Meet journalist Maia Adams

What does your job involve?

I'm a freelance journalist specializing in fashion, travel and lifestyle. Being freelance means that I work for different publications. I spend about half my time writing in my office at home and the rest of it running around to meetings with editors or people I’m interviewing.

Sometimes I go into the office where a magazine is being put together and work with a team of designers and writers to make sure that the mag looks great and reaches the shops at the right time of the month.

Right now I write two weekly columns for The Guardian newspaper and I'm the style editor of Toni&Guy magazine.

When did you know you wanted to be a journalist?

Not until quite late in life actually. Until I was 25 I worked in the sciences. I didn’t really enjoy that so one day I decided to go back to college and study something more creative. I enrolled on a fashion course at Central St Martins in London and found that I really enjoyed the journalism lectures. I’d been good at writing at school so making my living from it seemed like a logical conclusion. It was like a light went on in my head and I knew I’d found what I wanted to do. 

How did you get your first job?

While I was at college I did unpaid work experience at various magazines. After I graduated I just carried on and it developed into a paid job.  

What’s the best bit about your job?

Well, last week I had to interview 20 male models for a feature called 'Fit Male Models' so the job definitely has its perks!

But they say variety is the spice of life and it’s certainly what keeps me interested in what I do – no two days are the same. I might interview a famous designer one day, lecture to 60 students the next and fly to Paris for a fashion show the next. I get to meet lots of very creative, funny and interesting people who stimulate my brain and present me with very different takes on life.

I also love the fact that I don’t have to work regular nine to five hours. Sometimes I’ll work all weekend, or late at night, but then have a day off in the week when everyone else is at work.

What’s your least favourite bit about it?

As a freelancer you have to be constantly thinking of new ideas to pitch to magazine and newspaper editors. You have to be good because they will be having dozens of journalists contacting them every week hoping to write for their publication.

If an editor doesn’t like your idea that can be quite disheartening but it’s all part of the learning process.

You also have to be pretty motivated and disciplined. With no ‘boss’ to make you work, resisting the temptation to nip out for a coffee or a bit of shopping can be tricky!

What should Being Girl readers do if they want to be a journalist?

There are lots of things you can do. Doing a journalism course of some kind is a great idea and will give you the ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing. Look in your careers library for a list of courses.

Then do as much writing as possible! Contact magazines and ask if you can do work experience for them. Also try newspaper supplements, fanzines, websites and free papers. Suggest ideas for stories and news pieces to them and let them know that you want to write. Imagine how great it will be when your work gets published!