Writing about your work

Being able to write and talk about your work clearly and eloquently is essential to successful promotion. You will need this skill for a range of activities including contacting potential commissioners, making funding applications and writing programme notes.

For individual works think about: What is your idea and why is it exciting? Has something like this been done before? What are the forces and the duration? What, if any, tech equipment will be needed? For your general output think about: What aspect(s) of your work make you stand out? Aesthetically who are you closest to? What do you bring that is new and different? Do have a look at the work of other composers, to establish your place in market and, to use a business term, what your unique selling point (USP) is.

Writing about yourself can involve a lot of soul searching so do make time to draw up standard documents including a short (ca. 150 words) and long (no more than 500 words) biography and programme notes so that you have them ready upon request.