I figure I'll write and write until the day I die. I can only tell you how things worked for me. As a person, I'm incredibly sensitive. The best advice I could give is to keep writing, and keep up your contacts with other writers and professionals who may be in a position to give you a professional chance. If you're interested in newspapers, or broadcast journalism, try for a college internship at a local paper or broadcast outlet, respectively.
Writers move up in stages and steps, as talent and opportunities permit.
What's most important are honest, genuine contacts with professional people in the business. You'll be amazed at the similarities in their stories.