Writing about music is a great way to hone your writer’s voice while covering records and gigs and you love (or hate!) and becoming a valued part of musical communities. This condensed version of Australian critic Kate Hennessy's popular masterclass will present the the basics of music writing. Kate welcomes everyone but especially writers who are female identifying, trans, non-binary, queer, and POC because more diverse voices in music criticism are needed.

You'll see good and bad examples and understand what to aim for and what to avoid. Kate will detail the core skills music writers need, how to pitch editors and how to approach writing a negative review. A focus on live reviews will mean you can leave with the tools to begin – or more confidently continue - your writing practice by covering some SXSW showcase bands.

This presentation is great for:

Practising music journalists looking to improve
New writers who want to know the dos and don'ts
Music publicists or managers who want insight into how music writers work
Self-managed bands who want to sharpen their bios or press materials

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]