In 1900, in rogue artist fashion, Curwood dropped out of the University of Michigan, sold his first story, and then became a reporter for the Detroit News Tribune. Curwood told his boss that we was married, believing he'd be considered more mature and the pay might be a little better, therefore he needed a bride. He married Cora Leon Johnson (known as Leon) on January 21st, 1900 by a justice of the peace in Windsor, Ontario, across the river from Detroit, so that the marriage wouldn't be discovered by a reporter at the Detroit City Hall.

He was hired by the Detroit News Tribune to cover funerals, but six months into his position he wrote a story about a "peeping Tom" and incorrectly reported the name of the accused and was fired. The Detroit News Tribune continued to purchase his freelance stories and rehired Curwood in 1902. He worked there making his way to the assistant editor position until 1907, when he left and moved back to Owosso to start writing novels full-time.