Ramiro Burr / Writing, Music, Journalism

This is the Speech Outline presented by Ramiro Burr at UTSA

For more info on Burr Speaker Topics and Biography click Speaker  

"Careers For People Who Love to Write" Music reporter/columnist/blogger Ramiro Burr details career options for people who need to express themselves through the written word. Some people enjoy the daily rush that general-assignment reporters experience tracking down sources and meeting deadlines. Some like to write columns, taking a point of view and representing a voice of the community. Others choose the freelance route, pitching their stories and reviews to magazines. Still others are drawn to the in-depth research involved in book writing. As someone who juggles these four roles, Burr provides valuable insight into many facets of the writing profession.

What do you need to be doing now to prepare yourself for a writing career? What are the most common jobs available? What are the pros and cons of various writing careers? Why is reporting experience valuable for author wannabes? How do you get published?

Ramiro Burr is a veteran reporter, syndicated columnist, free-lance writer, and nationally recognized author, whose dynamic talk explains:

• If you have an interesting perspective, a willingness to talk to a variety of people, and a strong work ethic, you can turn your love of writing into a successful career.

• One of the toughest challenges a writer faces is authoring a book. But Burr’s tips can give you an advantage in the confusing world of publishers and literary agents.

• How to avoid being intimidated by the tough labor market, deadbeat publishers and long hours.

• Writing is a lucrative profession for only a select few. But if you write authoritatively about subjects that pique your curiosity or anger, you will probably find an audience and you might touch someone’s life or help correct an injustice.

Through these points and more, Burr will outline how to turn your passion for writing into a career.

The Speaker

Ramiro Burr has extensively researched this subject, which was showcased in his groundbreaking 1999 Billboard Guide to Tejano and Regional Mexican Music on Billboard Books. He is also a Billboard correspondent and a free-lance music writer published by Pulse, Rhythm Music, Songlines, Cashbox, Latina, Performance and New Country Music magazines, as well as the Houston Chronicle and Austin Chronicle newspapers. Burr’s additional book credits include the recently revised World Music: The Rough Guide, by the London-based Rough Guides and the Hispanic Almanac, on Visible Ink Press.

Contact: Ramiro Burr, Music Reporter, Arts & Entertainment Dept., San Antonio Express-News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, Texas 78297. 210-822-6089, email Musicreporter@gmail.com. www.ramiroburr.com

©1997-2003 Ramiro Burr. All rights reserved. Used by permission only. Suggestions, comments or compliments? Email: Musicreporter@gmail.com

 

UTSA "Careers for People Those who Love to write"

1. THE KEY BEING FINDING PURPOSE AND PASSION IN SOMETHING

2. Find purpose and passion – as Bob Marley said "Catch a fire."

a. This will move you forward no matter what. That’s what will carry you when you’re discouraged, alone, frustrated. If that doesn’t pull you through, it’s not something you really want to do, you’re just fantasizing.

B. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL WRITER

1. likes to read

2. natural inquisitiveness/curious

3. desire to write comes naturally

A. REPORTER

1. Ask audience: For those of you who are interested in reporting, what are some of the reasons you want to become a reporter?

2. What does it take:

1. 4-year degree is recommended. 2-year degree acceptable.

2. Journalism degree is not necessary, though recommended. Liberal arts and English majors have been accepted.

3. General education in the liberal arts.

4. Extras:

1. Second language (Spanish)

2. Computer literate

3. Job prospects

a. tough to start at a large-circulation paper unless you graduate from a nationally ranked school

b. Start small and do a good job. Beware of papers that are considered to heavily controlled by publisher (Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh). Those may hurt your resume.

4. Pay rates

a. Minimum wage to low-20s for small market. Low 20’s to low 50’s for SA-size market.

B. FREELANCER

1. Ask audience:  How many of you would rather work at home than in an office?

2. What does it take:

a. ability to come up with original ideas

b. willingness to pitch ideas to editors

c. persistence in getting paid

3. Job prospects

a. easy for small-circulation, low-paying local rags. And if you do good there, you can build up contacts that can help you work your way up to better publications

b. this job allows you to work from home. Some of the nation’s top magazine contributors, like Jonah Goldberg (National Review) and Peter Brimelow (Forbes) work from home.

4. Pay rates

a. Pay is per piece. For small publications, may be insignificant. For mid-sized trade journals or special interest magazines, mid-hundreds. Vanity Fair or the New Yorker might pay thousands for a long piece by a star journalist.

C. SYNDICATED COL

1. Ask audience: How many of you have heard of Dave Barry? Molly Ivins? Cal Thomas? Point is that syndicated columnists reach a large audience day-in day-out.

2. What does it take

a. memorable prose PLUS a unique point of view or expertise or in a non-journalism field (military, medicine, business, politics)

b. continued cultivation of sources.

c. Ability to come up with ideas on your own.

d. Being well read, staying on top of new ideas in your field

3. Job prospects

a. very competitive: reporters are more common than columnists.

b. most start out as reporters or are known as achievers outside journalism. It’s rare to jump into column writing when you’re green

4. Pay rates

a. Depends on syndication. Top syndicated columnists can make 6 figures but they are rare.

D. AUTHOR

1. Ask audience: a. How many of you have thought of a topic, even offhandedly, that made you think—this might make an interesting book topic?

2. What does it take

a. Dedication of time—easy to procrastinate. Set aside a block of time as a daily appt. where you do nothing but write or research your book.

b. Combination of open-mindedness and stubbornness: you have to be open to literary agents’ suggestions, but if you believe in your topic, you can’t let yourself give up after the first rejection notice. Even the best writers got dozens or hundreds of rejections before someone told them "yes."

c. Helps to have background in reporting or major accomplishments in another field. Agents need to know you’ve proven yourself somewhere, know how to take direction, and can meet deadlines.

d. Willingness to promote the book yourself. Requires travel, personal expense and lots of time. Getting the book deal is just the beginning of the beginning, and writing the book is just the beginning.

3. Job prospects

a. Tough. This is a labor of love, because about 99 percent of book proposals are rejected

4. Pay rates

a. Many books do little better than make back their advance. Make sure you have another source of income unless/until you are already an established best-seller.

E. GENERAL WRITING

a. technical writing

b. script writing

c. PR—for more details see the library.

THE PROBLEMS

MECHANICAL:

1. Education—lacking the knowledge to do the job. The answer: take more classes in your field, read about what the best people in your field are doing.

2. Direction—The order or sequence you need to follow. The answer: read books and talk to working professionals.

3. Experience—Not having done it. The answer: Enroll in classes or contact local publications where you can get hands-on experience.

4. Guidance—not knowing how which career to pursue. The answer: take classes and meet working professionals.

5. Mentor—see guidance.

 

DISCIPLINE:

1. Fear of success—fear of change and excessive responsibility. Answer: build self-esteem.

2. Fear of failure—rejection, embarrassment, humiliation. The answer: have a plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

3. Motivation—Reward, payment, pat on back. Answer: Don’t make other people responsible for your self-esteem. After finishing up a hard project, treat yourself by doing something you enjoy.

4. Focus—Ability to make the goal a top priority. Answer: assess your goals. Where do you want to be in 10 years? What will it take for you to get there.

5. Discipline—Knowing what you have to do but not forcing yourself to do it. Answer: set aside time in which you have no distractions—kids, day job, etc. and reserve that time for your research or writing.

6. Procrastination—Lazy. Answer: do you have a daily routine? Getting up at the same time every day, always attending your classes, showing up to work on time tend to make you more organized in other aspects of your life.

7. Dreamers vs. Achievers—Talking vs. working

8. Lack of support—Answer: Know friends, family, or network

9. Honesty—ask yourself it this is something you really want to do?

INSPIRATIONAL:

1. This is the message: Follow your dream.

2. Music industry story: many executives regret they never got their chance/unfulfilled.

3. Purpose of music: to move us to tears, or to the dance floor

4. Purpose of the arts: to enrich us through shared values

5. Purpose of the artists: to have courage to take a risk and share

6. Purpose of life: what are we here for? To contribute.

1. So in closing, I will repeat to you

1. Live your life as best you can

2. Find purpose and passion – as Bob Marley said "Catch a fire"

3. Seek fulfillment by finding something that gives you purpose and passion

4. Don’t go through life just marking time, make a difference – with your families and your communities

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT RAMIRO BURR

www.ramiroburr.com, San Antonio Express-News, 822-6089

©1997-2003 Ramiro Burr. All rights reserved. Used by permission only. Suggestions, comments or compliments? Email: Musicreporter@gmail.com