Joanne the Coach

Getting into Television: Opportunities for Students and Newbies

Just got wind of these schemes.  Don't know much about them so leave a comment if you can enlighten us with more info:

1. Royal Televison Society Student Masterclasses.  Takes place on 16th May.  The masterclasses accompany the RTS's Student Television Awards, and offer a chance to grill a selection of TV's big kahunas on the secret of their success (and if you tell you anything other than that they're making it up as they go along, don't believe them).
2. ITV Factual & Entertainment Researcher Scheme.  Open to all, applications close on the 30th May 2008.  This scheme runs for 20 months from Sep '08 and promises working opportunities across a wide range of ITV programmes (not all of them presented by Ant and Dec).

Top Ten Bad Ads: Me Against the Fish Hooks

The Advertising Standards Authority has announced its 10 most complained about adverts of the year.

I am not by nature a complainer - the coaching way is a practical one, so we aim to look for solutions rather than whinge about stuff.

But then my child started having nightmares about people with fish hooks in their mouths.

This notorious anti-smoking ad was everywhere in 2007.  We saw it on billboards on the school run.  Go out for a day trip and there it was on the back of the loo door at motorway services.  Turn on the telly on Saturday afternoon and there it was again, popping up in the breaks between an old movie.  You couldn't have avoided it if you'd tried (and we really did try).  And over a year later, I still have to check there are no nasty fish hook faces lurking in public loos before my children will go in.

So for the first time in my life I made an official complaint to the ASA.  So did 773 others.

Would you believe that this was a Department of Health campaign, funded by public money?  Well thanks a lot chaps.  If I want to scare my children I am quite capable of putting on a scary face and doing so myself. No fish hooks required.

But if it stops people smoking, is it worth it?  Does the end always justify the means?

Television Opportunities for Youngsters & Writers

So if the previous post hasn't put you off shimmying up the greasy pole of television, here are a couple of TV industry opportunities currently up for grabs:

• Applications are now open to join The Network (formerly TVYP) at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International TV Festival.  Open to anyone aged 18+, it promises an orgy of masterclasses, career advice and the chance to work with some of the biggest names in TV.  No real orgies though (unless you get lucky). Closing date:  21st May.  Full details here

• The BBC is looking for a new bunch of writers for its Drama Writers Academy.  Application details here, closes 12th May.  They train you up for months, then you get to write dialogue consisting of "Rickaaaaaay" for EastEnders.

You Don't Have to be a Wanker to Work Here, But it Helps

I am normally very prickly about criticism of people in media.  They are my clients and I know how hard they work and that their lives are often much less rosy than they may appear on the surface.

But come on media people, we've all met numpties like this, haven't we? 

They're the ones giving the good apples a bad name

An Apology

Have just about recovered from the House of Mouse.  Though I do still retain a smidgeon of bad feeling about one particular incident.  As you know, I don't do guilt.  But if I did, I think this is what it would feel like.

To put things in context:  I don't think the garment exists that suits everyone from a 6 month old baby to a 40 year old man.

But if it does, it sure as hell ain't a bright red sweatshirt with Micky Mouse on the front.  So, to the family dressed in identical Disney duds - I am very sorry that I laughed out loud at you.  I was so shocked I couldn't stop myself. 

It's a really important central tenet of coaching that the coach is non-judgemental.  So the client can say whatever they like, secure in the knowledge that they won't be found wanting because of it.  And when you start coaching, this non-judgemental attitude can be an odd mantle to put on.  We are so used to judging others, it feels kind of strange not to.  But it's also very freeing because you can then support people for who they are instead of putting them down because of it.

In any case, judging a person doesn't define them.  It just says more about the person doing the judging.  Judging others lets you off the hook when it comes to examining your own actions.

And it's not as if I'm some kind of sartorial expert.  I wear the same clothes all year round, with the result that I am always slightly too hot or slightly too cold.  (Apart from one afternoon in May, when the temperature's just right)  Maybe a nice Mickey Mouse sweatshirt would sort me out.  Whaddya think?

Missing You Already

If you're calling the batphone, I will be away for the next few days. (Eurodisney.  Don't worry, I have booze).  For coaching enquiries, your question might already be answered on the FAQ section of my website.

If it's life-or-death-urgent, call the mobile.  If it's interesting-in-a-wry-smile-kinda-way, email and I'll reply over the weekend.

Winning Strategies for The Name Game

I am in the May edition of Zest magazine, giving pointers on how to remember people's names.  My tips have the dubious joy of being next to a photo of 3 demented women in bikinis.  They have incredibly manic grins, and the middle one in particular looks like she's about to rip somebody's head off with her teeth.  Honestly, look at page 30 of this month's Zest and tell me they don't make you want to flee while your soul's still intact.

Anyway, since the interview, I've thought of a few more strategies for remembering the names of people you meet:

• Only make friends with people of the same name.  To make it even easier, choose a unisex name like Chris.
• Insist that all your existing friends change their names to Chris.
• Never refer to people by name, but as Sweetie, Darling, Honey etc.  If you work in the media you are probably already doing this.  It might raise a few eyebrows if you are a welder from Eccles but stick with it and you might start a trend.

Now Finding US Case Studies Gets Easier Too

Now here's a useful thing.

As you may have noticed, this blog always has keen beagly eyes for resources to help you find case studies more easily.

So I was interested to hear about Peter Shankman's Help A Reporter service.  Basically it's an email list which circulates daily case study requests from US journalists.  So how is that relevant if you're working for UK media?

Some of the canniest freelance journalists I've known have always been pro-active in looking abroad for features ideas.  Previously, this has mostly meant leafing through a spare copy of O Magazine in WH Smiths.  But if you subscribe to Help A Reporter, you'll get a daily list of what a variety of American journalists are working on.  Some of them are exactly like the kind of stuff you see on UK media request boards and some of them are so out there you wonder if they'll ever come in to land.  But it's all interesting, all thought provoking.

I'm not for one moment suggesting that you pinch their ideas - that would be seriously bad karma, guaranteed to rebound on you as sure as eggs is eggs. Just use it as a way to stimulate thought, see what other writers are working on and use it as a springboard for your own unique ideas.

Unless of course, you're based in the US, in which case I recommend using the Help a Reporter service exactly as it was intended - either as a journalist to advertise for case studies, or as any other species, to reply to them.  And what's more it's free, like the snow.  You can't say fairer than that.

Resources for Writing a Book Proposal

The trouble with sending out a book proposal is that it does kind of leave you drumming your fingers for what comes next.

But at least I am now well placed to recommend How To Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen.  JH followed its advice to the letter, and we all know what happened to him.

The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is always worth a gander for publishing information, and I have heard good things about From Pitch to Publication and The Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published.  Also check out White Ladder Press's site, which includes some excellent advice on preparing submissions, including a template proposal.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have more finger drumming to do.

Spring Forward

Crikey, it's April already - how did that happen?  Got distracted by some Lidl ludicrousness, and the next thing you know the daffodils are up. 

So 2008 is already one quarter down.  How's it going for you so far?

Every month this year I have been writing down goals I'm aiming for in that month.  It's useful, but because everyone gets motivated differently, you have to play around with the wording to find the version that works for you.  For some reason, aiming to go to the gym 3 times a week just doesn't do it for me, but when I aim to go 12 times a month, somehow it happens.  Why is that?  The numbers and results are basically the same.

I am a great believer in the power of writing things down as a trigger to make them happen.  Just that little step of taking the idea out of your head and on to the page often seems to be enough to tip it into reality.

If you have been coached by me, you will be familiar with The Big Form I give you to fill in before the first coaching session.  I am thinking of renaming it The Magic Form, because it does seem to have powers beyond what's legally decent for a simple piece of paper. 

On the back page clients fill in the things they'd like to achieve in the next few months.  Over the next few months we tend to look back over the form to see how things are going.  Sometimes people will change their goals, and discover that the things they wanted aren't what they thought they were in the first place anyway.

But the amazing part of it is how often people do get exactly what they asked for.  So many times, the client and I have gone back over the form and been able to tick off that yes, they did get exactly what they wanted.

So if there's something you want to happen this year, write it down.  Don't write it down then lose it.  Write it and look back on it regularly:  check your progress, change what you need to.  These questions will help:

• What are you currently doing that you want to keep doing? (both in work and personal life)
• What are you currently doing that you don't want to continue with long term? 
• When will you stop this?
• What would an ideal working week/month look like to you? (Maybe make a diary of it)
• What are you not currently doing that you would like to?
• What needs to change to make that happen?
• What can you personally do to affect this? 
• When will you do that? (Recognising the bits you can't affect might help you avoid putting too much energy into them)