Auto Journalism Masters Course

[pentoman]

I'm attempting to get into motoring journalism (have had some help from guys here too - you know who you are :thumbup:). I've been unsuccesful even getting a reply from any magazines, even though I wrote an article that was 'commended' in the Telegraph's Young Motoring Writer competition.

I've just quit my temp job and don't have another one lined up, no mortgage or anything to pay, so am tempted to apply to the Auto Journalism course at Coventry University and could start in a few weeks.

Does anyone know anything about the course? Clearly it would help my cause, but it's pretty expensive and I've just graduated from a 4-year computing degree with a big student loan.. so I wonder if it's worth it.


There's also an element of.. do I follow my dream at any cost (and even then pay for a motoring writer is very low), or keep cars as a hobby and use my computing skills to earn far more than I would as a motoring writer, but not enjoy the job so much?


cheers for any opinions/experiences...

Russell

[dick dastardly]

pentoman said:

There's also an element of.. do I follow my dream at any cost (and even then pay for a motoring writer is very low), or keep cars as a hobby and use my computing skills to earn far more than I would as a motoring writer, but not enjoy the job so much?

Ah but then you could be an expert in a dying computing language and soon find yourself redundant OR you could write a best selling book on cars and be richer than even the banking IT guys. I'd personally advise you do what your heart says will make you happy as you never know what's in store.

[Muncher]

Get a better paid computing job in the mean time whilst writing in your spare time, hoping to get noticed.

[GarrettMacD]

pentoman said:

am tempted to apply to the Auto Journalism course at Coventry University and could start in a few weeks. cheers for any opinions/experiences... Russell

Is that a new course??? I graduated from Coventry in 1997 after 3 years of fannying around, and I can't say that my degree has advanced me somewhat. However, since I started self-employment, things are a lot better!
Why not try the usual route of writing to all the major magazines (and the minor ones) offering them your services for free. They WON'T publish any of your stuff, but you'll get to hang around with the other journo's, see how they assess cars, and find out how they eventually sit down to write about them. You could probably do that for a couple of days a week and work part-time for the rest.
Coventry does have a good reputation for its Car design courses, but I have never heard of the journalism one. Just make sure you don't start a course that will be extinct in a few years time because it is no longer the 'in' thing to study.
If you do go to Cov have a pint for me in "The Brewer and Baker". And a game of pool...

[Muncher]

Why not set up a site similar to the likes of Sniff Petrol?

[r988]

Muncher said:

Get a better paid computing job in the mean time whilst writing in your spare time, hoping to get noticed.

Thats probably the best solution, I know a few people who started off like that.