Carolyn loves her new job

Thinking of doing the course? Here's what Carolyn Wilson, who was offered a job five weeks into the course, wrote.

I just wanted to send a quick email and say the biggest thank you for everything on the course. I've just had my fourth week "on the job" and am absolutely loving it all. There were times when I definitely cursed the manic, sleep-deprived nine weeks, so I wanted to communicate my massive appreciation for it all. Hindsight is amazing. I've got masses on, both features and news but feel excited, not daunted by it, and this I know I owe to the teaching and the rockets that you put under us on a daily basis :-)

Stephen gets job at OPP

Yet another person from our winter postgraduate course in magazine journalism has secured a job – only two weeks after the course finished. Stephen Harris is the fourth from the course to find a job – despite the harrowing economic times. He has been taken on as a reporter on the magazine OPP, which is for international property professionals, to write news, features and daily online news. Stephen was editor of the magazine Canal Business that the course produced.

Kaye reports for Third Sector

Kaye Wiggins from the Winter 2009 is now a reporter on Third Sector, a magazine for and about charities and voluntary organisations.

Carolyn becomes reporter

Carolyn Wilson, one of those chosen for this winter's postgraduate course in magazine journalism, secured a job only five weeks into the course. She will be a reporter across two titles: Speciality Foods and Hotel Business.

The end is in sight...

I never thought this day would come... Not the end of the course, which I was also sceptical I would see, but the day I passed a spelling test!! So I have officially finished the course! That is quite a surreal feeling, but a good one.

Today we had a session on how to survive as a freelancer. I quite like the idea of the freelance life, although maybe not the freelance money but we take what we can! I have just had my first commission too, another exciting step. Now I just have to get the thing written.

Keith was also tested today... by the PTC, and luckily for anyone wanting to take this course in the next few years, he passed. He might not approve of the clauses in my sentence though, but potential future PGs will learn that all in good time.

So now all we have to do is graduate, and get a job. But for now nothing will spoil the day we finished PMA. Well done all, and I have to say I could not have got through the course without all the help and support of all my fellow PMAers. I have faith they will go far, and make noise wherever they end up.

Nearly there

The two weeks of placement flew by and it's hard to believe we're in the final week. I got a huge amount out of my placement and all the staff were really friendly and supportive. But it didn't stop me waking up feeling very nervous most days, knowing that I was there to prove myself. On reflection, I needn't have worried so much and I did prove to myself as much as everyone there that I am now a journalist. The next stop will be convincing someone who can offer me a job.

It's hard to feel optimistic about the employment situation. Jobs are scarcer than ever and, as of yet, I've had no interview or freelance offers. It looks like I'll have to resort to temp work for the next couple of weeks so I can pay my rent. But I do now feel there are many more jobs open to me than there were nine weeks ago and I can handle anything that a job would throw at me.

After a hard night's cramming yesterday, I managed to pass media law so I now feel confident enough to write stories without ending up in court. Just two more exams to go so the end is in sight. I've become very comfortable at PMA over the last two months so waking up on Monday morning without having to head off to Camden and without resubs or shorthand practice to do will be very disconcerting. I'm looking forward to heading to the pub for a well-earned drink on Friday. But after the weekend I'll continue my concerted effort to get out and find work.

Day 1 of exams

Today we had our media law and proof-reading exams. They weren't too bad: most people got through law unscathed. We have yet to hear about proof-reading. I found it a bit of an odd exam, I really can't tell how I did.

The external examiner was in again today to look at our workbooks, and they were all fine. Busy practising (with an s) my spellings for tomorrow at the moment. I'm definitely learning a lot, who knew there was an e in liquefy!!

Hola Amigos y amigas

Well officially we need to do five blogs during the course. Admittedly I just did one half an hour ago but given that I will have so many other things to do tomorrow , I will write another now. After all there have been points on this course when one day just seeme to run into another.

Whe have a great shorthand teacher Alison, with a very wry sense of humour. That is important when you are feeling tired at the weekend and the last thing you feel like doing is three hours of shorthand.

Also you get a half hour break, which I have always relished. Adios ladies and gentlemen.

Well today some of us saw each other after a week, which was great. I think we got pretty used to having each other around for the first four weeks. Media law exam and proofing only two days away now. Tomorrow should be challenging for me. Getting my file and workbook and notes and contacts into pristine shape and order.

Thought people's choice of obituaries was interesting and reflected something about their character or subconscious, even if only temporarily at the time they wrote it.

Victory!!!!!!!

Today, on the very last sunday of the course, I passed shorthand. Oh tis a joyous thing indeed.
Alison had to take my feeble efforts home and let me know by text that I had at last reached the golden status of 60wpm. I was slightly suspicious at first, as I am sure everyone would agree that shorthand has not been my friend over the last 9 weeks. However, I will not be looking a gift horse in the mouth. Practice is the key to an illustrious shorthand career so I have vowed to exercise my skills on a daily basis. 100wpm here I come.

The world of work

It's week 2 of the placement and it's going well. I'm managing to find my own news stories by talking to people and making contacts, rather than pestering the news editor for things to do all the time, which is good. 

And - as if I hadn't learned this already from Canal Business - I'm realising that anything can be made interesting. This week I wrote the lead for the finance page (it's about VAT, which until yesterday I knew absolutely nothing about), and I actually enjoyed it. Oh dear, my flatmate was right when she said I'm turning into a proper saddo.

The PMA Hammersmith crew met up for lunch today, and it was really good to catch up with everybody. I do miss our daft, immature banter...

Revelations

Well I am going through my list of things to do for course and writing a piece for the blog is definitely high up there.

As the end of the PMA course looms in sight- yes I think that somewhat 'dark' verb expressed my some of my fears and ambivalence about the last week- I think it might be time to spill the beans about a couple of things you need to know about this course before you do it.

You will learn a lot and you will be taught extremely well with a great deal of commitmetn. That is the good part. The scary part is that the Big Print !in the info on the course has been true for me!

If you are prone to anxiety or low on self-confidence this course could make you into a journalist in nine weeks but be wary of its toll on your psyche.

The tutors will do their level best, i would say their double level best to get you through and build your confidence. But at the end of the day you will find the course if you come in with yes humility, but firm self-belief.

You do not want to waste precious minutes of the nine weeks or indeed your brief human life on this planet stressing out about the course as I did. there is not that much time spare on the course for self-doubt.

If you are into meditation or yoga you are probably at an advantage. You need to become an arch wizard at clearing your mind and focusing on the job in hand, while hopefully at least your sub-conscious juggles with three other tasks.

Also I feel presently like a battery hen, just churning out assignments. Still only ten more days before i am back free-ranging.

I meant to say so much more and reveal more gory truths or rather my personal gory truthsthe course but they will have to wait. At the end of the day it is very subjective. Some people sailed the course. At times I found it extremely demanding and unpleasant. But that is me. After six years of a relaxed pace of life perhaps and without the requisite inner belief perhaps it was inevitable.

The course group has been excellent and supportive and there are some people on the course I have a lot of time and respect for.





Due to my self-doubt I worried excessively about the tutors' opinion sometimes. I guess when you are an insecure novice on a course like this the opinions of the tutors can
seem like everything. That puts an unfair pressure on the tutors too I have realised.

So my advice is believe in yourself and remember that everyone on the course, including you, your peers and tutors are human in the best sense possible.

Good night.

Week 2 of Placement....

I walked into the Emap offices this morning hoping that I would feel a lot more confident than I did last week. Being in an actual journalist environment is a lot scarier than the PMA offices!

Last week I managed to get a few NIBs in the magazine and about four stories on the Retail Week website. I am also working on a feature with the stores expert, John Ryan and been trusted to write a feature to be put in the magazines relaunch issue...A quote from Tim Danaher the editorto me was: "So it has to be good." No pressure then!!

I have had quite a successful day today and have written a few more NIBs for this weeks magazine and posted a story on the web. Some people have even got back to me regarding my feature which is a bonus. I have definitely realised the amount of chasing up a journalist has to do to talk to anyone!!

I am a bit worried about writing the piece...on the future of Retail Parks, but hope that it doesn't get completely thrown back at me!

Everyone at Retail Week has been really helpful and willing to give me things to do, I have also sat in on the news meetings which has been interesting and good experience.

Hopefully everyones final weeks will go really well, good luck fellow PMA-ers!

The mortification of mingling

Today Brand Republic sent me to a Microsoft event at Sketch. Xbox were announcing a partnership with NBC Universal and I was there to get a story.

Walking in to a room full of total strangers used to make my toes curl, but today I was determined not to be intimidated.

I was going to draw on my reserve of PMA confidence and mingle with the best of them. I was going to sidle up to people I’d never met, join conversations that were already in full swing, and dazzle with my witty repartee.

When I got there, I actually ended up making a beeline for a nervous looking boy who was about 12 and had definitely never shaved. But by the end of the afternoon, I’d done a 15-minute interview with Microsoft’s head of Xbox. I’d had interesting chats with tonnes of people and came away with a number of stories to follow up on.

I think I might always quake slightly at the thought of immersing myself in a room full of strangers, but I am confident that I can do it. When there’s a pressure to do the job well, there’s no room for inhibition.

Well done Kay!

I missed shorthand today because I was ill in bed. I think Alison and I agreed yesterday that February wasn't the best month for shorthand anyway: too cold. 

But, I did hear on the grapevine that Kay passed 1 million words per minute today. Well done, next week 1 million and 10 words per minute? 

Work placement: one week down, one to go. Have been given a feature to write, feel like I've called a thousand people, and no-one, I mean no-one, has got back to me. But really looking forward to seeing everyone at shorthand tomorrow, it's been really weird not seeing them all!

Ten things

1. I now know my NHS from my AMRC, and my PCT from my MIMs.

2. The sheer mention of a magazine about canals makes people laugh. For a long time.

3. There once was a northern lad called Jay, who laboured for two weeks without pay, it was experience of work, didn’t want to look a total berk, but may leave with hair a shade of grey.

4. Maybe we should have all marched into our placements like this guy.

5. I hope Menaha’s hypnosis worked.

6. It’s an odd thing isn’t it, work experience?

Trying to impress, but trying not to get in the way? Wanting to do as much as possible, without wanting to seem like you know it all? Feeling as if you’re the first person ever to sit at the lonely computer, while avoiding feeling left out?

7. So far, I’ve managed to restrain myself from yelling ‘EMPLOY ME!’ when the room goes quiet.

8. I’ve realised that if you march into a news meeting pretending to be confident, and have a few ideas - that gets you a lot of respect.

9. I promise to teach Caz how to embed links (apple, K)

10. PMA also stands for positive mental attitude. The other day, someone thought I was on a course to improve my inner motivation. 

Despair

Never have I experienced such overwhelming helplessness. The first emotion was panic. I felt like I'd been plunged in at the deep end and forgotten how to swim. There was no-one around to tell me what to do. I just had to put my head down, take a deep breath and try to deal with the situation.




Surely there is a better alternative to the tube at rush hour?

First days of placement...

It would seem in the madness of Canal Business I, and a few of my fellow PMAers, have neglected the blog. But as you can see from the last post we now have no excuse! The last week went by in a slight blur and now placement feels relatively calm. I am at the Morning Advertiser, which went to press at 4 today, and it was surprisingly stress free.

That was unlike my first day…I was…LATE! Of all the things NOT to do when trying to make a good impression being late is top of the list. I got cocky, I thought I knew where I was going, sat nav failed me, it was rush hour and all of a sudden I was ten whole minutes late! Luckily for me the editor is extremely chilled out and everyone is lovely so I think I might have got away with it…just!

I was then trusted with a NIB to write. Thanks to Roberta and Keith stripping me of the need to use excess words (except in this blog!) I managed to fit all the info into just 50 words, and hopefully passed the test.

I have now progressed to more exciting tasks, this morning I rang a selection of licensees to ask the following question – If you could be cryogenically frozen and come back in the future when would you come back?

I can see that Caz’s style of journalism is alive and kicking! Or maybe there is more scope for the exciting in the pub trade?!

I hope everyone else is having as much fun and realising (shock horror) Roberta was right…we made Canal Business so we can survive in the world of journalism. 

There's just one thing I'm feeling right now

Utter terror at the prospect of starting work experience tomorrow. I've done plenty of work experience before but never was it in a genuine attempt to impress enough to be given a job. I'm too nervous to say much else.

Ta-daaaaaa!

We've been banging on about it for weeks and driving our friends and families crazy - but at last, here it is! 

It's a strange feeling now that the mag's finished, and we're all a bit unsure of what to do with ourselves. (Oh, wait - Teeline, law, resubs, features, job applications - maybe not.)

It's also really strange that we'll be on placement for the next 2 weeks and not seeing each other. Now that I've spent 10 hours a day, 7 days a week with the same people it'll be odd not to hear from them (although it might be a welcome break for my eyeliner if it means I'm not crying with laughter every day.)

Good luck on your placements everybody. As Roberta tells us, now that we've produced Canal Business, we can cope with anything. We'll see...

The day Roberta let us have a lie-in

I have glared at the little red lights on my alarm clock with contempt and accusation since the course started. But today, god bless them, they formed a magical sight: 7.30am - a few more hours of much needed shut-eye. 

 

When we all arrived at half-nine (ish - a little tardiness was permitted for the sake of some rather more awake PMA-ers) it was a finishing-up-sorting-out-sort-of-day.  Once Wiggerama and Steve had given the magazine its last read everyone collapsed.  The Canal Business postmortem was likened to a mutual appreciation society and we ended up in the pub at around half-five.

The consensus was somewhat of an anti-climax, until the beers/wine started to kick in. At which point, spirits soared and sites were set on next week's placement.

Have a good fortnight everyone... love you, think you're all great, miss you already ;-) 

We're going to Press!!

Today was the day we were supposed to be going to press with Canal Business!

Well...that was the plan. The day started off very chilled and we were all optimistic that by 12.30 we may have everything ready and set a new record for PMA. Unfortunately this was not meant to be.

Little things had to be changed and Kaye did an amazing job with the subbing. Keith arrived about midday to take a look at our 'mock up' Unfortunately there were a few more changes to be made after this and it took a little longer than we thought. As the changes had to be made by Kaye and Steve there was not a lot that all of us could do except feel a little quilty for being unable to help!

We were all getting tired towards the end of the day and were contemplating another late one as we really wanted to have everything sent off today. Roberta suggested that it was best however that we looked over it all in the morning with fresh eyes...good idea!

The majority of Canal Business is completed and it has been a challenge, although I am sure we are all thinking, if we can make canals interesting then surely we can make anything interesting. Well done team!

So today was a pretty big day. We had our mock law exam in the morning and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. "In the public interest" is quickly becoming one of my favourite phrases. 

The external examiner made his first appearance, but again it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Just the small task of getting all resubmissions passed.

The rest of the day was dedicated to the magazine, and its really coming together now. InDesign gurus Jamie and Mark started sorting out the news pages and they're looking really good. Our mock-up of the magazine is actually starting to take shape. It's very exciting. Lots of work still to go, I'm sure stress levels will rise considerably over the next couple of days, but the end is most definately in sight.

Acoonamatada...It means 'no worries'

We go to press in two days. But, we are on track. 

The features are all featuring. The news sections are ready and waiting, and we are replenishing as new, more up-to-date stories come in. 

I'm hopeful. Canal Business will go to press. 

Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines is the story of my life at the moment and no doubt the life of a journalist. Are all journalists really well-organised, endowed with common sense, meticulous note takers (to avoid libel charges), impervious to pressure, tough-skinned and god knows what else. Is there no room for deviance from this news journalist profile and still make some money somewhere writing. It sometimes feels like I need to rehaul my whole character to become a journalist. At the moment am debating if it is the right career path for me. Kind of like being chaotic - I have never really aspired to being well-organised, although i can see its uses in journalism. Off course I realise the importance of accuracy and detail in journalism, especially on an ethical level. But as a rule find too much attention to other kinds of detail stifling.

Anyway I guess its all part of the learning curve and deciding what kind of journalist or dare I say it writer that I want to be.

I fought the law...

... And the law won.

Tomorrow is our media law mock exam. I feel as though my head should contain a lot more information about libel, defamation and public interest right now. I guess that’s what the tube journey tomorrow is for…

The class is becoming increasingly divided. Not in an ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ way - we’re not Big Brother, but in terms of shorthand. I have nothing wrong with admitting how envious I am of those who have managed to pass 60wpm or above. (Today, Kaye got 90!) Well done to you guys. I guess my ‘practising shorthand while watching an episode of 24’ hasn’t really done me proud so far. However, I am ready for the words president, terrorism, threat, Bauer and torture. I’ll get there.

Well done again to Caz for becoming Employee of the Month. Good on you, Wilson! Roll on the celebratory bevies. It has reminded me of what news is. News is the new, the first, the exclusive, relevant to readership, and the now. Caz is news. (Click.)

I would also like to express my allegiance with Mark (below). Puns really are quite marvellous. “Canalways look on the bright side of life” and “Waterways optimising transport potential? Freight not” are both essential parts of Canal Business.

Finally, I saw this and thought of us. Interviewing can’t be that hard if nine-year-olds can do it, can it?

Lock here, these puns are dredgeful.

Had a great session on headlines this week. I've decided that I'm destined to work on The Sun's sub desk. The past couple of days have been spent trying to crowbar puns into Canal Business.

Only limited success so far. 'Waterway to spend a holiday' has made it in, narrowly beating 'Need a break? You can always go on a boat holiday'. I suspect 'Water palava' will make an appearance somewhere. Just trying to think of the right context to replace 'about' with 'a boat'.

Roberta has said that a business title is not the place for such wordplay. As deputy editor I feel it is my duty to defend the chosen editorial line. I just need to get Steve on side first...

Friday the 13th

Today was Friday the 13^th. The most feared day in the calendar year.

A day so chilling that there is even a name for the phobia (paraskavedekatriaphobia)

A day so troubling, that according to the Stress Management Centre and Phobia Institute, it affects 17 to 21 million Americans every year to a point where some are ‘so paralysed by fear that they avoid normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed, costing the country between £800 and £900m.’ (thanks for the stats Wikipedia)

Lucky for Caz, Friday the 13^th proved to be the most lucky of days, as today she found out that she was the first of the PMA posse to get a job. Whoop Whoop!

Now the rest of us just need to get our arses in gear. I for one though am inspired. It can be done, even in a recession! 

Things start to fall into place

We all arrived at PMA today feeling very tired from working into the wee small hours. But still we were in relatively high spirits and determined to press on with Canal Business.

The range of emotions we go through in one working day (though it is 12 hours long) is astonishing, from excitement to trepidation, from panic to joy, and from despair to quiet confidence. Actually, this last one might be more of a numbness after leaving at the end of the day feeling completely drained and unable to actually worry anymore.

But I'd like to think that we're all feeling happy with how the magazine is shaping up. We now seem to have a good bulk of features and many news stories flying in to fill the pages. Plus our design is starting to take shape after a day and a half of desktop publishing. The afternoon was a write-off after a power cut destroyed our server. Luckily, our work was retreived and Canal Business was saved from seeming doom.

After spending a good 40 minutes on the phone with once council official today, however, I realised that the more I learn about canal development, the more I realise how little I actually know. I've also learnt that what seems like a simple and rather dull news story, can quickly become something much more complex and interesting.

I've also learned that subbing can, in fact, be enjoyable when working with good material. You get to read someone else's excellent work and help them to make it even better.

canals, canals, canals

I love Caz's last blog post - and although she says it's a cop-out, I respect her for still having an ounce of creativity left after the last couple of days! 

Canal Business has definitely started to kick in this week. With deadlines looming we're all looking a bit frantic and acting even more giddy than usual. 

I did my first 13-hour day at PMA today, and when I got home at 10pm I did a phone interview with the head of Oxford City Council - yep, I was well impressed that someone else thinks it's reasonable to still be talking about canals at silly o clock. It's no wonder my flatmate thinks I've gone crazy. 

Right, I'm off to bed - I'm treating myself to 6 and a half hours' sleep tonight!

Cop-out

Cop-out blog

Apologies

Not the greatest idea

And very

Lazy.  I promise I'll be on

Better form tomorrow.

Unless of course my

Sleep

Is filled with

Never

Ending canal stories. In which case a

Strong Costa coffee

Should sort it... and after this dismal effort to contribute to the blog, I'll be buying for everyone :-)

Happy sleeping / semi-canal-consciousness.

Media Law, Day 2

So the kumquats winning-streak came to an end today, as bananas won the media law quiz. I believe their score was three times our measly attempt. I am now slightly worried about the exam...I'm just going to throw in the odd "if it is in the public's interest" and "if it lowers the estimation in the eyes of a right thinking member of society" and pray for the best.

We learnt all about copyright and contempt of court, and I am now even more terrified about what I am writing here. Apparently it is quite difficult to end up in trouble accidently when it comes to copyright, but I'm pretty sure some of us will manage it.

A few faces were missing once again as the snow continues to make journeys to the office that much harder. But we are persevering. We are professionals.

Subs 'R Us: Spot the mistakes

Today was the first day of subbing. As a class we subbed an article about Monopoly and discovered that the longest anyone has ever played the game is 49 days. Together, we wondered if we would be subbing the article for as long. It felt as if we were.

I am approaching subbing as a way to improve my spelling and grammar. I hope to leave the lessons with two things: a) An increased love and respect for the very skilled art of subbing, and b) Kick-ass, no mistakes copy.

Head of PMA Keith Elliott said: “Jamie, you sub this paragraph.”

Jamie: Reaction (click here)

Some of the articles displayed in front of us to correct had actually gone to print. Together with Kaye, as the Canal Business subbing team, we pray that our magazine is word perfect. 

p.s. This is a marvellous film. 

Snow day

London ground to a halt this week. Freak weather conditions meant the bus service was withdrawn, and commuters had to consider alternatives.

I could see the unrest long before entering the train station. Inside, the situation was far from pretty. Crowds had gathered beneath the service updates, frustration turning to anger as the word 'delayed' was replaced by 'cancelled'. A young woman screamed at the attendant, demanding a resolution to this hopeless situation.

I forced my way through the throng and made my escape. I would have to go back to the house. There was no way out of Hackney, and this was no day to be out on the streets.

A brief respite

Last night I allowed myself an evening off for the first time in three weeks on the course. And when I say 'evening off' I mean I only worked until 8.30pm. The next morning it was back to re-subs in the morning, shorthand lessons in the afternoon and job applications in the evening.

I've sent off my first application and had my first rejection. Something tells me it won't be the last.

Although I've got plenty to do I've also discovered a major problem for a journalist with a Monday deadline: nobody else works at weekends. So no progress has been made with any of my features today.

Shorthand seems to be progressing relatively well and that target of reaching 60 words per minute in nine weeks seems more realistic. But once again we've all had to vow to make more of an effort to practise in the week.

Kaye's video blog

. . .

Doo-lally days are on the increase...

We now all look like this...

Concentration is at a bit of a low. We are hyper active / doo-lally. Sainsbury's staff now comment on the number of times we visit in a day. I know, it's a sorry state of affairs that takes escapism to an embarrasssing new level. I'm only admitting to it because it's cathartic and we all need to retain some form of sanity in our re-sub filled frenzy.

So, if you are thinking of this course do not expect to have the "Friday Feeling." We can't even remember what that feels like anymore (cue: violins played by Keith, Roberta and Andy, all snorting with laughter).

On a jollier less suicidal-sounding note this week has been a breath of fresh air in the form of features. I think we all feel we've been let loose to think outside the news box and its BRILLIANT.

Ideas are flying around and we're got our eyes peeled (or to be accurate, propped open with match sticks) in the hope that we'll find the next big scoop.

Video Voxpop Number Two...

We all arrived this morning extremely tired and trying our best to keep awake while Andy talked us through our next feature project. We have worked out that caffeine is the way forward, we're just hoping we don't develop an addiction before the end of the course!

Our next project is entitled...'A Life in the Day' and everyone seems quite excited about the prospect, the only challenge is thinking of someone with an interesting life to talk about. Features has been a bit of light relief from the news stories we have become accustomed to...especially since they are still the vain of our lives with endless re-subs...and more re-subs....will they ever end?

We were then split into two groups to do our second video vox-pop. It was good to have the opportunity to do this for the second time. The feature today was on whether paedestrians and cyclists of Regent's Canal towpath had heard of the new warden scheme...It was not a fun prospect to go out into the rain for the whole afternoon and try and find passers-by that had an opinion on the subject to talk to us but we managed to find some quite interesting characters....alrriiiiight (Caz and Nadia, that was for you!) There were many laughs and re-takes and we realised how uber professional we had been on Monday, it seemed we all had the giggles when in front of the camera today!

Video has been a really good skill to learn, but inevitably the re-subs once again become the focus of our evenings....how are we ever going to get anything else done? I guess that is the constant feeling of a PMA PG!

For fear of being sued

For fear of being sued by Suzie i must amend my earlier typo...she actually said "I feel like I've got a MONKEY on my back all the time..."

Well mine just got a lot fatter and heavier thanks to a few more lovely re subs...

The many lives of Bruce Kent...

Today we had our first taste of a face-to-face interview, and luckily Andy broke us in gently. We each had five minutes to get to the essential Bruce Kent…now five minutes may not seem like a long time, but it can be when someone’s first answer wipes out all your next questions!
But Bruce was lovely, and with such an interesting life there was a lot of areas to ask him about.
Mark got the honour of going first, as always. He reassured the rest of the nervous bunch that we would be fine, and of course we all were. Bruce might have felt slightly worse for wear after though having been asked about all aspects of his life from his decision to take a wife to his views on Guantanamo bay. But he looks great for 80!
The end of the day resulted in another crash down to earth when we realised we had just over three weeks until our magazine goes to press…so the pile of re subs will just have to wait, at least until we have some canal business related news.
As Suzie said “I feel like I’ve got a money on my back all the time…” I think we all know the feeling.

Array of array-ful things

It’s Monday. Although I think the consensus now is that it could have been any day of the week. It could be February for all we know. Days and dates have merged, and PMA has become one big Groundhog Day of learning.

Today we were given our first feature to write. We leisurely strolled up the high street to the Lock Market to conduct our research. The sense of urgency, which has seen us stampede for computers in recent weeks, had disappeared. We revelled in the fact that we had the whole day to find our stories. The possibilities seemed endless. I even wondered if I could fit in a quick haircut.

I was soon writing about the array of jewellery on the array of stools, and the array of restaurants in the array of markets. Sometimes this was substituted with 'selection'. Just to add some variety.

Tomorrow we are interviewing renowned political activist Bruce Kent. I’m nervous. It’s not his status that’s intimidating me; it’s the fact that it’s all going to be videoed, to be played back to everyone in glorious digi-technicolour. My experience with video-captured interviews last week has shown the awful effect they have on me. I panic, and begin to phrase questions in the style of an non-English-speaking tourist. Fingers crossed it will all be ok.

Two weeks

Two weeks done and dusted. The scary thing is, we’re a third of the way through the main bulk of the course, and now have less than four weeks until we go to print! But I try not to think about such things, I may not last until then!

It has been a good day. We only had to be in the office for three hours. In the afternoon. Truly wonderful.

I think a few PMA-ers allowed themselves a bit more shut-eye, and everyone seemed to be in good spirits. That was until thieves started targeting gardens and a nurse died. We’re hoping for happier tales in Teeline practice next week.

Moods were not dampened however, and there were quite a few giggles along the way. I do hope the lovely Alison will be able to put up with us. Well done to you speedy ones who have already got to a trillion words a minute!

Dear Diary

Alcohol: Only to send me to sleep.

Cigarettes: Considering starting.

Weight: Gained three re-subs...

Canal Business (it is in italics because it’s a real magazine) seemed to get all hand’s on deck today. A shock to the system was in order. LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS.

Four weeks, three beats, two media (magazine and website), and a partridge in a pear tree.
As displayed by these beautiful visuals, I am an excited picture editor. (The photos are taken minutes from where I call home.)

From yesterday, here is my first video vox pop. After the drama of being arrested to make it (I may be exaggerating somewhat), Mark and I did a pretty fine job of it. Beers must be drank to celebrate.

Mark’s version is here - he cannot hide from it.

Celebratory drinks also to the girls. Congratulations on making your blogs private so I can't post your videos! I’ll find a way around your restrictions. Be warned, I’m a tech-savvy multimedia journalist now.

UPDATE. This final part is relevant to just fellow PMA-ers. Potential employers, you can stop reading now thankyouverymuch... Aside from our new shorthand CD (it's Alison - how cute!), the link to the youtube lady is here. Make her your friend. 

Day 13

21 January 2009

Day 13 of the course. I know, it reads like Robinson Crusoe’s diaries when he was under duress. My experience of the intensity of the course truly caught up with me this morning. And to think that my plan had been to catch up on my sleep last night. However things went awry and despite going to bed early I had problems sleeping and woke up after three hours sleep feeling disturbingly sleep deprived. This morning Andy taught us about online journalism. I had reached glazed eye stage due to fatigue and panic and could not take anything in. I have not been able to put much time aside for grooming each morning and I think I am beginning to look a bit rough around the edges. It is worth looking after yourself for your own morale and any employers that might pass by PMA.

Later in the morning I spoke to Roberta. Seeing that I was swirling further and further down into a whirlpool of anxiety, she gave me compassionate leave of twenty-four hours. Roberta genuinely cares about all of us and our well being. I admire her generosity with her time and support.

Before I left the building the cavalry in the form of Nadia and Caz arrived to give me their much appreciated morale support. Keith did warn me before the course that there could very well be tears and I was definitely borderline tears as I bounded out of the computer room. Thanks guys! The concern for my well-being on various faces did lift my spirits. I received a welcome phone call from Stephen tonight to make sure I was OK and Nadia and Caz were there for me. The upside of the course’s intensity is that you bond quite quickly with people and you can help each other.

From what I gather the class studied on-line journalism for the rest of the day and an ex - PMA Postgraduate came in to speak about her job.

Anyway I want to complete the course. We are learning a lot. The best advice I can give myself or anyone else who finds themselves anxious about their ability to get through the course is to try and take one day at a time. It might also be helpful to be aware that you are not alone. Other people may be anxious or unconfident too. They just cope in different ways or do not broadcast their anxiety! And one thing I did notice this week is that you will find areas that are tougher for you but you will also find areas you find relatively easy. Media law and grammar became welcome friends to me this week.

Oh yeah someone from the course sent me a nice and supportive text late tonight but they did not sign their name. Thank you so much. Anyway I’m signing off so I can get some sleep. See you all tomorrow.

Writing online

Apparently I am to blame for setting a trend for long blog posts. Let me make amends.

After yesterday's lesson on writing for the web, I now know that only 16 per cent of you are reading this anyway. Seventy-nine per cent of you are just scanning for key words until you find the information you are looking for. As for the other 10 per cent, who knows?

In the unlikely event that you are reading, perhaps it's because you were specifically looking for inane rambling. In that case, yes, I am for hire, and can be contacted c/o PMA. Just in case the responses fail to flood in I'm off to do a job application...

Poor Teddy

Today started in its usual way: A 5.45am alarm call, a quick shower and then forty minutes of incessant whingeing from my PMA weary boyfriend Teddy.

He is of the thinking that he is suffering as much as me at the moment. Apparently my hair dryer blasting, make-up bag rattling, kettle boiling and boot stomping are a little much to bare. “Yes. It is tough but you will get through it.” I reassure him.

Counselling (or was that Counsilling?) over, I head off to brave another day. A week in and I’ve just about got over the nervous nausea but you never quite know what the day might bring. God forbid another BETT fair….

As it happens, the gods must be smiling down on us, because Keith is a whole twenty minutes late! As I leisurely print out my resubs I feel almost orgiastic with relief. Aaaaahhhh. The luxury of time. So sweet. So elusive….

Keith’s arrival spells the end of such musings and a frenetic pace soon ensues…

First up, write a 270 word news piece for the Venetian times based the incomprehensible Spark Notes for Shakespeare’s Othello. Oh dear. I really do get myself in to quite a tizz.

A quick news quiz (they really love to spring them on you) and then a full day of grammar. I feel like a bit of pervert but am really rather enjoying the temporary respite.

Keith must have gone soft later in the afternoon because he even makes time for us to make a few phone calls. I feverishly chase my Canal leads, feeling just slightly fraudulent as I tell some poor dear that the project that she has been nurturing for the last ten years has captured the imagination of our publication.

Back to Balham and the day is drawing to a close. Dinner is now a desk bound affair and my eyes are an attractive shade of pink from the ongoing exhaustion. There’s still shed loads of work to get through…

In fact good point. I’d best be off. Time to crack on …

Except first, Teddy needs a bit more therapy…

What would Tony think?

Tuesday was my designated day to make an entry in this archive of our hopes and fears. As you can see from the time of posting I never quite made it thanks to the PMA workload. So I'll have to keep this brief in case I nod off at my computer and awake at 6am with a keyboard-shaped imprint on my face.

Today was a day of great discussion and debate, much of it over the name of the ideal target reader for our canal business magazine. We settled on Tony. In my mind he seems an affable sort of chap, intelligent yet straightforward. The kind of guy most people would happily go to the pub with. From now on whenever we get stuck on any issue to do with the magazine, we just need to ask ourselves "What would Tony think?"

We also decided on a name for our magazine. We can now be proud to say we write for the wittily titled Canal Business. Though Fluid Matters was a close second.

After portioning up Britain and the rest of the world it was time for a game, of sorts. Who can endure four mock press conferences in 2 hours without going insane and while producing beautifully written stories in between? I think I'll have to avoid writing rolling news of this kind if I don't want to have a heart attack before I'm 30.

My fellow PMA-ers also paid me a huge compliment today by making me editor of Canal Business. Thanks guys, I hope I don't let you down. I'd be completely terrified if I didn't know what a fantastic team I'll be working with, especially our new deputy and news editors.

Now I really must turn in before IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
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Cheer up. You might not get sued

Today is 'Blue Monday', the most depressing day of the year. Not so at PMA.

We started the week with excited chatter about yesterday's escapades, when on Roberta's orders we each went to an event in search of news. 'Dangermouse' Caz went undercover to scout out headlines - infinitely smarter than my vain attempt to interrogate tourists at Madame Tussauds. Apparently they don't care about Obama's new waxwork.

An impromptu media law lesson followed. Roberta is big on being punctual, but tutor Adrian's arrival 24 hours ahead of schedule was keen even by her standards. Sorry Adrian. Oh no, wait, I'm not sorry. That would mean admitting guilt and ruining my chances in a defamation case.

As you can tell, media law scared the wotsits out of all of us. We could be sued for almost anything we write. Even writing this, I am aware that I am publishing, and could be sued. To offset this fear, the group adopted an effective diversion tactic, grilling Adrian on everything from adjectives to Mick Jagger. Apparently we are "the most distracting group ever." The highlight for me was his polite request: "Now, if you don't mind talking about the law just for a little bit..."

Now that we have a schedule we are no longer stepping blindly into the unknown every morning. Tomorrow we will be learning about 'Business of Magazines'. We will try not to distract you, Roberta. Honest.

The end of a 'week'...

"It's the end of a restful Sunday, kick-started by reading the papers over a big breaky and a top brew. A lovely end to the first very relaxing week". You will never, ever hear that said by a PMA-er. If you do, its an outright lie or Roberta and Keith have gone soft. And just so you know, the latter is unlikely :-)

At the end of week one we are all trying to be hard-core-no-colour news reporters. I miss the embroidery, although I am learning that facts can add just as many stitches to a story as your own (often unneccesarily complicated) vocabulary.

Here are a few...

Firstly the PMA Postgrad course is not 9 weeks, its 1,512 hours. To be called weeks, they would need to be split up by days, and the days would need to be separated. Technically we do sleep, but dreams of shorthand outlines suggest this is not exactly quality.

All in all it's good news - the mass hysteria at the end of each 'day' guarantees some light relief to frazzilitis.

Today.

Off we went to cover an event in London, looking for an undiscovered gem. For me and my totally unrealistic, overexcited expectations, this meant looking forward to meeting Daniel Craig at the London International Boat Show where the Quantum of Solace yacht was on show. Maybe next time.

I found myself talking to Micro Magic yachts. Not quite as glamourous but an opportunity to chat to all sorts of weird and wonderful people. The best bit about all of this.

The first Saturday...

After getting over the initial shock at waking up at 5:30am when it was still dark on a saturday morning, yes, that was saturday, I proceeded to make my way to Mornington Crescent to meet my fellow PMA-ers. Everyone was surprisingly cheerful and commented on how it was strange to be wearing smart clothes on a weekend.

Today we had our first meeting with Roberta and the general feeling was one of reassurance. Instead of being told the first week had been terrible, I was surprised and relieved to hear that I had not done as badly as I thought. I felt positive about the next few weeks. Even though it feels like a long time until the end of the course, we are going to be so busy with work and re-subs, and more re-subs that it will flash before our eyes.

At 2pm we had our first Teeline lesson. Having found it hard to find the time to practice, I was quite scared about the possibility of not being up to speed. It is surprising how much you can forget in a week. Alison was really helpful and reassuring. With regular lessons and weekly practice, I'm sure those outlines and special word endings will soon be embedded on our minds. We may even attempt to use it in an interview....or not!

So, having written down Teeline words to work on, and being set the task by Roberta to go to an event and find a news story, everyone is delighted to have Sunday to catch up with work....but we're sure this is going to be the only one. So with that in mind...off to the pub!

The big and scary world...

Today we went to an educational event looking for stories, lots of stories. The brief – You are launching a pilot magazine for the educational sector. Now find 8 stories. But not just any stories, news stories. That means relevant stories, interesting stories for your readers, new stories.

Ok so off we went. It starts of well enough. I talk to a primary school head about the issues that she wants to read about, spell her name right, take her card. A new contact! Maybe a story, who knows (me obviously, as my new business card says I am a Journalist). Next stop find some new products, how are they changing the face of education? Ok so I can’t seem to find any new products, just kind of new ones… lets move on to something else.

Surely there must be some scandal here somewhere, I need to think like Caz...

Coffee might help, and then wow someone actually approaches me! Unfortunately he seems a bit on the alternative side, and is convinced classrooms are not the way forward, but he knows what is. Half an hour later I have put my pen down, closed my notebook, finished my coffee, looked at my watch, coughed, fidgeted, even yawned and he is still talking, is now the time to be rude? I interject and he looks slightly taken aback, he had actually forgotten I was there.

And so it goes on. I wrote a lot, and spoke to a range of people but as for news stories, that remains to be seen.

I hope my fellow PMAers had some success uncovering news but I hope they spoke to some weird and wonderful people too. And next time we might introduce ourselves as journalists with a little more self-belief. 

Do journalists actually have a life?

More learning for everyone today. Roberta learnt today that the root cause of all our stories of scandal and off-beat happenings was actually her unknowingly cryptic briefs. We learnt the lesson that things aren’t always as hard as we try to make them out to be.

Late morning gave us the chance to be real journalists, or at least pretend. The first time those words came spilling out of my mouth, my stomach flipped, and I waited with baited breath to see whether the poor shop-keeper would laugh in my face. He didn’t. I quickly found out that after duping someone once, it was easy to do again and again, and soon the line was coming out with a more confident tone. I only faltered when I told another shop-keeper that I hoped the story would be in one of the London papers. He look excited. I felt sick.

After a manic afternoon of tapping furiously away on the keyboard with a wild look in our eyes, and of course, resubmitting the resubs, we had a speaker in to calm us down. Gemma, from the previous course, was on hand to answer our questions. I think we all agree that, at the very least, she provided living, breathing evidence that people can survive the course…and of course, get a job. There is hope yet.

It has been another day of trying to absorb the paper, but only coming away with a couple of facts. Perhaps the most useless, but most relevant is that Alexander Lebedev has said that in order to get where he was today he had to read every paper: the FT, the Guardian, Standard and the Daily Mail. Alexander/Andre, if you are keeping up to date with the PMA blog, we know how you feel.

Oh, and 2 days later, Roberta is still yet to remember the last time she switched off.

Day Three, not quite over.

The novelty of the 50-word news story wore-off today, rather rapidly, at much the same pace as our deadlines seemed to get shorter. With four done and dusted by mid-afternoon, and just as many rejections handed back to us, our work files most likely saw their last empty day. When asked what we thought would be easier, writing 50 words or 250 words, we all foolishly said the latter. The general thinking, I believe, was that we wouldn't be two times over the word limit with our first sentences.

How wrong we were. For the record, and I think I can speak on behalf of all the PMA-ers, writing 250 words is, at least at the moment, much more difficult. The hour time limit, of course, flew by in about 10 minutes. Actually. I applaud those who met the deadline. (I was not one of them.) For some reason, I'm thoroughly looking forward to finding out the many number of ways we get our first 250 attempt wrong between the 11 of us.

By the end of the day we were in a blur of N1a, N2, N3a, N3b, N...what? These are the numbers used to label each submission, N1 being our first news story, N1a our re-submission of that story, N1b our second re-submission of that story. Need I go on? I dread to think the confusion it will cause when we are on N40z, and still re-submitting N4.

It may have been the end of the day at the PMA office, it was not, however, the end of the day for us PMA-ers. All of us had journeys home, some longer than others, and the majority of us had a back-log of re-submissions to get through. Having learnt that Laura is getting up at 5.30am every morning to get to Mornington Crescent from her humble abode far, far away, I feel less inclined to complain.

To finish off, I feel it is necessary to log the advent of a slight deliria this afternoon. I have a feeling levels will rapidly increase, and they need to be monitored.

Day 2: "Dog bites Posh Spice"

So, that’s it. Day two is over.

Today was News Writing 101. What exactly is news? What is a news story source? Questions that actually had us pondering the worth of Posh Spice compared to us PMA-ers and whether a man gnawing a dog’s leg off is socially acceptable humour.

A further feature of day two was the dreaded 50-word news story. Now, just what you think 50 words is; half it and subtract ten. Already in this blog entry, you have enjoyed a delicious 85 words. Anyway, the process lead to the first (of many) re-subs. Let us all get used to it.

What is most evident at the minute is that everyone seems genuinely lovely. Now, ‘lovely’ is not a term I go spreading about lightly but here it serves as a perfect description. A post-PMA gathering has already been discussed – cheering on Katie towards the finish line at the London Marathon. Good on her! I’ll probably be stuffing my face with chips as she passes by.

The tutors, too, seem really positive. What followed from a scary-as-hell interview all those months ago has seemingly morphed into a supportive and ‘journalistic parent’ atmosphere.

Finally, some colleague encouragement. He, much like us, has also just endured his second day On The Job... I think we’re winning.

A New Dawn

So, a new day, a new dawn. Although my day began some hours before dawn to be accurate (as we know we must be if we are to be successful journalists). 2am heralded an impromptu bout of vermin bashing in my house, following the surprising and rather alarming discovery of a rodent intruder at close quarters. In my haste to secure lodgings prior to the course start date it seems I may have overlooked some of the more negative aspects of the property I now call home. Attention to detail; just another journalistic quality in need of some serious honing.

There is no time to worry about such trivial matters though. While present accommodation may be of the student variety, we are told that our lifestyles from now on will be anything but. If the word of the PMA tutors is to be believed there will certainly be no time for stereotypical scholarly staples. Attempts to drink one’s own bodyweight in alcohol are out, weekend shorthand practice and evening forays into the blogosphere are in. Only the most cynical out there would dare to suggest that there are those among us who might consider this a shame.

Despite such revelations the collective mood is one of excitement, anticipation and optimism. The feeling of camaraderie is palpable. Of course, this is just the beginning. It remains to be seen whether subsequent blog entries will serve to chronicle a descent into savagery akin to Lord of the Flies. In my mind, the inevitability of looming deadlines, spiralling caffeine addictions and shorthand mania make such a scenario a distinct possibility. Still, at least it will make for a good read. Which is, after all, the most important thing.