Publicists serve as teachers to their clients in many ways: explaining how the process works, advising them on strategic decisions, and on various courses of action. I believe there is a very strong teaching component to public relations.
There are numerous elements that contribute to the development of an operatic career and one of those markers is an increase in the amount of interest the press begins to demonstrate in a given singer. How you fare in an interview can be an indicator of whether other press will be interested in talking to you.
As is the case with being a very good musician, detail is of the utmost importance. When you learn a piece of music you must be aware of several variables at once: knowing the notes, realizing the tempi, the dynamic markings, and key changes to name a few. Just as this exists on the pages of a score, there are several nuances that go into the making of a good interview: the attitude and personality of the interview subject, how articulate they are in conveying their ideas, and whether they have something interesting to say. In my workshop, Anatomy of Public Relations, my objective is to help artists learn to anticipate the direction of their interviews while they are in the process of giving them. It’s significant to remember that writers can have agendas. A given writer may have their own perspective about an artist or topic, and shape their questions with those considerations in mind; or an editor may decide that a story needs to be slanted in a particular direction. What is noteworthy is that the artist has a right to respectfully disagree with the way in which a question is framed and can convey their particular perspective.
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However, it is essential that you actually believe the statements that you make. Giving a statement because you think it will impress or add shock value is a mistake. Articles rarely disappear from the internet and another writer doing research for an interview about you will find your quotes and can use them. Consequently, what you say can follow you from piece to piece.
There are some sensible practices you can undertake before you begin active publicity. Think about beginning a journal; whenever you work on a new role or piece of music, you can record your thoughts about that role or piece. Pay attention to notating certain phrases or words that have a particular resonance for you. These are not written in stone and can always be modified. It can be enlightening to review it over time to see if and how your perspective has changed.
And speaking of perspective, it is one of the most valuable characteristics you can have in a career; it’s like a panoramic window you can open at will. Careers are like organisms under a microscope, they move in various directions. Perspective enables you to see whether a change in your career can move you ahead or behind, whether there is more than one decision to be made, or if you have options. Most importantly, it allows you the freedom to create a balance between your professional goals and the elements necessary to accomplish them.
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Developing a career is very challenging; careers require discipline, patience, persistence, and courage. Sometimes clients can feel they are farther ahead and are entitled to a higher degree of publicity when in reality they aren’t where they believe they are. And conversely, an artist can be behind where their talent indicates they ought to be. Much as I recognize that it’s virtually impossible for someone to have total objectivity about their own career, my goal with regard to Anatomy of Public Relations is to help the artist reach a level of flexibility so they can navigate freely when making professional decisions.
You will need to learn how to distinguish which of these realities you inhabit, which people are giving you the best advice, and those who are telling you what they think you want to hear. It’s a process that takes time but one that can be accomplished with thought and practice, all invaluable tools for the future.
More information about Mindi can be found at her website, mindirayner.com.
