I was listening to the radio and heard a very sad and charming song. It was deeply emotional and had a repeating construction that I enjoyed. At the time, I didn’t know who sang it, or even what the title was. Turns out the song is by Rosanne Cash and it’s called “Motherless Children.” It inspired me to write a funny poem using a similar repetitive construction in the lyrics. I’ll post my song lyrics here soon. For now, you can enjoy Rosanne’s wonderful song in a lovely performance video. See if it inspires you to pick up your guitar and put pen to paper.
Archive for April, 2010
Explode Your Press Release Into an Article
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 | Permalink
You’ve written your press release and made into smaller bullet points, talking points, or verbal headings, now explode your media coverage by making your press release Bigger. Go ahead and turn it as a feature article.
Media professionals have always been busy. These days, newspaper reporters are particularly stressed. If you can provide an entire article they can publish as is, or re-brand as their own with a few tweaks and edits, I say go for it. Weekly and monthly magazines are always looking for good material. You’ve already done most of the work. To turn your press release into an article means filling in all the quotes, using a newspaper style first paragraph and being sure your story is news-readers-can-use and not self-promoting-fluff.
If your “article” doesn’t get published, no worries. It isn’t that much more work to write an article rather than an ordinary press release. On the other hand, by putting the reader first and not trying so hard to sell your story, you may end up with a feature article about your new play (or mine). If turning your press release into an article gives you a chance to explode your media coverage, I say go for it!
Use Sound Bites to Explode Your Press Release
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
A Legend Hits the Third Rail (6 words)
I recently watched a painful interview on a British chat show. The host was a charming and quick witted court jester. The subject was one of the most famous musical play writers of all time–a man who rarely does interviews. This was a “BIG DEAL” with lots of hype and an entire show dedicated to this man and his new show. So, what did our famous guest spend most of his time rambling on about? His cats. It was a terrible interview and really pointed out to me the difference between the ability to write well, and the ability to chat, make conversation, be entertaining and make a good TV guest who gets invited back. This theater legend, while an incredible theater writer, did not know how to think in terms of Sound Bites.
Sound Bites, Six Words or Less (6 words)
I’m a fan of Jaquie Jordan, the TV producer behind TVGuestpert.com, and one of the things she challenges her students to do is make their point in six words or less. Why? The average TV interview is 45-seconds. That’s not a lot of time to talk about your new play (or mine). So, for us mortals who don’t get whole shows dedicated to us, we can either ramble on about our cats, or learn to make our key points in six words or less. It’s okay to say more, but you need to have those catchy headlines, bullet points, quotes and snappy comebacks that carry the interviewer, and the audience, along while you take them on a ride. Verbal communication without sound bites is just too hard to follow. It’s boring. There is no rhythm. An interview needs to click along and be informative and entertaining. Sounds bites make that possible.
Practice Your Sound Bite Skills (5 words)
To practice your sound bites skills, open a free account at Yahoo! Answers, pick a topic and start practicing. Answer a question a day in six words or less. You can say more, in another paragraph, but start thinking in sounds bites or six words or less.
Headings Make Great Sound Bites (5 words)
Another way to practice sound bites is to divide your writing into headings. The headings are your sound bites. A secondary benefit of using headings in written communication is that “skimmers” will read the headings and detail oriented “readers” will read the text. You’ll get your point across and double your audience.
The more sound bites you can spit out, the LONGER you’ll stay on the air. Really.
Songwriting Heroes to Inspire
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
The singer-songwriter Feist has made some of the very best music videos of all time. I love them. They inspire me. This one is a classic that just makes me want to rush home and write another musical so I can see it live on stage! You can learn more about this Canadian born singer-songwriter here.
The Songwriting Guitar
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
I know there are people writing new musicals out there (if you’re one of them, contact me at Rodney Robbins’ mail). If you are looking for an inspiring guitar that will get your creative juices flowing and make you want to sit down and dream up your next shows, check out this video of a Goodall Concert Jumbo. I currently play a custom guitar engraved with the name of my new play, “Big Feet, Big Love.” It’s a Carvin electric, but my favorite acoustic guitars are all jumbos–Goodall, Martin, Gibson–they all have that warm, rich, deep-but-not-boomy sound I love. Jumbo guitars also sound great in live theater settings because they can play plenty loud, but also have a natural tone that complements singing voices well.
Sing It Like You Mean It
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
Here is a singer who knows how to put her heart into a song. This YouTube.com video is of 9 year old Kari Kinnett singing and playing the Suzuki Q-chord. She does an incredible job and really puts her soul into this song. I love this video. Well done Kari.
If you are looking for a song writing or singer rehearsal tool, I highly recommend the Q-chord. I used one to write much of the music for my musical “Big Feet, Big Love.” One day, I’d love to hear Kari Kinnett sing on stage in one of my shows. She sings like she means it.
No Boring Biographies
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 | Permalink
I’m working on my “Fun Biography” for the website, and the writing process is a hoot! I haven’t updated my autobiography in awhile, and I forgot how much fun it is to look back at the places I’ve been, remember funny stories from my past, and own up to some of the things that seems so important or embarrassing back then, but just sound kooky now. If you haven’t done this, or made your talented actors do it, you are missing out.
Let me give you one hint that is bound to improve anyone’s autobiography.
Look up the places you lived at Wikipedia. When I did this, I suddenly remembered that my home town of Walpole, MA is infamous for having a state prison. As a child, I never knew this was a supermax prison, or that it once housed the Boston Strangler (until his bleeding corps was found in the infirmary). Now I’ve got a gruesomely entertaining story to tell about my childhood. Try it yourself and see what cool things you can discover, and remember. If you’ll go ahead and try this, I’m sure you’ll become a better talk show guest, and a much more entertaining person to be around at parties.
Rodney Robbins Almost Paralyzed–Again
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 | Permalink
Rodney Robbins here. I’m stuck in one spot again. No worries. It’s just another attack of Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. This is a rare genetic disorder where the muscles won’t always hold a charge and just stop working. What causes attacks of Periodic Paralysis? Cold (I think it’s the shivering that makes cold such a strong trigger). Heat stress. More than usual physical activity. High carbohydrate meals. Excitement (like opening night). Fighting with my darned computer. I hope your day is going better than mine. Usually, I sign things, Rodney Robbins–The Singing Playwright, but today I’ll sign this post, Rodney Robbins–One Flat Possum
Rodney Robbins
Songwriting Secrets and Clues
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 | Permalink
Songwriting secrets are learned in funny ways. I hear songwriting clues all around me. Clues about the words and the music, clues about the lyrics, the melody and the structure of songs. I’ve been working on a kids picture-poetry book for fun, and one thing poetry writing has helped me with is “hearing” the structure in song lyrics. By reading about types of poems and actually sitting down and writing a lot of kids poems, I’m getting sensitized to this underlying poetic structure.
For example: I was driving to work yesterday, listening to an alternative channel, and I heard a repetitive song that I liked. I couldn’t get my audio recorder going fast enough to catch it in “tape,” but I did catch the structure.
A. B.
A. B.
A1. B.
C.
Tomorrow, I’ll post the comedy lyrics this poetic structure sparked in my brain. Till then, here is an interesting songwriting link.
The "Big Feet, Big Love" Guitar.
Explode Your Press Release by Making it Tiny
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 | Permalink
Things move fast in the media world. For many busy media professionals, the press release for your new play (or mine), is probably too long. Oh, you need to write the whole press release to get the idea clear in your mind, but you may not send it out that way. The simplest, easiest way to use a press release to explode your ticket sales is to condense it down to one or two sentences, then call your favorite media contact and pitch it to them.
If this is someone you’ve worked with before, you probably know the best time to call. You certainly don’t want to bother anyone in print or television when they are on a deadline or about to go Live On Air! So, call when you at least THINK it will be a good time to talk, then remind them who you are, and see if they have time to for a quick pitch.
It might go like this:
“Hello, Bernice? This is Rodney Robbins, the playwright from Charlotte, North Carolina. You interviewed me last year about working in the arts while living with chronic illness. Do you have time to listen to a story pitch?”
This part of the call is fast, simple, clear, honest and direct, and your listener will appreciate it. If you get the okay to continue, or a good time to call back, THEN you pitch your press release idea condensed down into one or two sentences. You’re looking to pitch the entire idea in 15 seconds or less (and yes, I’m serious that you should get a stop watch and time your pitch before calling).
Here is an example:
“My new play is a drama about young man with multiple personalities, which is related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Would you like to interview me and learn the five warning signs of PTSD, and the weird new therapy that’s proven more effective than anything else?”
I timed it and those two sentences take about 15 seconds. It is very clear what I’m offering. By condensing down to, basically, a few bullet points, I’m making Bernice’s job easier. She can tell what I have in mind and knows quickly if she is interested. If she’s not, no worries. Heck, I’ve only been on the telephone about 30 seconds. Maybe next time.
So, to explode your press release, think of cold fusion. Make it tiny and call your favorite media professional today.