Several months ago former magazine editor John Dale asked lots of journalists to write about a typical day in their lives. 
Many journalists – from those in the UK to those working abroad – responded. The result was this book – 24 Hours in Journalism – One Day. One Million Stories.
And this week his 294 page book is finally published on Kindle, with a paperback due out in August.
John, former editor of women’s weekly mag, Take a Break, says: “I want to say a big thank-you to all those who made a contribution.
I think it works. There has certainly never been a book like it – and you’ll see it is relevant to thousands of journalists’ working lives, all over the world. Also I am going to do it again, but fatter and even more global, next 11 March – which also happens to be Rupert Murdoch’s birthday.
I have self-published and I think this is significant because a) it allowed me to do a 90,000 word book in 5 months flat from start to on sale b) it shows that this is a great new way for journalists to work, and c) it shows that (in my modest view) production values can be maintained outside traditional publishing (although I found it quite demanding, especially good proofreading).
The book centres on the UK but has enough overseas material to garner attention in the US, India, Asia, Australia and elsewhere. For media students, it is like a global work placement.
Most journalism books – 99 per cent plus – are autobiographies, with personal agendas played out to the sound of grinding axes. This is the exception, the 0.1 per cent, alive and vital, not history and ancient anecdotes, embracing all the big figures from Murdoch and Dacre and Wintour, right down to the grassroots reporters, whether in Tunbridge Wells or Afghanistan, Leeds or Los Angeles, on newspapers or magazines or TV or radio. To employ that much abused word, it is unique.”
John, who originally thought up the idea to ‘celebrate the richness of journalism’ adds it is the perfect book for anyone thinking of journalism as a career.
To get your copy click here: 24 Hours in Journalism
To read more about John Dale, go to his website: johndalejournalist.co.uk
Have you read the book? If so, let us know your thoughts below…
