Jobs In Skateboarding - Freelance Skateboard Journalist

Looking from the outside in it may seem as if jobs in skateboarding are few and far between, but once you delve deeper into the possibilities there's a plethora of careers surrounding our favourite toy. We hit up as many people as possible to investigate deeper to ask ‘What do you even do?’, so hopefully you’ll learn something new and find helpful ways to get into our so-called skateboarding industry.

Our mate Jono sits on the edge of the industry displaying his candid and nerdy commentary on skateboarding through his freelance work that can be read in Vague as well as his published travel journal.

What's your name?

Jono Coote

What is your current role and who do you work for?

I suppose my role would be ‘Freelance Skateboard Journalist’ and I work for myself (alongside an unrelentingly non-skateboard related day job), but the majority of my freelance work is with Vague Skate Mag.

What is it that you actually do?

Specifically for Vague, my role is mostly article contribution - opinion, interview, tour, or whatever other form that may take. Apart from the actual act of writing this means chasing up interviews, planning projects, thinking up tour ideas that haven’t been rinsed for 20 years (a weekend trip to Southbank yeah?), and researching obscure corners of the internet for fodder. On top of that, I proofread the magazine before it goes to print. In a broader sense, I just fart about thinking really hard about skateboarding and then putting those thoughts on paper.

Did you have any roles in the skate industry before this?

My introduction to the industry was four years working at Sidewalk Skateboarding Magazine (and a couple before that contributing the occasional article whilst finishing my Masters). Working with Ben, Horsley, Rye, CJ and Guy was the best possible introduction to the industry, with a high level of industry experience between them matched only by their incredibly enthusiastic skate nerdery. They soon helped me tighten up my use of grammar and dispense with my misguided efforts to try and pioneer the ‘long fish’ style of filming.

After Sidewalk went under and I moved to Australia I wrote a book about my travels through a skateboarding lens, No Beer on a Dead Planet. That doesn’t really count as a skate industry position as I wrote it for my own pleasure rather than under commission, but that’s the beauty of the ‘skate industry’ I guess; a lot of the time, the work is put in by those who do it because they really, really like skateboarding and want to express that in some way beyond just the physical act of riding a board.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Being a freelancer on top of another job is very different to working in the industry full time, but the best thing in either scenario is being able to shine a light on areas of skateboarding that I feel deserve it - I can see some kid at the skatepark ripping, or hear about a mate’s new creative outlet, and hopefully share that with a broader audience, which is fucking great. There are no gatekeepers beyond your own mind, and if no one is accepting your articles/photos then you can go out and start your own zine.

What’s the worst thing about your job?

Currently, not being in a position to concentrate full time on it and having to relegate it to a second job/hobby while I pay rent with a regular job. Even then, to be honest, I’m learning loads about time management, workload prioritisation and other incredibly dull CV buzzwords then I would have otherwise.

Hopefully this will build many ‘transferable skills’ when I implement my ruthless Murdoch-style skateboard media takeover. Short answer, the worst thing about my job is it not being my job.

Any advice for skateboarders out there who want to pursue your line of work?

Going back to the answer before last, start your own zine/blog - to hone your craft obviously, but mostly for the sheer unadulterated pleasure of forcing your half formed and probably drunken opinions on people. The more you write, the better your writing will get and the more people will take notice, even if you’re writing a borderline certifiable prose poem about Steve Berra being the true godfather of DIY.

Read widely beyond just skate magazines (still read them, though) as being able to discuss something in an article beyond just who landed what trick will make your writing stand out. Get to grips with grammar. Don’t stress too hard about not making a living and enjoy it for its own sake, otherwise everything you write will be tainted by the unsavoury whiff of capitalist endeavour.