Hello and welcome to the dawn of a new era on the Haulix blog. We have debuted a number of short-run columns over the last couple of months, but today we are introducing a recurring feature that will be a staple of this blog from this day forward. If you would like to contribute to this series, or if you have an idea for a new column that you think would fit with our content, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We are always interested meeting people excited about the music business.
It dawned on us near the end of 2013 that in order to properly prepare the next generation of music journalists for the industry they hope to enter that we would need to do more than interview their peers. There is a great deal to be learned from exposure to the brilliant minds currently shaping the music industry today, but their knowledge will not be that useful if those who receive it do not understand the basics of modern music journalism.
This series, which we hope to run every weekend for the foreseeable future, will feature original editorials from journalists around globe geared towards preparing the next generation of music journalists to enter the business. We will discuss everything from the basics of writing reviews, to contacting press, requesting coverage, setting up exclusives, and many, many other lessons in between.
As this is the very first edition of this column ever released, we thought we would start things off relatively easy. Today’s tip can be summarized in three very simple and incredibly familiar words: Just do it.
#1 – ‘Just do it.’
If you’re picturing a Nike commercial right now, that’s fine. We are not all that into sports around Haulix, but the message Nikes sends in their marketing campaigns is one that can universally be applied to whatever you want to accomplish in life. A decade ago there were many barriers to entering the music business as a writer. You either needed to have your own zine, know someone with a zine, or have a great connection at a large scale publication who was willing to listen to your ideas. Blogging and social media changed everything, and today the biggest obstacle standing between you and a blossoming career in the music industry is yourself. That’s right, you are your own worst enemy.
Anyone with an internet connection who is interested in being a music writer is never more than five minutes aware from kickstarting their own career. You don’t need albums to review or contacts to receive press releases from, the only thing needed to begin a career in writing today is the drive to do so. To look past the fear of failure and hit the ground running, without any knowledge about where you’ll end up.
Becoming a professional in the music business is not an overnight occurrence. In fact, it’s far more akin to a marathon that lasts months, if not years at a time. Mistakes will be made, yes, but it’s how we handle those mistakes and improve in the future that makes all the difference. There is not a person living today who likes to fail, but in order to become a true professional you will need to overcome the fear of making mistakes.
If you’re reading this now and thinking to yourself that a career in music writing may be for you, take time right now and start your own blog. Don’t waste another day, hour, or minute. Choose a blogging platform, pick a name for your work, and spend this afternoon writing your first editorial. You don’t have to share the site URL or even post the article, but getting into the routine of taking it upon yourself to move your career forward is the first step towards being a true professional.
