How to Become a Freelance/Telecommute Music Writer


The music scene houses some of the most interesting personalities and celebrities you could ever meet! Some of them personify the pop idol, the rock star, or the hip hop artist. There are those who embody the glammed-up seductress or the country singer.

All in all, there are several generations of bands, musicians, and singers, all of them artists with their own music genre. If you love music and you can identify with any of its genre, then you'd be sensational as a freelance music writer!

On being a freelance music writer

For anyone who's so into songs and music, it would be such a dream job to be a writer for a music magazine or its website. The job's an easy adjustment because the writing doesn't have to be formal or stiff. You're always encouraged to use a casual, conversational tone.

The wonder of it all's that you get paid and commissioned to monitor the lives of these celebrities, follow their bands on tours, and travel the world to where their latest stints could be.

It's also a learning experience to write about this niche. You'll learn more about different genre such as pop, rock, hip hop, country, jazz, fusion, rhythm and blues, Latin, and even classical.

You won't only be exposed to the lives of popular singers and musicians. You'll also be acquainted with the names of famous songwriters, lyricists, and composers. You'll enjoy listening to timeless movie soundtracks and writing about current movie themes.

The specialty and its challenges

If you think that being a freelance music writer is always a gig, then here's where you're wrong. Sometimes, the going can be rocky too!

Besides being a sentimental bunch, artists can be a temperamental lot! You won't always enjoy the antics and scandals they're into, but you'll always be fascinated by how they transform to genius once they're onstage and performing.

On becoming good at what you do

Step 1: Develop a better appreciation for music.

Go beyond your all-time favorites. Go out of your comfort zone to explore different genre which may be strange and unfamiliar to you.

Going back, it's a learning experience on the many forms of artistry. With no preconceived notions about a type of music you like or don't like, you're simply encouraged to listen to their samples.

Based on what you've heard, you'll be asked to comment and critique on the strong and weak points of a song. All along, it's essential that you be fair, objective, and open-minded.

Step 2: Follow up with some research.

If you're not to judge the book by its cover, then conduct your own research on these personalities. Start by reading their biographies published in paperbacks or e-books. Scan popular pillars like Billboard, Top 40, Rolling Stone, and other music charts.

You'd be surprised to discover that not all of them are overnight sensations. Many of them have journeyed long and hard, even from childhood, just to reach the pinnacle of success. This allows you to write more kindly, if not more realistically, about their lives and careers.

Step 3: Always write in context.

You may not necessarily approve of what an artist wears, how she moves, or how he talks, but that's beside the point. Your primary focus should be on how an artist performs and how his or her music compares with the rest of the peers.

Note similarities with other artists past and present as well as differences which set them apart. If you're keen and fair in evaluating your artists, you'll win their regard as a freelance music writer who writes with forte!

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