others have got jobs. It is all about goal setting.
“One of the best things about this job is when we help someone reach their goal. That can include getting a job, being published through us in a bigger magazine, having an article go viral or even just being published in general,” he said. “They are always very grateful for our existence – and we of course are very grateful for theirs!”
However, MoonProject does not pay you for articles. You are producing free content, much like work experience. This raises the question of exploitation of users. The core team consists of roughly six members, none of which get paid for what they do, removing the exploitation element. This is them giving back.
Charles said: “None of us are paid, including myself. We are a new company, and we are seeking advertising but currently don’t have it. It is our next big project. Now that we have the hits – hopefully we should get there!”
The site has a love of writing, and try to publish everything they receive, whether they do the editing or you do after suggestions. However, this editing does not go so far as to change the writers opinions or create a misleading portfolio.
“Whilst this could present a slightly misleading portfolio, I don’t think there is any real difference between the editing that we do and between the editing a parent might do for their child’s personal statement for university or that a CV enhancement company might make for a client. All work is ultimately edited, including the work in the very best of newspapers and magazines,” said Charles.
Before MoonProject becomes your sole focus though, both the Guardian and Independent, amongst others, offer blogging opportunities, something that may look slightly better on your CV.
However, as Charles said: “Unfortunately, not everyone will be accepted into the bigger newspapers, magazines or blogs and that is where we come in. We help people gather experience, improve their CVs and get something worthwhile published.
“Once they have done that, we sincerely hope (even if it means they no longer write for us – although many of them do out of loyalty) that they manage to obtain a position at somewhere like the Guardian.”
So if like so many other aspiring journalists out there you are looking for a strong growing platform on which to begin you pathway to a job in journalism, why not try MoonProject, write about something you love, and get those all important bylines.
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[...] (The was published on Wannabe Hacks on 24/01/13) [...]