Practical Journalism I

STUDY PRACTICAL JOURNALISM ONLINE

This module gives you hands-on experience in writing for a publication. You are assigned a mentor (member of our academic staff) who will oversee your role as writer for an online publication, for one edition of that publication.

" Thanks for the tips you gave me on the journalist job... I was given the job of writing an article... the experience was great and at least I will be published for the first time"
- Gavin, studying journalism

 

Course Aim:

Write short articles or news items for a popular publication.

This course takes you through the processes of writing for a specific publication, submitting work for publication, and meeting the requirements of an editor and publisher.

Lesson 1. Working to Specification.

Lesson 2. Publishing On Line

Using online Management Systems for Electronic Publication

Lesson 3. Writing and Submitting Articles

Lesson 4. Revising Submitted Work

Under the guidance of a mentor (a writing/editing tutor), you will learn to write according to specific criteria, deal with a publisher, and communicate effectively with others involved in the publishing process. And, you will come away with at least one published work (maybe more), which will set you on the path to a career as a writer. No matter what you want to write, you will find this a great learning experience.

This module gives you hands-on experience in writing for a publication. You will work with a tutor (member of our academic staff) who will oversee your role as writer for an online publication, for one edition of that publication.

 

How the Course Works

1^st You become familiar with a current edition of the publication

2^nd You learn to use an online management system for a publication

3^rd You plan content for a publication

4^th You write content for an online edition of the publication

5^th You submit the product to your mentor for comment

6^th You make adjustments as needed

7^th Your work is authorized to go live on the internet.

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LEARN TO WRITE TO SPEC

Publishers commonly develop very clear specs (specifications) to let authors/writers know exactly how they want work presented to them.

If you engage in freelance writing, and find yourself submitting work to different publishers, you may need to work with a different set of specifications for each publisher.

Sometimes a publisher may not formally communicate their specifications. Nonetheless, they may still expect you to write a certain way and present your work in a certain way. As a writer, you must take responsibility for finding out what each publisher expects, and what standards of presentation are required.

Do your research! Many publishers now set out their submission specifications on their website. Some will send them out on request.
If requirements are not provided, then you can always get an insight into a publisher’s specifications by studying works that they have already published.

CONSISTENCY

Style is not easy to define, but it is an important element of any publication. The style of a publication is a product of several elements such as design, format, mood or tone, language, visuals, etc., that are fairly consistent. If the style of a publication changes too much from issue to issue, readers will not know what to expect, and the publisher will be less likely to develop a loyal readership for that publication.

Also, readers expect a certain degree of consistency in what they read. Without it, the publication can feel disjointed or disorganised, and the reader can become uncomfortable.

Some key elements of style in a publication are:

• Visual consistency - Consistent size and appearance of letters, consistent style of illustrations, and unifying colour schemes create a sense of order and organisation.

• Similar language – Consistency of language style (eg. simple, complex, technical, with or without jargon, casual or formal) throughout a publication will attract people who like and expect that style of language, and are comfortable with it.

• Format consistency – Ezines and other publications might have different well-defined categories of articles/contributions, and these may be used within any publication in consistent ways. For example, main or topical items may appear as long feature articles; editorials or special interest items may appear as short feature articles, each with their set place in the publication. Other categories might include short stories, product reviews, information/how-to items, photo-essays, news items, and so on. Categorizing and organising articles this way can create a sense or order or organisation that may attract regular readers, and let them know what to expect from that publication.

If the style of a publication keeps changing, it becomes difficult to build a loyal audience. It would also be more difficult and costly to publish, as it would require many additional adjustments in each edition.

Submissions for publications that are inconsistent with publication specifications - even if they were accepted - would also be more difficult and costly to publish. For one thing, if contributors submit material created with different word processing programs, or in different formats, this can cause difficulties in the publishing process. Even if the publisher does accept an item that is inconsistent with the style of the publication (perhaps because it's a really great article), it will still cost more time and money to bring that item into line with the style and specifications of the publication.

his module provides our students with just what they need: an opportunity to get work published. On graduation, you will have at least one work published (maybe more) in a publication that you can show to potential employers, which will increase your chances of being employed or published in future.

 

Value of this Course

With so many would-be writers around, publishers can afford to be very choosy. Most will only accept work from writers who have already been published, but getting that first work published can be a daunting and difficult task. Many very good writers just never get published at all.

This module provides our students with just what they need: an opportunity to get work published. On graduation, you will have at least one work published (maybe more) in a publication that you can show to potential employers, which will increase your chances of being employed or published in future.