Feature Writing: Advanced

Course Description:

This course is for those who have some feature writing experience but want to learn how to come up with better ideas, improve their writing style and make sure they execute their ideas in the best way.

This is a one day course designed for press officers, PR officers, contributors to in-house journals and working journalists who need to meet the highest standards of magazine and newspaper feature writing.

This course includes the following modules:

Finding new ways into familiar subjects

• How to keep things fresh. You may have been asked to write a feature about a subject many times before - putting a new twist on a topic

Finding your voice as a feature writer

• Once you are comfortable with structuring a feature you can bring some of your own personality to bear as a writer. How to make sure you put just enough of yourself into what you write, but not too much

Better intros, better styles

• A range of foolproof structures for any feature

How to interview difficult subjects

• How to handle uncooperative or unintentionally unhelpful interviewees

How to avoid transcribing hours of tape before you write your feature

• The feature isn't on your tape, its in your head
• When to refer to your tape
• The correct use of taping, when taping is useful and when it is essential

Writing a variety of reviews

• Mixing factual information and opinion
• Putting in the ground work

The features that win awards

• Tips and tricks for making your feature stand out from the crowd

Tips and tricks for when your feature gets bogged down

• Is there a vital quote, interview, factual element or passage of description missing? How to work out what's wrong

Law for journalists

• Update on latest developments in defamation law and privacy

Delegates are invited to submit examples of their own work if they wish for appraisal.

Questions and answers