I now have a column, help!

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Yeah, the thread title is kind of lame.

Anyway, as you all probably have guessed by now (Looking back at some of my posts, I can most certainly tell), I'm young. In fact, why hide it, I'm 17.

The point is, I recently was given a chance to write a monthly column for a newspaper; a newspaper that I really respect at that. He told me, "I liked the perspective of the article you submitted to us, being young and buying records and really wanting to like them, but being disapointed (I did a review of Linkin Park - Meteora) and I think a monthly teen perspective would be cool, but any ideas you have I'd like to hear."

To make a long story short, what do YOU think would be an interesting idea for a column? ...so that I may rip it off.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 7 May 2003 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

how being 17 years and punk NOW is more important than it was when I was 17 and thought I was punk (actually, I haven't thought I was punk since I was, like, 15 tops). And how the only thing that matters is that YOU think you're punk, because, really, nobody else ever will anyway.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

seriously, though, congrats.
explore things that interest you, don't be afraid to ask more questions (as long as you honestly ask them) in your col than you answer.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I always wanted to do something like this but never took the initiative - Write from a willingly naive viewpoint: no, you've NOT heard all the important post-punk records, but you've got good ears and can write well, etc. Most readers haven't heard so much of this stuff anyway, so you could discover it with them. Like a blog only less amateur, with better form and more reliable.

I've been 18 for months now; I just lost so much of my valuable naivete when I turned legal.

― Adam A. (Keiko), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

what newspaper's it for?

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Go to different record stores and try to buy your next record with all pennies. Write about how each store's employees handle you and your youthful currency.

― BurmaKitty (BurmaKitty), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 21:12 (twenty-two years ago)

i would do an interview with JONATHAN WILLIAMS and you guys should drink 2 litres of Mt. Dewm and freak out to your finest noisecore records.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 21:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Did you land a colum with metrotimes?

Wow, I had no clue you were only 17, I always assumed you were in your 20's.

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Wednesday, 7 May 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, Mike how'd you know it was the Metro Times?

Adam, Horace - Thanks.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 7 May 2003 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

You know, I have been thinking about writing for them ever since they started advertising for music writers. I have had a few ideas but I have just procrastinated so much I did not send them off.

Do you have an actual column, or are you on a rotation basis with some of the other writers? Either way, I still think that that is pretty cool, I hope you bang them over the head with goodness.

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Thursday, 8 May 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Go to different record stores and try to buy your next record with all pennies. Write about how each store's employees handle you and your youthful currency.
I say go to your nearest mall. Go to every store in it and tell them Roman sent you and demand a discount and/or free stuff. This will be something to write home about...

― Roman (Roman), Thursday, 8 May 2003 04:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Just be yourself and don't be afraid to speak your mind. If you don't piss some people off, then obviously you're doing something wrong.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Thursday, 8 May 2003 11:16 (twenty-two years ago)

hahahaha... have fun writing in the MT. You can always write about Ghostly... we don't get enough coverage (kidding).

My #1 piece of advice is get out of the house and go talk to people. Saying you have a column will open up doors and people will talk to you. What have you always wondered about? Who would it be fun to meet (whether it's a musician or the sound guy at St. Andrew's or the guy who owns the guitar shop down the street). Relying on just your own perspective when starting something like this -- no matter if you were 17 or 50 -- is a pretty tough exercise, and you can use your adventures as jumping off points. Like, "I was talking with blah blah blah and it got me thinking about blah blah blah." It's also much more interesting to read.

Anyway, best of luck. I look forward to reading your stuff.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Cool beans!

I just came up with the idea for my next CTCL column this afternoon... but I'm not going to tell you what it is or you'll steal it. ;-)

― kate, Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Try writing a story about how Pro-tools and related soft wear made everybody sound exactly a like (use the two second test where you listen to two seconds of a song, not the chorus and see if you can tell five major commercial rock radio bands apart) and how bands like the White Stripes are incredibly popular, not just because they create good songs BUT because they sound different, like they were recorded in an analogue studio without computer refitting, and what that might mean to the future of rock music.
I'd be interested in what you come up with.

― Brandon Welch (Brandon Welch), Thursday, 8 May 2003 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

My #1 piece of advice is get out of the house and go talk to people.
I concur 100 per cent. While I'm sure what goes on in your own mind is plenty interesting to you, for the most part other people are interested in what goes in the world. You can still write your opinion/feelings/etc, but y'know, at least recognize that there's a world beyond yr own shadow.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 8 May 2003 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

is orbit still around?

― keith (keithmcl), Friday, 9 May 2003 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

columns is tricky, like a rat bastard
the be yourself is good advice, but so is TS Eliot's
Steal like a motherfucker, just make it your own.
Everything around you is inspiration; give it your own stamp

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Friday, 9 May 2003 06:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Keith -- Orbit's sadly been gone for almost 5 years now... there's another weekly called Real Detroit which is, well, ... erm...

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 9 May 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

just came up with the idea for my next CTCL column this afternoon...

Same here, a couple of days ago. Now to write it. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 May 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

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