Editor’s note: This story was written before the Robert Morris University group returned to the U.S.
By Sarah Swiss
DUBLIN, Ireland — Never in my life would I have thought I would have met Irish journalist John Waters. Currently, Waters is a columnist for the Irish Times in Dublin.
As an inspiring music journalist, I was honored to listen to Waters relate that he was a former music journalist for the magazine Hot Press. During his presentation his unique viewpoints and advice about journalism certainty stuck out and inspired me to keep on track to pursue a career in journalism.
“Fundamentally, I believe your value is your subjectivity and your own experiences that’s the gift you have,”’ said Waters. “You have to put your own stamp on it, writing is completely subjective.”
This viewpoint is the one Waters has become known for in his writing. “I learned something very late in life as a music journalist, I came to the conclusion that a lot of stuff I had been writing for years was actually no good, for the reason because I didn’t understand the fundamental nature of what I was involved in,” said Waters.
“News rooms are very disciplined and you are told how to write and what to write almost like a formula,” said Waters.
Waters then spoke of a very specific and vivid memory he had as a music journalist. He was reading a book about Elvis Presley entitled Mystery Train and he came up on a sentence talking about Elvis’s song called Can’t Help Falling in Love With You. The author was struck by the thought that Presley had a capacity for affection that was almost superhuman. Waters had his own unique interpretation of this line.
“I thought wow, is that what it is, is that why we loved him? And if that is true then everything I have written has been completely gibberish because I haven’t understood anything,” said Waters.
This thought intrigued Waters to dig deeper down to the true meaning behind musicians and the job of a music journalist. “You’re not looking at a man dressed in a shiny suit singing a song that he’s sung a thousand times before. You’re looking at someone who’s singing from his heart and from the deepest part of himself, and we the listeners are feeling those things in ourselves that is his gift and the gift of the writer is to make the reader understand what he has experienced.”
After he learned this lesson rather late in his career he realized that he could apply it to any form of journalism and he still uses that mentality today in his writing. As far as getting started in the business Waters had some great advice.
“When you first go in there in the newsroom, do what you’re told, and look for the opportunities to make your own mark, and let your voice speak,” said Waters.
RMU in Ireland 2013 