howard male wrote:I wrote -I've just noticed that in changing the layout slightly they've also cut down on the word count (without informing me) so that my 100 word review was cut to around 88 words.
Yes, it's official -
You now get more design for your money if you buy the Independent on Sunday! I've just been told from now on to aim for 85 words rather than a 100. It was hard enough to be interesting
and informative with just 100 words. I suppose the logical eventuality of all this is - a few more years down the line - you'll just get a picture of the cover and a star rating. I bet there's some people here who can't wait!
Yeah, but at least you could write that stuff in your sleep!
Unfortunately, I fear that the internet heralds the death of serious
professional music writing and criticism in newspapers. Needless to say, newspaper editors are likely to welcome this so-called development. No pesky writers complaining about their word count and asking where their cheque is.
Frankly, to some extent, I think the horse left the stable sometime ago because I see very few reviews that contain much more than the most basic information about an album. Often, they're little more than a rewrite of the press release or they're just some cheap attitudinizing about stylistic conformity or the writer's miserable childhood. It astonishes me that anyone actually gets paid to write them, even if the pay is as meager as I assume it is.
However, as compensation of a sort, the internet is allowing inspired amateurism to reach new heights — and, ultimately, the music may be better for it.