Tag: Blogging Advice

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Journalism Tips #19: ‘3 MORE Ways Writers Annoy Publicists’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple readers in regard to how writers can better themselves professionally. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Last week, we spent the entirety of our Journalism Tips column discussing three major ways music writers annoy publicists. The reaction to that post was so strong that we decided to run another, and if your response remains strong a third is not out of the question. The purpose of these lists is not to make journalists feel bad, but rather to highlight aspects of the way we all do business that could stand to be improved. Whether or not someone takes it upon ourselves to make changes is entirely up to the individual reading this article, but at least we can rest knowing you are more aware of the common mistakes so many of us make.

Without further ado, here are 3 MORE ways music writers drive publicists crazy:

1. Requesting event coverage within 72 hours of the event.

Music writers, especially those new to the industry, tend to get so caught up in the day-to-day events of the music business that they often forget to plan future coverage far enough in advance to guarantee they actually receive the accreditation they seek. Instead, they wait for an email or Twitter reminder to inform them of events happening in the immediate future and turn to publicists for last minute access, which in turn forces the publicist(s) to drop whatever they are working on to try and get an answer to a question they most likely should not even ask this late in the game.

No one believes bloggers and other music writers are lying when they claim to have very little free time for future planning, but it’s incredibly rude for writers to assume everyone else exists to help them whenever they find the time to put in a request. I am willing to go out on a limb and say every single person working full time in publicity today is far more busy than any single writer or blogger could ever pretend to be, and the fact anyone who isn’t Rolling Stone or Pitchfork is ever granted passes for a show, let alone access to artists, is a testament to just how hard PR people work on a daily basis. In order for them to perform to the best of their ability, however, they need writers they can depend on, specifically those who recognize their struggle and make an effort to place coverage requests in a more timely manner. If you can be that person for the publicists in your life, they will do what they can to make things better/easier for you. Remember: Everyone advances faster when we work together, and in order to do that we must respect one another’s role in this industry.

2. Delaying exclusive content to the point it must be given to another outlet, then turning around and complaining about losing the exclusive.

This one is a little more specific than some of the other grievances we have shared, but it’s something I see happen on a near-weekly basis, typically in cases involving smaller/unsigned/indie bands. Sites looking to boost the number of features they’re able to run agree to do an exclusive with a relatively unknown band who somehow managed to land decent representation, and in the time between that agreement and the negotiated launch date a plethora of additional, likely bigger opportunities arrive that cause the exclusive to be shelved or postponed. This may seem like no big deal to the writer, as they believe good content will perform well no matter what day it runs, but for publicists who have planned a specific promotional push for content expected to launch on a specific date it can be one of the most aggravating experiences they have face in their career. They have clients they want to make happy, and more importantly those clients have fans they want to make happy, but that cannot happen unless you hold up your end of the agreement as a writer and run the content on time. If you fail to do this and notice you exclusive appearing on another site, the only person you have to blame is yourself. Never blame publicists for your own lack of professionalism.

3. Sharing pre-release music/media with people other than the intended recipient

You had to know this point was going to be made eventually, right? Haulix specializes in digital distribution and fighting music piracy, which is a long way of saying we work with a number of record labels and publicists around the globe every day. When these professionals want to share unreleased/advance music with members of the press they upload and watermark the music using our system, then distribute those material to select members of the global writing community. By ‘select members,’ I mean to say they go through their entire contact list and select the individual people they want to stream, download, and otherwise engage with their content prior to it being made available for public consumption. What they do not intend to do in these instances, however, is share watermarked advanced music with someone who then turns around and shares that same music with the ten-thirty people they have writing for their music blog. This is not only breaking one of the very few stipulations agreed to by the writer when accepting the media files, but also dramatically increases the likelihood of music leaking.

Listen, we get it. We understand it’s incredibly simple to receive an email inviting you to something and then forward it to others you believe you can trust so that they too may enjoy whatever advance you have just received, but it’s also incredibly stupid. For starters, just because someone contributes to your blog does not necessarily mean they can be trusted with unreleased music. If they receive music from you and it leaks, they will not be held responsible. You, however, will be held fully accountable for the leak and may even face criminal prosecution as a result.

You know what is just as easy as forwarding advanced music to people who are not supposed to have it? Emailing a publicist or record label and requesting that a second copy of the record be sent to whoever on your site is covering the album/artist in the near future. This not only protects you, but it also allows the publicist to better track who has access to music and what type of coverage they are planning to create. It’s a win-win for everyone.

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Journalism Tips #18: ‘3 Ways Writers Annoy Publicists’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple readers in regard to how writers can better themselves professionally. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Over the past several months we have focused a lot of our efforts on ways to make life easier for journalists. From advice columns, to lists highlight how artists make writers feel crazy, we have done everything we could to help illuminate ways we can all simplify our efforts while simultaneously pushing our industry forward. Today we hope to continue those efforts in a whole new way by flipping the script and looking at the things writers do that drive the rest of the industry crazy.

In the coming weeks we will be looking at a number of ways journalists behave badly in the professional world. We know you all mean well, and if you had it your way you would quit whatever day job you have to write all the time, but that does not mean you always know the best way to handle this industry. In fact, more often than not it seems writers try to learn as they go, which can be exciting for them and incredibly frustrating for everyone else, especially those in publicity. With that in mind, we’ve decided to kick off this mini-series with a look at three things writers do that make pr teams want to tear their hair out and run screaming through the city streets:

Never reply to emails

The further engrained a writer becomes in music the more overrun their inbox becomes each and every day with press releases, pitches, and the like. At times, this avalanche of potential coverage can be overwhelming, and it’s not uncommon for writers to delete these messages in bulk. If you want to build strong working relationships with publicist, however, you need to master better communication skills. Press releases are sent to both inform and open the door for future coverage opportunities. Don’t just read and delete emails, respond and ask questions, talk to the people representing the artists you want to work with and devise original content ideas.

Request coverage for the same album/event again and again and again (and again and again)

Take a moment and think about how busy you claim to be running your own music blog. Think about all the time you spend working on a single post, and then all the time you put into upkeep, promotion, research, and all the other aspects of writing that goes into curating a solid music blog. Got it? Okay, now take that level of busyness and multiply it by 100 (or more). This is how busy the typical publicist is on any given day. Where you only have one site to worry about, they have literally thousands of sites to manage, each with their own list of wants/needs, and that does not even take into account the projects they are trying to land coverage for that bloggers are not crazy about.

If a publicist does not respond to you within a few hours, or even a day or two, do no panic. Unless you’re the top critic at one of the world’s top outlets the chances are probably fairly good that your needs are not at the top of an PR team’s to-do list. You also should not send the same request again, at least not for a week or more. Publicists may not reply to ever message they receive as soon as it hits their inbox, but that does not mean they have overlooked your request. Be patient. Take deep breaths and busy yourself with another set of assignments until a proper response can be created and delivered to you. The world will keep spinning even if you do not make it to that event you oh-so-badly wanted to cover. I promise.

Request and complete interviews that never run, or at least not in a timely fashion

Every writer that wants to cover an album or show has at one point or another offered to complete an interview in order to gain the access they desired. This is all well and fine, as long as writers make the effort to actually use the content they have claimed they wanted to create. The best intentions mean very little if there is no follow through, and that is especially true in the world of music journalism. If you complete an interview it should be published in a timely manner. This usually means within two weeks of the initial recording, if not sooner. The information exchanged during interviews is often time sensitive, and leaving great discussions to fill space on your audio recorder’s hard drive does nothing to help anyone’s career. If you accept a coverage opportunity, you absolutely should do whatever it takes to create the content you set out to make in the first place. This may require some sacrifice on your part, be it staying up late or skipping another big event, but in the long run following through on your commitments will forge stronger relationships within the industry than any amount of good intentions could ever hope to create.

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Journalism Tips #17: ‘The Irrational Fear Of Going On Vacation’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple reader in regards to taking time off. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Several weeks ago I wrote in this very column about the benefits of learning to disconnect from the digital world and embrace the chaos of reality. My intentions at the time were to address those that feel unable to walk away from their digital efforts for even a few hours, but a conversation with a relatively young writer this week made me realize I completely neglected one of the biggest causes for young writer panic: Vacation.

We have all been raised to believe that vacations exist so that people are able to disconnect from their work life and spend time with people they love doing the things they enjoy. For many young writers, especially those who have chosen to start their own music blogs, what actually happens when these so-called breaks occur is the furthest thing from rest and relaxation. Writers today are growing up in a world that has a never-ending demand for content and, thanks to the internet, a source to supply said content whenever the spirit desires. For bloggers, this means there is always a potential to win over new readers, and the allure of all those possible clicks can be too much for some to resist.

Here’s the thing too many writers do not seem to realize about those random clicks: They will still be there tomorrow. The anonymous IP address might change, but the likelihood of some random person coming across your site or content today is as high as it will be tomorrow, and the same goes for the Tuesday three weeks from now. More importantly, those clicks don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things unless they are converted to regular readers, and very few people have ever been swayed to regular subscribe to any one site just because a four sentence news story was posted within five minutes of a press release going out. Passerby to subscriber conversion happens when a connection is made through the content being shared. Time is not a factor.

When the opportunity to take a vacation presents itself it is easy to understand why many young writers begin to fret over what kind of negative impact any type of extended break may have for their site/content/brand. These are the same people have come up in a world where they know what all their friends are thinking as fast as those people can post their thoughts to Twitter, so of course they are going to feel pressure to share any new content as soon as it breaks. Getting the first or second post out about a major news items can be great for single day traffic bumps, but the shelf life will likely not extend past three or four days. News is disposable. Any one story is only hot until the next news item breaks, and then it’s forgotten almost as fast as the accompanying embed code was copy/pasted into the initial blog pot. Writers know this deep down, but for whatever reason they convince themselves continuously feeding the news machine will eventually result in a strong, dedicated following. That is entirely a possibility, as there are sites right now who thrive on such efforts, but for the vast majority of individual writers there is little-to-no benefit in forcing content creation efforts. It’s exhausting and offers little reward, especially over the long term.

Becoming a professional music writer requires individuals to be okay with taking breaks from the internet. The digital world changes quickly, but it does not move so fast that disconnecting for a few hours or several days will cause someone to be forgotten entirely. Will your traffic dip? Probably. Will they miss a few big headlines? Almost certainly. Will they also begin to think more creatively and have an easier time brainstorming ideas, which will ultimately lead to better content for their readers? Guaranteed.

Creative people need breaks. Writing content, even brief news posts, forces the brain to work incredibly hard. Over time that constant push to create results in mental exhaustion, which leads to lazy writing and bad grammar. This can be avoided, or at least made to not be as much of a threat against a young creative mind, as long as individuals can learn to step away from their work. They must embrace the true idea of vacations and disconnect fully, including shutting off their phones. The best ideas come from experience the world and determining what can be done to make it a better place. What do people need to know? Who do they need to listen to? What song will be the next to save someone’s life who is currently contemplating suicide? Individuals hoping to be professional writers do not have to seek out the answers to these questions as much as they simply have to spend time in the world, contemplate what they experience, and then share those observations with anyone willing to listen. That is the purpose of being a writer, after all. To take on the responsibility of not only keeping people informed with what they want to know, but discovering what they need and bringing it to their attention.

Take vacations. Seriously. Take them. There will always be a big story about to break and another two or three big headlines in the works no one sees coming. No one news story is going to make or break an individual’s career, but setting a standard for consistently strong and original content will lead to a prosperous career in time. The key, at least for those starting out, is accepting the fact success is a process and learning to settling in for the long haul. Work as hard as possible and take breaks whenever needed. Make the most of the time allotted for creativity and learn what can be done to allow the mind to relax. Success comes to those who are driven, patient, and capable of taking care of their own mental state.

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An Introduction To Concert Photography – Part 3: How To Shoot DIY Punk Venues

Hello, again. Welcome to the second Advice column of the week. We received such an overwhelming response to our last photography feature that we partnered once more with Nick Karp to create a third installment in what appears to have become our latest ongoing series aimed towards bettering the music industry. We have several additional photo-themed columns  planned, but we are always looking for suggestions on topics worth covering. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Following my local music scene played a huge influence on my desire to shoot bands. Within a local music scene comes a DIY culture behind it, and bands performing at unconventional venues was the norm. Shooting bands at VFW halls, Leigon Halls, Basements, living rooms, and even backyards was not a rarity, and if I am being completely honest I would have to say that shooting at those establishments is much harder than shooting at an arena or other large scale venue. Arena shows have big production budgets, including lighting with front and back lights. You can shoot at low ISO’s and still produce a correctly exposed photo. DIY venues however, may only have a single florescent light bulb in the entire room.

So, how do you capture great moments in a situation like that? Flash. Shooting these type of shows often requires you to break some of my unwritten rules of the photo pit, but there is a reason good reason for such rule violation. 99% of the time there is no photo pit, or anyone making sure you stick to the ‘3 song rule,’ and with the band’s blessing, flash can be allowed. The follow is a list of techniques I use for shooting at these types of venues…

Flash bounced off ceiling:

The technique I have found most useful is having an external flash aimed directly up to bounce forwards on the ceiling. This distributes the light equally over the band member you are trying to shoot. That said, this method can only work with a lighter colored ceiling as black/dark ceilings will absorb too much of the light.

When using this technique I try to have my power high enough so that my ISO is 800 or so. My shutter remains around 1/100 and my F stop is at f4. Some examples of bouncing a flash against a ceiling can be viewed below:

In this picture you can see how the light spreads pretty evenly over bass player Nicholas Inman(You Blew It!) and some of the fans. 

In this photo, lead singer Damian (Fucked Up) is in the crowd. There is virtually no light in the crowd, so I bounced a flash at the ceiling to try and get some light on him. It worked and this is the image.

Flash at 60 degrees:

This is a technique I use when the ceiling is really low, like when shooting in a basement. The bottom of the photo will not be lit up as much as the top so I suggest upping the shadows and blacks in post production. An example of this can be shown below.

Here you can see what happens when I use a 60 degree flash. You want to keep your flash power low enough to not blow the highlights out. In post I raised the shadows and added some contrast. Lucky for me, TMP had floor lights that went on and off, and they gave me a little extra light to work with in this tiny basement.

For this one, I did the same exact thing with my lighting as the shot before, except there are no floor lights. Check out the bass and you can see how grainy it is from pushing the shadows. The light was bright enough to light the bass below, but dark enough where it didn’t blow his face out.

Dragging the shutter:

Dragging the shutter is what occurs when you use flash to light up the subject and have a shutter speed so low (Around 1/20 – ½) that you’re able to move the available light in the photo. You can either bounce the flash to the ceiling or point the flash directly at the band. If you do the ladder, make sure to ask the band’s permission prior because having a flash directed and flashed in your eyes Is distracting when you are performing. If pointed at the band, I try to have my flash power low, and even with that, my ISO at 400 or so.  My aperture will be somewhere around f 5 -6.3 and again, shutter will be at 1/8th. An example can be seen below.

Here’s a somewhat extreme look of dragging the shutter. You can see that theirs is two Pat Butlers [Singer of Sleepy Hahas]. My shutter speed was at ½, so this is an extreme case of dragging the shutter. I feel as if this photo gives off a psychedelic feel.

In this shot of Zealot, I had my shutter speed faster than I did than the previous photo. This is at 1/25th of a second where the photo is not heavily distorted, but I obtained enough back ground light to slightly move bend the light so my subject and the room lights can pop.

Using off camera flash:  

Off camera flash is something I do very rarely mainly because of venue limitations. Although some would allow me to set up a flash or two on the sides of the venue, I choose not to because my equipment is out of my sight. Despite this, off camera flash is one of the better methods to use when shoot at DIY venues. The way I set is up is to point the flash at the middle of the stage and then shoot about 45 degrees towards the center of the stage.  If I’m using a second flash, I can point that flash to my other side of me, 45 degrees towards the center of the stage, or if I can put it behind the band, I will set it up directly across from the first light. An example of when I use off camera flash is below.

In this shot you can see one of the the flashes in the back of the phot. The lead singer was lit up by another flash to camera right. The flash was so powerful that my settings were ISO 500, 1/100, F9.

For this shot, only the flash on the back was used. The other flash was having a hard time being triggered. You can see the difference not having a back flash makes, and how essential it is to have that front flash.

Pop Up Flash. 

I hate it. There’s a reason top of the line equipment doesn’t have pop up flashes. 

Nick Karp is a professional photographer and freelance music writer. He recently relocated to NYC and dyed his hair bright pink because that is the kind of thing people do in the music business. 

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Journalism Tips #15: ‘How To Spend Your Summer Vacation’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple reader in regards to how aspiring writers can make the most of their summer vacation. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Many of our readers are wrapping up another year of school this month or next, and if they’re fortunate enough to not absolutely have to find work right away their are several weeks of childlike freedom ahead. It’s an exciting time to be young, and for the young it’s an important time to be thinking about the future. Advertisers will tell you to embrace the now or otherwise live in the present, but if you want to make a career for yourself in the music business you should see the arrival of summer vacation as a door to opportunity that only needs your drive and passion to be kicked wide open. I cannot tell you exactly what you need to do in order to make yourself noticed by the industry at large, but by following the follows tips you will position yourself for success down the line. Making the most of that positioning and networking with the people you meet through those efforts is entirely up to you.

Make a list of achievable goals and set dates for each task to be accomplished.

There is no real limit to what you can accomplish this summer, but if you do not have an idea of what you are trying to achieve from the start you are bound to spend days, if not weeks spinning your wheels with indecision. If you want to be a writer, this means setting goals for the amount of content created, as well as the dates that you plan to have certain festival/tour coverage complete. For example, those who plan to attend Vans Warped Tour on July 1 could set a goal to have all interviews and related live coverage published within 10 days of the event.

Find an internship.

The is no overstating the profound impact a great internship can have on your career trajectory. These internships does not have to be directly related to journalism, but it should be in an area of the music industry that interests you. After all, there is always a chance you will not ultimately become a music writer. Internships offer you an opportunity to explore other areas of music, such as publicity and digital marketing, where many of the skills used for writing can be leveraged. This not only gives you more options for your post education career, but it also provides you with a more well rounded understanding of how the industry functions.

Use Festival Coverage To Refine Your Voice

Summer music writing is synonymous with festival coverage, and in 2014 it’s hard to go more than 3 or 4 days without a major music event kicking off somewhere across the continental United States. Many of these festivals feature similar lineups, which will no doubt result in redundant coverage from blogs and magazines who were granted press badges just so they could spend their mornings summarizing the same set lists and performances delivered by at every festival that came before through a handful of hit-or-miss pictures and interviews. We will probably never reach a point where this type of coverage is not commonplace, but that does not mean that it’s the type of content you have to create in order to make an impact at these events. In fact, the content that typically gets the most attention are the articles that find a way to be unique in a sea of commonality. Summarize set lists and complete interviews if you must, but take the time to soak in the festival environment and convey it to your readers through editorial efforts. Write about what you saw, felt, smelled, tasted, touched, thought, and experienced. Tell them what it was like for you specifically, and don’t be afraid to tell the truth. If the festival was crowded or the sound was terrible go ahead and let the world know. Likewise, if something surprises you in a good way, even small things, highlight them as well. Every event has pros and cons. Don’t gloss over the experience.

Challenge yourself to write about something different

Writers, like musicians, have a bad habit of getting overly comfortable with material that works and hesitating whenever the idea of trying something new is presented. While there may always be a place in this world for someone who is the most well versed individual on one particular topic, the growing trend in entertainment writing is sites and magazines recruiting people who are well versed on a variety of topics. If you’re into music, that means being able to write about an up and coming country act with the same sincerity and intelligent voice as you would the next big pop punk outfit. It could also mean doing video interviews and writing album reviews, or otherwise switching the type of media you are creating while still speaking in an intelligent and welcoming voice. This summer, challenge yourself to step outside your professional comfort zone and surround yourself with material that will make you actually work. Find events and/or albums that require research, thought, and time to properly analyze, then go out and create that content. Buy a camera and take photos at every event you write a live review for instead of bringing along a photographer. Start a podcast. Interview a rapper. Whatever it is you have always thought you would never do, now is the time to toss care to the wind and give the unknown an honest attempt. You never know what you might learn about yourself.

Network. Network. Network.

No matter where you go or what you choose to write about this summer, you need to make it a point to introduce yourself to everyone you can and be as nice as humanly possible. You should also work on printing business cards as soon as possible, even if you have no real business to promote. You’re promoting yourself at these events, even if you feel like you’re only there to see a show. You’re not. In reality, especially at festivals, you’re representing your personal brand to every concert attendee, artist, manager, and industry professional who happens to be on site. Holding doors and buying drinks for the right people may open more doors than any well written article, and all it takes is putting others before yourself. Ask people who they are and what they do, but also do not be afraid to share your current activities and goals. Tell them what you are working towards and who knows? They may be able to help.

Build an online portfolio and remember to keep it updated

The internet has made it incredibly simple for people with an interest in writing to begin sharing their content with the world without spending anything at all beyond the basic cost of internet (which might not be a factor in places with free public wifi). Writers love free platforms and free promotion, but if you want to properly represent yourself online it’s worth finding $100 to spend on a custom domain and site hosting fees. Companies like Squarespace and Wix make it incredibly easy to build high quality websites in no time at all, and if you know the right phrases to Google you can often find offer codes to make those reasonably priced services even more affordable. There is a myth amongst writers in the digital age that if they take time off from creating content they will slip into the realm of forgotten people simply because the demand for new material is so high, but it is incredibly important that writers set aside time to carve out their own, professionally-focused corner of the internet. You need a place where people who are interested in working with you can find links to your work, as well as a resume, bio, contact information, and whatever else you feel obliged to share about yourself with the world. If you want an example, click here to see the portfolio of yours truly (Haulix James).

Whatever this summer, remember this: No one notices the aspiring professional who keeps to themselves and does the same thing every day. The people who makes big moves in this industry find the strength and courage within to make a change long before anyone else ever takes notice. Make this summer the time when you take life by the reigns and begin to truly leave your mark on this industry. The world is yours.

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Journalism Tips #14: ‘Quality Vs Quantity’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple reader in regards to where aspiring writers should focus their efforts. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

In an age of social connectivity, those who favor the idea of crafting well-placed, intricate quality content on the web are not alone in feeling outdone by those who choose to keep their online content as brief as possible.  

The argument of quality of content vs. quantity of content is one that has no clear answer — there is room in the digital world for both. Both hold merit, both play a role; however, being a personal advocate of the journalistic nature of “digging deeper” and garnering “all the facts,” [although the true meaning of both of these statements may be lost in this era…who knows?] I make a conscious effort in finding a suitable middle ground in the battle. A writer can be quick, while still delivering a substantial amount of quality information to the reader.

Finding this middle ground is the first of three ideas, or schools of thought, to be considered when attempting to better the quality of your daily content as a digital journalist. Let’s take a look at all three ideas and how each can be used in finding balance:

1. Give insightful information (finding the middle ground):

Finding the middle ground means creating a balance for your reader. Introduce the most timely information first, but don’t be afraid to add in your own creative voice and commentary along with the information. An artist you covered released a new song. When posting that song to your site, don’t be afraid to add a few thoughts on that track. A quick bout of banter is what could separate you from the next mediocre blogger. Dig deeper to find more information on that artist. Are they touring? Do they have a new record coming out? Are there pending festival appearances? This form of well-placed minucha add depth and create a frame for potential wiggle room in your creative writing.

2. Stand with your byline

Have some integrity. This is your career, your words, your writing. Do you want to create a name for yourself through laziness and simple aggregation of other’s words? Have an eye for picking out what you feel is important in a story and create an angle that caters to your readership. Do not be afraid to create and master a voice for yourself. Push yourself out of your comfort zone every chance you get. The idea of standing by your byline also means getting the facts right, every time. You are doing nothing but putting yourself and the quality of your content in jeopardy by falsifying information. Work hard, be creative, and make your byline worth a damn.

3.  Create a conversation with the reader

This was touched on briefly before, yet nonetheless important — be creative. Engage the reader with your own form of wit. Make the reader want to read more of your content. Do not be benign or mundane. Avoid fallacies and cliches. Find a sustainable rhythm with your writing that people do find gripping. Be clever in your appearance as a writer. Writing entertainment news for your website should not come off as monotonous. Look at each story with a different set of eyes and find new ways to engage the reader. Speak your mind, say something outlandish, hold your ground, ask a question, do anything you feel will get heads turning. Music writing has a sense of freedom most in the journalism business do not get to experience — do not take this for granted. Post your opinion and defend it. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two from a reader.

Thank you, Haulix for the opportunity! If anyone wants to chat more about content quality or anything rock n’ roll, feel free to drop me a tweet @callinghomematt.

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Journalism Tips #13: ‘Learn To Disconnect’

Thank you for joining us for another installment in our our ongoing Journalism Tips series. We started this column as a way to help aspiring writers get their start in music, but over the couple months we have been evolving into a place writers come to have their questions about life in the business answered. Today we are continuing that effort with a response to a question posed by multiple reader in regards to the best skill any writer can develop. If you have any questions about developing as a writer/blogger in music, please do not hesitate email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

In the age of social media and instant connectivity it can be hard to resist the promise of instant gratification that comes with being the first to post about a certain artist or topic. There is a seemingly endless demand for content in 2014, and the allure of grabbing a few new clicks by hopping on the next breaking items a temptation every music writer knows all too well. What professionals realize that amateurs do not is that no amount of mindless content will ever build a sustainable career. Breaking news and being on top of the latest headline may garner short term recognition, but lasting careers are built on original ideas and unique perspectives. You have to separate yourself from the deafening roar of blogs and writers that already exists so that people seek out your work. They will still want to hear about the latest and great music, but they specifically want to hear about it from you. Delivered in your voice with your unique phrasing and style. 

I am not sure I could ever properly explain how one develops their own style, but from my own experiences and witnessing others rise through the professional ranks I can tell you the path to setting yourself apart begins with learning to disconnect. I spent years of my so-called professional career waking up at the crack of dawn with the sole intention of churning out as much news as I could in the hours ahead. My blog was young and so was I, at least in the professional sense, and I fell victim to the idea enough quickly posted breaking news bits would establish either myself or my site as something special in the business. What I did not realize at the time was that the only thing my rushed posts amounted to was a slightly condensed version of whatever information was in the press release or separate site’s post I was using as my source. I was making a lot of posts, but creating very little in the form of actual content. My URL and whatever writing talents I had at the time were a thinly veiled promotion platform for whatever talent hit my inbox first. Traffic was good, but my voice was nowhere to be found.

Somewhere amidst my fourth year of writing I felt like I had hit a new plateau where I could write about anything that interested me and my readers would follow. I was writing more original content than I had before, but I was also still making as much time as possible for news. My site also had at least fifteen additional contributors at this point, and each of them were responsible for creating a minimum of three posts a day. If the sun set and we had yet to break twenty ‘stories’ I thought I had somehow failed myself and my audience. That audience, however, was not really mine to fail. They were news hungry clickers, jumping from Twitter feed to Facebook feed and back again in search of headlines that grab their attention. They were after the video, song, tour, or other media-related item at the center of the story and not my site or the voices of anyone writing for it. We were ubiquitous in music blogging, inseparable from countless other teens and twenty-somethings with a working knowledge of WordPress, Blogger, or Tumblr. If we didn’t get the latest hot item out within minutes of the people we saw as competition our posts saw no traffic. Truth be told those posts did not really deserve any traffic in the first place. They were lifeless and filled with stale writing that regurgitated press releases in ways not too distant from my writing habits three years prior. I was spinning my wheels at best, and in doing so causing a lot of other aspiring writers to do the same. 

My breaking point came somewhere in the fall of that year. September and October are always busy months for music, and no matter how many posts we shoveled out I always went to bed feeling like we could be doing more. I would wake up no later than six in the morning (on the East Coast), shower, and then sit down at my desk to begin scouring the net for any headlines, songs, or videos that may have popped up while I was sleeping. My site was covering essentially all variation of rock, pop, and hip hop at this point, as well as some film content whenever something special grabbed our attention. Coffee was my fuel and whatever songs were released that particular day was my soundtrack. There was no time to plan, there was only that day and the dozens of press releases that would fill my inbox. I drank coffee to stay moving and left the house only for work or assignments. If I went to a show or movie, I had to write about it. I needed to set myself apart, and if we could just get a little more content onto the site I knew that attention would come. 

One morning I woke up and I felt like I was going to be sick. I could not eat, I could not drink, and I hated the idea of being anywhere that did not require a sweatshirt to be comfortable. I initially thought the season’s typical round of flu and disease has caught up to me, but by day three the pain was downright unbearable, and my list of symptoms had grown to include dehydration and bouts of dizziness. I saw two doctors and had several tests, but they best anyone could tell me was that I had simply become too caught up in the stresses and anxieties of my everyday life. I  had pushed myself to the limit, both mentally and physically, and my body was unable to cope. There was no surgery to be performed or physical therapy needed, but I did receive a recurring supply of nausea meds and a recommendation to relax.

The medicine worked wonders and I was happy to welcome it into my routine, but the recommendation to relax is one I did not fully grasp. I thought my site was they way I would typically relax. It’s what I did to feel like myself, so even though I took a leave from my day job I was still doing everything in my power to create as much content as possible. I asked my contributors to work more if they could and worried constantly about whether or not enough was being done. I did not heal and I did not sleep any more than I did before. I took my pills though, and for a long time that helped.

As I was nearing the end of my first refill of nausea medicine, I knew I needed to make a change. Winter was still waging strong and the amount press releases hitting my inbox was still on the rise, but I needed to stop. My life had become a giant hamster ball, and the endless running in circles had begun to take a toll on my body I could no longer ignore. Even worse, at least in my foolish opinion at the time, my career was still not taking off even though I was killing myself to give music ‘my all.’ Christmas was coming and I knew things would slow down a bit, so I decided it was time to finally try and unplug. 

You probably know where this is headed by now, but after a couple of days my health problems began to turn around. The knots in my stomach that I once thought could never be tighter began to loosen and my mind began to feel enthusiastic about the concept of writing once again. I did not want to write news, but rather features and editorials with interviews and unique perspectives. I wanted to uncover the last great band in the midwest and share their first demo with everyone I knew. I wanted to be a professional.

After a solid week of rest and light engagement with the digital world I woke one morning, still at six, and hopped in the shower. Once clean, I ate breakfast, spent time with my girlfriend (who had been there the whole time, though I never really made time for her), and talked about our plans for the week. I stepped out on our patio and took in the morning air, then sat down at my desk and logged on to start the day. I skipped the inboxes and went directly to work on an editorial regarding a band I had loved since childhood with the sole intention of hopefully bringing their creations to the attention of a few new curious ears. It was not the greatest article I had ever written, but it was one of the most honest and sincere things I had created in years. Better yet, it made me feel good to share it with people and see them have a reaction. There was a genuine sense of connection with those who engaged the article, and even when someone reacted in a negative way I knew it was only because of my words that they felt that emotion at that point in time. I was making a mark. I was using my voice.

Two years have passed since that first bout with self-induced illness and I still struggle with the allure of being on top of every ‘cool’ story. I am not sure online writers today can ever truly escape that temptation, but it is possible to shut off your laptop, put away your phone, and spend a few minutes engaging with the world around you. It’s not the easiest thing to do, and if I am being completely honest there have been two additional hospitalizations for similar reasons since then, but it’s one of the most important skill any writer can master. You need to disconnect from the digital world and spend time working on anything other than writing about music. Take a walk, take a nap, grab some coffee, ask someone on a date, see the Red Sox, read a book, call your mom, go camping, go to a hotel, go anywhere and do anything that allows you to interact with the universe without feeling compelled to turn that interaction into content for your blog. Life is not about content, it’s about experiences, and it’s great experiences that eventually make for great stories. You’re never going to reach the professional level of writing if you’re unable to experience, develop, and share great moments, but more importantly you’re never going to be happy unless you learn to experience life.

Don’t let your life get so out of control that you end up in the hospital with a condition brought on entirely from your own poor decision making. It’s not worth the damage it does to your body or your wallet. The internet will still be here tomorrow, and if it’s not then you will figure out another way to share your voice. Just breathe. It’s going to be okay.

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Industry Spotlight: Dean Cramer (Kings Of A&R)

Hello and welcome to a very special edition of our Industry Spotlight series. We did not originally plan to run this feature today, but after completing the interview we felt we had to make an exception and run this material as soon as we possibly could. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

It takes a lot of drive and dedication to last more than a year or two in the music blogging arena, but the team at Kings Of A&R have been guiding the future of the music industry for over a decade at this point. Their site is read by industry professionals worldwide, and it has been the source of many big name talents finding the exposure that lead to their eventual record deal. The influence they have over music put them in the position every blogger on Earth wishes they could find themselves in one day, and in the interview below we learn how it all began.

Dean Cramer, much like recent blog guest Jason McMahon, started his professional journey in the medical field before coming to the world of music. He knew he wanted to make a living in music, but he did not know how one could accomplish such a feat until an employee at Interscope Records took him under their wing and mentored Dean on the basics of life in the industry. Dean began asking more and more questions as his curiosity continued to grow, and after a series of events detailed in the conversation below he launched the site that would set the curve for all discovery blogging that would follow.

If you would like to learn more about Dean and his efforts, please take a fe moments and bookmark Kings Of A&R. He can also be found on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: Please tell everyone your full name, job title, and the site you’re going to discuss with us today:

D: My name is Dean Cramer. I am the founder of the music industry artist website Kings of A&R

H: Thank you for joining us, Dean. We have been looking forward to this conversation. Tell me, has music always played a major role in your life?

D: Music has played a vital role in my life for the most part. I grew up watching music videos and listening to the radio. I was given a drum set for Christmas at an early age and I learned piano as well. I pursued drumming and put together various bands performing  the NJ/NYC club circuit.  

H: I know you pursued another career before coming to the music industry full time, but when you reflect on your experiences as a teen and young adult now, are you able to pinpoint any formative moments or experiences that may have hinted at the career you have today?

D: During high school and college I worked at the PNC Bank Arts Center Amphitheatre as a stagehand. I worked backstage and behind the scenes which opened my eyes to a lot of things. As mentioned, I pursued drumming and I always felt as if I was the acting the manager of the band whether it was solving problems, arranging songs, or booking shows. Strangely enough, someone wrote in my high school year book ‘Best Wishes in the music business’. 

H: Speaking of those experiences outside music, I am curious about your decision to leave the pharmaceutical arena and pursue entertainment instead. What can you tell us about that time in your life and the events that lead to you joining Louis Levin Entertainment as A&R rep/manage?

D: I always wanted to make a career out of music but I just didn’t know how. My earlier passion was to perform in that big band selling millions of records. Like most hopefuls, I never really thought it through. In the meantime, I pursued a higher education and found myself in the area of pharmaceuticals which was a great experience working with super intelligent individuals. As time went by my passion began to wane and I was ready for my next endeavor. I made some phone calls and found myself being mentored by an individual who worked at Interscope Records in NYC. I started talking to music executives and asking questions and soaking in information. 

H: Okay, let’s move our focus to the site. You launched Kings of A&R in 1999, which was during a time in your life when you were working as a medical representative. What initially sparked the idea for the site? We’re very interested in your site’s origin story.

D: Two things sparked the idea. Back in 1998, I was managing artists and I found out about this music site (which no longer exists) through music industry executives. I was told that if an artist were to be mentioned on the site that great things could happen to that artist. I heard that site was responsible for opening up doors for artists such as packing out a show with talent scouts, or landing a publishing deals, and recording deals, as well as landing a sync deals. I submitted an artist to the site which ended up being featured. The next day I got emails and calls from talent scouts, publishers, and all sorts of people. I was simply amazed by the influence of site. I couldn’t resist but to build a hype machine myself, but a hype machine with great talent gracing the pages. 

Secondly, the Vice President of Interscope at the time gave me advice which was “surround yourself with great artists” and you’ll be able to stay in the music game. Kings of A&R allows me to stay connected with amazing talent and sometimes the artist and myself find creative ways to partner up. 

H: What were your original goals for the site, and how – if at all – have they evolved since that time?

D: As a artist manager, the original goal was to build a portal to find talent but it took on a life of its own. I get tons of submissions more now than ever, and from all over the world. The goal of Kings of A&R is bridging the gap between the artist and the industry. We just added artist profiles. This new feature allows users of Kings of A&R to access all the relevant information of each artist including their videos, tweets, and other information. 

To the best of my knowledge, Kings of A&R is the only true filter on the net. Many of the artists we feature build a buzz and the music labels along with talent scouts use Kings of A&R as a first resource. Why? Because we are a filter between great, good, and bad. The other music sites don’t filter, it’s free for all where everybody can upload their music. 

H: Your site is by far one of the longest-running we have featured to date. Is the site your current full time job? If so, when did you reach a point where you were able to support yourself on web traffic alone?

D: I wear many hats and play many roles. I run the site, I oversee a boutique artist management company, I consulting for various entertainment companies, and I have formed a music licensing company. I also deal with producers, songwriters and graphic designers. 

H: I noticed there are no advertisements on Kings Of A&R. Have you ever considered advertising for the sake of monetization?   

D: We have artist placements and offer site takeovers.

H: Over the years you have had a number of industry jobs outside of the site, including roles with both Wind Up and Atlantic Records. A lot of these jobs are considered dream gigs to many, but throughout it all you continued to run Kings Of A&R. Have you ever considered shutting down the site and focusing solely on one of your other roles? What keeps you dedicated to this site?

D: Kings of A&R has opened doors for me and made a way. I can’t think of anyone who receives a new artist thrown at them every second, every hour, and 365 days out the year. I’ve enjoyed bringing artists into labels but Kings of A&R brings life to me. My vision is to make Kings of A&R the premier destination for the artist and the industry. Kings of A&R has already made a mark but there is always room to grow, especially today. There is absolutely no organization to the internet, it mirrors the tower of babel with thousands of people speaking different languages that nobody can understand. Kings of A&R speaks one universal language that everybody can understand, we simple profile the best new artists. We have readers in America, Canada, The UK, Africa, Sweden and now, even India. 

H: Kings has been recognized by a number of major media outlets, as well as high-ranking staff at labels and entertainment companies worldwide. How did you initially go about marketing your efforts, and how is that any different from what you do today?

D: I started Kings of A&R with a $500.00 budget in my parents house. I had a modem, a computer, and dream. To be quite open, I never marketed Kings of A&R. It was all word of mouth and the press was organic. Of course the site has evolved and the platform and the site design is bigger but it’s relatively the same.

H: When musicians turn to you for advice on getting noticed by the music industry, what advice do you offer?

D: I’d tell aspiring bands to write amazing songs, perform live, network, and get on your knees and pray. It’s talent, timing, and destiny. 

H: Speaking of advice, what guidance would you offer those currently considering a career in entertainment journalism/criticism? 

D: My advice would to start writing articles and submit them to major media outlets. 

H: Without going too in-depth, please run a through a typical work day:

N/A 

H: Beyond web traffic and income, how do you measure success?

D: Success is being content and fighting the good fight. It is being content with having nothing and having everything. 

H: What are your current career goals?

D: To break new artist and to continue to build a media platform that launches new artists into the world. 

H: When it comes to receiving music for feature/review consideration, which distribution services do you prefer and why?

D: I prefer email. The submission process www.kingsofar.com/contact

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry today, what would it be?

D: I wouldn’t know where to start.

H: Looking ahead to the rest 2014, are there any big events, announcements, or changes coming to Kings of A&R that you can preview for us?

D: We are always expanding the Kings of A&R platform but nothing to be released as of yet. 

H: Okay, that’s all I have. Before I let you go, do you have any final thoughts or observations you would like to share with our readers?

D: I would like thank everybody in the field of music who has a passion for music and developing new artists. That list would include producers, engineers, songwriters, publishers, A&R guys, managers, bloggers, music labels, and many more

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Journalism Tips #4 – ‘How To Avoid Becoming Jaded’

Hello again. We know it’s Saturday, so before diving in we just wanted to thank you for taking a little time out from your weekend to read up on the latest industry advice and insight. We are thrilled to be sharing the fourth chapter of our ongoing ‘Journalism Tips’ series this afternoon, and at the same time a bit sad as it is the final contribution (for now) from writer Adrian Garza. We have enjoyed have his work on the site in recent weeks and encourage all of you to follow his industry efforts moving forward. 

We are always looking for new ways to expand and further refine our efforts here at Haulix. If you have an idea for this blog, or if you would like to learn more about the digital distribution services we offer, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. If you prefer social media, feel free to reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.

I hate admitting this, but the truth is, as one who dedicates so much time towards an involvement with music, I mistakenly became pretty arrogant and jaded about my taste. But thankfully, I eventually caught and corrected myself before I stepped on one too many toes. 

It’s scary how fast these sorts of things could happen to you if you don’t keep yourself in check. Even worse, it’s really easy to grow to get tired of some specific aspects of music, which can become a shame, because we all know that’s one of the reasons why we came into working with music: We love it. 

This isn’t what I would claim as the answer to the problem. This is just my answer to the problem. Go and make your own choices.

Realize Your Opinion Isn’t the Only One That Matters 

Fresh faces to music journalism are the ones who are most likely to come to fault here. Just because you’re in a position where complete strangers look to you for your opinions and insight on something doesn’t mean that you’re correct with what you say all of the time. More than anything, you’re just somebody who’s developed an ear for what sounds good, a talent for writing appealing articles, and a passion that drives you to put the two together. So consider yourself just another voice that can easily be ignored.

Create Something

As one who puts my own personal musical endeavors on the backburner, I occasionally pick up my guitar from time to time. Every time that I do so, I usually walk away from it feeling more inspired than ever before. It’s tricky to attempt to label down specific reasons for why this just works for me in the way that it does, but I will say that by playing along to my favorite records, it’s easy to gain a whole new level of understanding why some musicians just love to smother records with catchy and simple parts: They’re usually really, really fun to play.

Even if you have no artistic skill whatsoever, you could still get a lot out of simply sitting in on a friend’s band’s writing session or practice. Call it weird, but I find it fulfilling to see the look in a musician’s eyes when they discover a way to hike up the quality of a song just by changing up a couple parts.

Surround Yourself with People Who Are New to Music

In a very similar vein, take a look at people who are new to going to shows. It might be a little hard to believe, but that was you not too long ago. They’re having a freaking blast just by standing in the third row, and it makes their freaking day when they get the chance to meet the artist that they’ve waited “x” amount of hours to see perform for 30 minutes.

I’m not suggesting that people should return back to that state of mind, because I don’t ever see myself going back to waiting in lines just to get in early to shows, or riding city busses for 2+ hours just to pick up a physical copy of an album on its release date. That’s just way too inconvenient for me nowadays. Instead, realize that you can still re-live that and enjoy the gratification by sharing your favorite groups with friends. If they fan-boy/girl a bit, it’s only natural.  

Move on

Have you ever tried to step out past your conventional listening boundaries? There’s no way you’re literally that full of yourself that you couldn’t possibly check out a foreign genre, or even newer artists. There’s likely some redeeming quality that attracts fans to this. Branch out and try something new, because it will give you that much more of an understanding for why people enjoy their music. Don’t even think about doing this for the sake of looking “versatile” to others, do it so you’re not so close-minded and judgmental. You never know when you’ll come across your new favorite artist that inspires you to do great things, and for all you know, that could very well be a jazz fusion band. 

When he’s not getting the feels from listening to some ‘Through Being Cool,’ Adrian Garza writes at Under the Gun Review and works as the Editor-In-Chief at The Southeastern Times, Southeastern University’s student newspaper. Follow him on Twitter.

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Journalism Tips #3 – ‘Networking’

Hello, everyone. Thank you for taking a little time out from your weekend to read up on the latest industry advice and insight. We are thrilled to be sharing the third chapter of our ongoing ‘Journalism Tips’ series, and to be honest we think it might the best one to date.

We are always looking for new ways to expand and further refine our efforts here at Haulix. If you have an idea for this blog, or if you would like to learn more about the digital distribution services we offer, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. If you prefer social media, feel free to reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s heard “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Don’t take this as the beginning of some blogged bash towards education, because believe me; if you’d like to get anywhere, you need to be able to walk the walk, if you already plan on talking the talk.

Which brings me into what this is all about: Networking.

It’s all up to you to decide how far you take your efforts, but networking is one of the most important things you could do for your career. I’ll speak from my own experience in saying that if it wasn’t for networking, I wouldn’t have made my first footsteps towards a career in the industry.

In today’s day and age, the first sort of networking that probably comes to mind would be social networking. But who’s to blame? Society thrives off the internet, and this is the easiest method of communication, because you can do this from just about anywhere, including your bed early in the morning, a bus bench, a crowded elevator, your work desk, and your sofa after a long day.

If you don’t have any friends who work in the industry, whether in journalism or the music business itself, make some. It could start with something as simple and easy as a twitter follow, and from there, things can only grow. Make sure to genuinely interact with them via retweets and @ replies, and over time, they may or may not follow you back. Further down the road, you can be a bit more social by asking questions for advice or you could even take it a step further and offer your help by writing at their site. You’d be surprised at who would actually take the time to help you out.

At this point, I would consider it to be more acceptable to send Facebook friend requests. Speaking from my own experience, I know I’m more likely to accept requests from people I’ve at least had some conversation with over Twitter or some other form of social media. But that’s just me. Ultimately, be sure to see and treat Facebook for what it is: a personal method of staying connected with others.

To those of you who are more seasoned when it comes to journalism, my only advice to give is to make sure that your network extends past your bubble of a community. For example, if you write for a punk/scene oriented publication, I suggest networking with people at other publications, say, NPR and Pitchfork, because it’s always nice to have connections across the board.

Now let’s talk physical networking. We all know SXSW (and any other major music conference, for the matter) is the place to be for meeting others from similar walks of life, but have you thought about such as record stores and venues? Photo pits are only so big, and backstage areas really aren’t as exciting you think they can be (at times), so why not take the opportunity to make conversation to help make the time pass by a little quicker? During events as big as Warped Tour, the line for press credentials can take a while to sit through, and you’re literally surrounded by other press members. The ideas you can get from others could help you exponentially, and even more if lasting connections are made.

This is by no means a call to be inauthentic with others. Instead, this is a reminder that you’re surrounded by people who could one day help you down the road when you need it. I’ve had many great friendships stem from what I originally considered to be simple acquaintances gained through networking, and that serves as another reason for me to encourage stepping out.

If you have a scene, you should live in it, and by that I mean that you should meet people, build friendships, and help each other.

When he’s not listening songs from the upcoming Comeback Kid album, Adrian Garza writes at Under the Gun Review and works at the Editor-In-Chief at The Southeastern Times, Southeastern University’s student newspaper. Follow him on Twitter.

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