This was not an easy decision but as Bob Dylan wrote 'times they are a changing' and so it's time to close the gallery. What some of you know as Ramon Writes has evolved over 15 years, the creation of a middle aged former journalist wannabe (a qualified I add) going through a rediscovery. So much has changed in that time, some of it documented here, not as much as I planned - difficult to balance two jobs after all. Ramon Writes will be moving to a new platform to undergo a major facelift balanced with high quality content.
I sat up to write this thought piece after reading an article in my copy of the latest edition of 'Writing Magazine' on how to beat the burnout by author Simon Whaley. It caught my attention because that's what has happened to me in my second stab at a fairly fruitful career in writing. I was reading the magazine because whilst working on an assignment (which is a bit late I'm embarrassed to say) I hit the dreaded wall ... with a thump, and so needed a helping hand to get over it. The article cast a very bright spotlight on why the last three years or so I've struggled to get my writing career back into full throttle.
When Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) Alex Seabrook, during a regular press briefing, questioned Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees about his flying all the way to US to speak at a TED conference on climate change, the response was somewhat unexpected. The clip of his exchange with the Mayor went viral as was the dressing down received from Bristol City Council’s Head of External Communications Saskia Konynenburg. The furore that followed resulted in a ban on LDRs from attending or participating in his briefings to the press.
If you don’t have a blog for your business then isn’t it about time you considered looking into this deeper? For me blogging is not only necessary but vital because I'm a writer but also in an age where so much content is online my personality and services need to shine brightly on the world wide web; otherwise I am out of business. Now you don’t have to be a writer, digital marketeer or a social media fiend to have a blog. Lots of businesses from retail outlets to facilities management companies all have one, so why haven’t you? Maybe you’re not sure how to set one up, overwhelmed by work involved in running one; maybe cost is an issue. Well hopefully I can help with a few of these questions and the answers may surprise you.
I've been thinking on my interview skills of late having spoken with a variety of people all over the world whether it's for a publication or my book research. Generally interviews for me are easy to plan except where when that person has put together a biographical piece. Case in point I revisited two of my video interviews - Matthew Polly (author of 'Bruce Lee; A Life') and Kevin Derek (writer/director 'More than Miyagi'; The Pat Morita Story') What do these two have in common? Both their works (book and film) are biographies of larger than life personalities. It's here where my interview approach is altered.
In my previous article ‘The Loneliness of Freelancing and How to Beat It’ I shared some insights on how I navigated the lonely road of freelancing. For a nearly a year now the world, or certainly parts of it has either been in lockdown or restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The result is more people working from home and freelances confined to their home offices. As the eagerly awaited vaccine rolls out we are still restricted or confined until we get the all clear. I’ve updated my thoughts here to account for lockdown restrictions to include anyone working from home.
Pitching the idea of a tell all - of sorts - book all about The Asylum was a difficult sell to David Latt, one of the founding partners of the company. I'll admit some if it is down to this being my first book on any topic, but his concerns seemed to focus around any potential interest; 'it might make for a few good articles but not sure enough for a whole book' he told me. I convinced him this was a book waiting to be written and that B-movie and Asylum fans would flock to it so they can read all about how the Asylum came to be. Now it's my turn to tell you, the fans/persons of interest/film nerds alike why I am doing this and what lies on the road ahead.
It's official, work has finally started on my first book and it's all about those maverick masters of the mockbuster The Asylum. You might not have heard of this infamously mad yet creative film company but no doubt you've come across their work which includes the global phenomenon that is the 'Sharknado' saga. They are also the devoured brains behind 'Z Nation' and its spin off 'Black Summer' currently giving 'The Walking Dead' saga a serious run for its money. When I proposed the book idea to the studio heads, David Latt (one of the original founders) asked why? The studio's rise to infamy is a true underdog tale of a company that thinks outside the box, takes risks with film projects that on paper seem impossible and makes them a reality; a tale that deserves to be told. My answer was, why not?
One of the most important skills in journalism is the art of the interview. Some presenters on TV make it look easy, and if you have a confident vibrant personality then it can be. Whether you are reporting the news, or putting together a feature you should always include an interview with a key figure in your story, this gives your content gravitas and legitimacy. Yet there is more to interviewing than simply being garrulous or comfortable chatting on the sofa; asking the right questions, in the right manner are essential skills for the interviewer. I have interviewed numerous people from all walks of life including film stars, film makers, teachers, entrepreneurs and politicians, and all my training did not prepare me for the roller-coaster ride that interviews can be. I have learned to adapt my style and questioning skill to not only suit the subject of my interview to get the answers I need for my project. So, here is my quick guide to putting together the perfect interview.
In this day of modern technology social media has become a vital tool for businesses to promote projects, build customer bases and raise brand awareness. Yet with so much learning materials, resources, and individuals like myself on hand as guides to connecting through the world wide web, many businesses and organisations seem still unsure how to use social media effectively. From some extensive reading and conversations with fellow professionals in my local coffee shop the mistakes made are quite commonplace. So if you want to reap the benefits of Twitter, Facebook or any of the other social media platforms here are some tips that will help your business.
The biggest shock for me when I dived feet first into the deep end of freelancing was not the feast or famine moments, the numerous rejections, or even the thought of doing my own tax returns. No, it was the sense of loneliness and isolation that comes with being your own one man band operation. It didn’t hit me straight away as I was too excited about the grand adventure ahead and with work already to be getting on with who had time to worry about such silly things? Yet slowly and insidiously it crept up on me and before long working from home became difficult and cabin fever had set in.
