Syllabus: Freelance & Travel Writing

Lesson 1: Starting Out

What makes a good journalist? Learning about the real world of journalism, and the responsibilities and ethics of the profession. A brief look at the way in which the British Press has evolved and an analysis of different categories of newspapers and magazines. Ten key elements which may affect your ability to get your work published.

Assessment tasks include:
Identifying personal aims, skills and experience
Researching potential markets and target readership

Lesson 2: Readers and Markets

Learning what readers and editors want, assessing the scope for getting material published and knowing how to research potential markets. How to present manuscripts professionally, avoiding common grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors and learning what is meant by 'house style' and 'newspaper English'.

Assessment tasks include:
Rewriting poorly written copy
Conducting a detailed readership profile

Lesson 3: What is News?

Developing a strong news sense and recognising what makes a good story. Exploring the practical process of newsgathering, making contacts and identifying and following story leads. The opportunities for freelance contributions in the field of sports journalism.

Assessment tasks include:
Writing a report of a real news or sporting event

Lesson 4: Writing Features

Exploring the difference in approach required for a features article. Focusing on the importance of interviews in features writing; learning how to adapt the tone and style of your writing to different categories of subject matter. Dealing with topical news features.

Assessment tasks include:
Comparing the merits of published news features and personal profiles

Lesson 5: More about Features

Progressing to in-depth features profiles; how to conduct successful face-to-face interviews. Using 'standfirsts' and different features introductions to play up a strong news angle or maximise a story's human interest. Exploring eyewitness and offbeat approaches.

Assessment tasks include:
Tackling a 600-800 word in-depth features profile

Lesson 6: Before you Specialise

The particular skills required by a range of specialist newspaper writers - from motoring journalists to gossip writers, from political columnists to critics, sports writers and photo-journalists.

Assessment tasks include:
Writing a book, film or TV review
Tackling a specialist column or feature

Lesson 7: Directing your Writing

Looking in depth at ways of developing ideas into saleable articles and at some of the subjects which provide most scope for freelance contributors. Learning the basic guidelines for producing articles for publication.

Assessment tasks include:
Comparing different newspaper and magazine outlets
Outlining a proposed treatment for a saleable article

Lesson 8: Journalists and the Law

Legal restrictions and how journalists can avoid costly legal action. The dangers of libel and other pitfalls; qualified privilege and unintentional defamation; criminal libel; and the need for fairness and accuracy. Restrictions on court reporting, and the dangers of contempt of court when matters are sub judice. The Official Secrets Act, the rights of the Press and a brief look at copyright.

Assessment tasks include:
Reviewing passages for libellous content
Producing a safe, fair and accurate crime report

Lesson 9: Sourcing Ideas and Putting them together

How to develop saleable ideas from the most unlikely sources and how to research your finished articles. How to 'package' intriguing and attractive ideas for newspapers and magazines, and the ground rules for successfully dealing with editors.

Assessment tasks include:
Identifying ideas for saleable articles
Writing an 800-word feature or news item

Lesson 10 Travel Writing - an Overview

An overview of travel journalism - what it involves and a look at what makes one travel feature better than another. Who are the good travel writers, and what does reading their work tell us about giving your work commercial appeal.

Lesson 11 Bringing your Work to the Market-place

Preparing to write your travel piece - how to create publishable articles and market them successfully. Re-using your experiences - turning one article into two.

Lesson 12 The Heart of good Travel Writing

How to capture the sense of a good travel piece - inventive ideas, scintillating descriptions, evocative imagery, humour and ending with a flourish.

Lesson 13: Other Markets

You are now in a position to analyse accurately how to produce and sell articles targeted at different markets, from the regional and national press to mass market and specialist magazines and trade and technical publications.

Assessment tasks include:
Writing articles for different markets

Lesson 14: Television and Radio

The differences in approach between broadcast and print journalism. Learning the writing requirements of various radio and television outlets. Markets are explored in detail, with advice on how to develop treatments and final scripts for broadcast.

Assessment tasks include:
Writing a short radio script
Outlining a treatment for a television documentary or feature

Lesson 15: Going it Alone

The final lesson gives you the vital preparation required to launch your freelance writing career, whether on a part- or full-time basis. A questionnaire and detailed revision notes provide an opportunity to tie up any loose ends in your training, while businesslike advice about record-keeping and administration offers a firm foundation for pursuing a professional approach to future writing assignments.

Assessment tasks include:
Drawing up a personal 12-month action plan with clear achievement targets

Additional Links:

Subediting syllabus
News Journalism syllabus
Improve your English syllabus