DISQUS

Hi Martin, I hope you don't mind me dropping by with a link for you to look at, I try and email and it bounces back.

I'd love to know what you thought of this:

http://www.freelancewritingtips.com/2007/05/jus...

all best, have a great weekend,

Linda

Sorry, that's: :)

http://www.freelancewritingtips.com/2007/05/so_...

Hi Martin,

As an ex regional paper staffer I think I'll always feel an affinity with PG because it sometimes seems a lone voice in speaking up for regional journalism.

I've just written a piece about this week's report, you can read it here:

ttp://www.freelancewritingtips.com/2007/05/so_you_think_li.html

I think it's worth emphasising what a strong springboard for a freelance career it can be, as well as the route into the nationals as covered so well.

All best

Linda

Hi Martin, I tried to email but had a funny msg back so am leaving this here. :)

I wanted to mention a new series of interviews with women bloggers that has started on Shiny Media's newest blog. The first one is here:

http://www.dollymix.tv/2007/04/women_who_blog_e...

I know there have been some high profile women bloggers for a while but I hope this series will help raise others' profile.

All best. Happy Easter,
Linda

Hi Martin,

I just wanted to tell you about a new blog about freelance writing at http://www.freelancewritingtips.com.

It's very new and there will be more work on the layout etc but some of the content is up - which includes an interview with Keith Richards by Hunter S Thompson and a debate about whether journalists are getting lazier through using online forums too much. This was originally written for PG's AOL Discuss Journalism.

It's a joint effort by me and Craig McGinty. I hope you like it.

Thanks for reading and thank you for all the Twittering about the awards, which I followed intently,

best wishes
Linda

That's all best and I'm sorry about the atrocious spelling - it's late. :)

I think part of the reason that some journalists come to these conclusions is that it is precisely as you put it is the poeple sitting round the quiet table at the back having interesting conversations.

It's not just the banter of drunken idiots you could compare the nasty ones to, you could day they are vile drunken bullies, spouting venom at anyone who doesn't agree - and telling them when they ask a question that actually 'the conversation is over' anyway.

If the woman has had death threats, is it really hard to follow that she hasn't delved further? Also, the same people in that pub may mask the nice sensible people in the back by fighting amongst themselves - and that's over a load of claims and counter claims that they can't prove.

I didn't like the way Andrew Marr quizzed Mr Dale on why it was 'right wing' bloggers who had more to say. The Ministry of Truth and Bloggerheads seem a pretty addictive couple of blogs to me.

All best.

That's an excellent rundown Martin and one I think I will read and re-read.

Do you remember when I did my piece saying that wannabe journalists shouldn't think that blogging was the be-all and end-all for a career in journalism and it caused a ripple of criticism from those more in the know than the likes of me?

Well, months later and having launched my own blog on a specialist subject the thing that I still find hard to swallow is this notion that because the "conversation has moved on", people like the student you have just helped, or me, a journalist of nearly 20 years' standing, can still sometimes feel "outside" of the conversation - who is to say what that conversation is and where it's going?

Rightly or wrongly, I find there is an elitism among the 'old school' that can seem quite distasteful - like say someone who was a fan of a major band before they hit the big time and for that reason feels they can look down on anyone who asks questions or prefers the "newer stuff."

Experience has taught me in recent months that yes journalists and bloggers can be one and the same thing, but still there is massive antipathy in some quarters among both camps.

Online spats about whether bloggers should have a code of conduct, or should be more respectful of media law, show that despite the convergence of the two, there for the time being at least, remains, in some people's eyes, quite a gulf.

Now I really should be watching Dancing on Ice so I'm off. Thanks again for this, it is very useful.

http://passionatemedia.typepad.com/my_weblog/20...

Me being so well up on blogs as you know Martin (!) I'll look forward to dropping by. Good luck.