The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Feature of the week

Four steps to becoming a music journalist

Four steps to becoming a music journalist
14 April 2015
The editorial unit
Avatar
The editorial unit
14 April 2015

Promo

SPONSORED CONTENT

Learn to write

While a university education (and not just in the field of journalism) is certainly desirable and will stand you in good stead – it’s not absolutely essential. However, learning to write properly is a necessity. Regardless of your natural inscription ability, learning how to write both academically and informally is a skill a writer develops throughout their life. One of the best ways to do this is to read; read a range of authors and writers in a variety of disciplines and be critical as to what makes these writers good. Perhaps start frequenting influential music critic websites, such as Pitchfork and get a feel for how those at the top of the industry are operating.

Start a blog

Don’t worry too much about your readership just yet, like all skills in life, writing requires practice, practice and more practice. One of the best ways to do this is to start up a blog with a decent dedicated server and begin reviewing and previewing shows, as well as offering your opinion on the latest releases and so on. The most important thing here is getting some practice in, if you look back at a piece you wrote a few years ago and cringe – great! That means you’re getting better.

Find an internship

Unfortunately, unless you get lucky in the journalism game, you’ve got to be prepared to work for very little or no money in the beginning; experience is king in the industry and connections are everything. Get your foot in the door by applying for internships as an editorial assistant at reputable magazines or websites using your blog to leverage your way into the position. Once you’ve secured a position, you can begin creating a portfolio, which along with the connections you make will be your bread and butter in gaining future paid work. Most importantly, you’ll get to see behind the scenes and how the industry really works.

Find some freelance/contractual work

After you’ve created a body of published work, you can start building a network of publishers who’ll buy your work, or alternatively, and perhaps more rarely, you can find yourself a contractual position with a publication writing solely for them.

The editorial unit

Related Itemsinternshipsjournalismmusic

More in Feature of the week

Skincare 101: How cleansing foam works

The editorial unit
Read More

Four reasons to travel on vacation ASAP

The editorial unit
Read More

Where to stay, eat and play in Auckland, New Zealand

The editorial unit
Read More

Commercial-grade restaurant chairs: A buyers’ guide

The editorial unit
Read More

Hair transplant before and after: Top seven factors that affect results

The editorial unit
Read More

Why everyone should use a real estate agent when selling their house

The editorial unit
Read More

Why now is the era of the Free Tour

The editorial unit
Read More

Top ten tourist attractions in Luxembourg

The editorial unit
Read More

UK home improvement trends for 2022

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Promo

SPONSORED CONTENT
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Camden Fringe 2022: Rome 3000 (Julius Caesar) at Canal Cafe Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Luck
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • “The show makes you question, think about things and look into yourself. It speaks to you”: Tom Sturridge and Vivienne Acheampong on The Sandman
    Cinema & Tv
  • Nope
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Eiffel
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • “Theatre is totally unique… there’s simply nothing else quite like it”: An interview with Sir Howard Panter as the new cast of Jersey Boys opens at Trafalgar Theatre
    Theatre
  • Jersey Boys bring on a new cast at Trafalgar Theatre
    Theatre
  • All of Us at the National Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Nope
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Jersey Boys bring on a new cast at Trafalgar Theatre
    Theatre
  • Luck
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • South Facing Festival: Jungle bring their signature neo-funk to Saturday night
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • “Everything that’s happened to me has brought me here”: David Leitch on Bullet Train and working with Brad Pitt
    Cinema & Tv
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Hoarders: Why do some people find it so difficult to declutter?
Is social media aiding or hindering your job search?