Rock Writing, a one-day introduction.

Phil Sutcliffe & Keith Cameron
You like music. You like going to gigs. You¹ve got opinions about bands and performers and the music they make. You¹d like to put it all together into a money-making career writing about the stuff you love. Well, this course could be a handy starting point - though we stress that Pop Idol-style instant miracles of fame and fortune are definitely not on the agenda.

The NUJ's rock writing course is taught by two of the UK's most experienced music journalists:

Keith Cameron, who is currently a writer and sub-editor at MOJO, and also contributes to Q, The Sunday Times and Scotland On Sunday, as well as being a regular guest on BBC 6 Music and Radio Scotland (previously he has siphoned the freelance budgets of Sounds, NME, The Guardian and The Times, as well as presenting his own show on XFM). In the name of successfully avoiding real work for the past 17 years he has interviewed everyone from Buzzcocks to Bananarama, Kylie to Killdozer, Nirvana to Neil Young, The Verve to The Velvet Underground, and many other, less conveniently alliterative artists.

Phil Sutcliffe who currently writes for Mojo, Q and the Los Angeles Times (plus previously for Sounds, Smash Hits, The Face, Just 17, Time Out, Blender, The Northern Echo, along with broadcasting for Radio 1, Radio 4). He has interviewed artists from McCartney, Clapton, Springsteen, Elton John, Neil Young and Stevie Wonder to Thom Yorke, the Gallaghers, The Streets, Ms Dynamite and Norah Jones, as well as hanging out with some of the best hangers-out in the business (chiefly, other music journos).

During the day you will cover:

Deciding what you want to do and what you can offer as a rock writer or music journalist

Contacting publications

Approaching PRs and setting up interviews with artists

Your first star interview

Research l Styles of writing

So, you can resist everything but temptation(s) ...

Question & Answer session when you can ask advice about your own plans

Who should attend
Freelance or staff journalists interested in music writing or other would-be writers who want to get into music journalism. (Again we want you to be clear we are talking a "How To" guide, but not an "open Sesame" password to success.)

Qualifications
A desire to find out whether rock writing or music journalism is right for
you and how to go about it.

Expected learning outcomes

A basic understanding of how the process and business of rock writing/music journalism works.

Some awareness of the skills demanded to earn your living (or a part of it) from rock writing.

Further courses to consider:
Anything on feature writing or interviewing. Freelances and would-be
freelances hoping to get into music writing could greatly benefit from going on the one-day seminars Getting Started As A Freelance (the basic business of freelancing) and Pitch And Deal (translating ideas into paid work).

VIEW COURSE CALENDAR

ENDS

Date added: 2009-06-05
Last modified: Thursday, August 3, 2006
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FORTHCOMING DATES
This course is not scheduled at present. Please contact NUJ Training to be added to the waiting list.

View course calendar for all details.

If you want to know more about this course, or you have any questions for previous attendees, visit the Course Forums section of the site.

TESTIMONIALS
(click name to view)

Simon Harper Freelance Writer (10th November 2006)

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