THE BOTTOM LINE is this: in today’s media revolution, each moment seems to bring yet another opportunity for citizen journalists, backpack filmmakers, travel writers, and virtually anyone with a creative vision and a willingness to find and document interesting stories.

One of the central tenets we teach travel writers at MatadorU is that to publish, it’s necessary to develop a “publication mindset.” In other words, to look at publishing not from the perspective of a writer but from that of the person receiving your work.

With this in mind, look at how YouTube’s new platform YouTube Direct is going to facilitate the search for and incorporation of user-generated content like yours for media websites around the world:

Knowing this, ask yourself how you can develop your portfolio, presence, and reach as a citizen journalist or filmmaker. Here are several resources to help get you started, or to build on knowledge you already have:

*4 Tips for Shooting Better Travel Videos
*How to Use Voice Over to Tell a Story
*Tips for Travel Video: The Elements of a Story
*Citizen Journalism Publishing Standards [A straight up guide to the elements journalistic storytelling for those with little or no training.]

Community Connection

How do you plan on utilizing the continually unfolding opportunities for citizen journalism? And for editors of media sites: what is your experience so far with YouTube Direct?

Please share your comments with us below.