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Magazine and
Newspaper Writing
Stage 1

ONLINE 5-week course

How to be a freelance writer

Would you like to see your byline in your favourite magazine?
Do you want to turn your ideas into articles you get paid for?
Would you like to know how to approach editors to publish
your stories?
Do you like the idea of working and writing from home?

You love reading magazines. You’ve often thought of articles you’d like to write. But you’re not exactly sure about how to do this or if an editor would even be interested in your article.

Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 is one of the Sydney Writers' Centre's most popular courses. Students often end up published in major publications, sometimes even before they complete the 5-week course.

Your step-by-step guide to getting published

This course will give you the tools and skills to write magazine and newspaper articles that editors want to publish. You’ll learn important skills like the questions you should ask in an interview. You’ll also discover how to figure out who the right people are to approach if you want to interview a psychologist, musician, academic, CEO, actor – anyone!

We’ve distilled what would otherwise take you years to figure out on your own. That means you’ll be given scripts, templates and insider information from journalists/editors who are currently working in the industry. After this course, you’ll be able to write with confidence and get published faster.

The course suits first-time writers or anyone who wants to brush up on their writing skills.

Here's what you'll learn:

The course will teach you about:

which ideas work and where to get them
understanding the magazine/news market
different types of feature articles
how to research, structure and write a feature
interviewing skills and the questions you need to ask
what editors expect from a freelance writer
a step-by-step guide on how to pitch your article or idea to a magazine and sell it
and MUCH more.

This online course is ideal for people who want to become freelance writers. You could write about travel, lifestyle, politics, sport, entertainment, parenting, human interest – and much more.

Whether you want to earn some extra money “on the side” in addition to your day job, or transition into a full-time writing career, this course will show you how.

Students have been published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend, Cosmopolitan, Sunday Life!, BRW, The Sun-Herald, The Sunday Telegraph, CLEO, Madison, Australian Associated Press, Practical Parenting, Management Today, Australian Financial Review, City Weekly, Herald Sun, Home Beautiful and countless other magazines and newspapers.

Exclusive access to our Online Writing Forum

When you graduate from Magazine Writing Stage 1, you'll get exclusive access to our online writing forum. So you’ll get ongoing support in an encouraging and very active community of writers.

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Learn from the best

VALERIE KHOO
Valerie is a feature writer, editor and author of five books. She has written on a range of topics including business, technology, fashion, homes and living, entertainment and much more. She writes regularly for The Sydney Morning Herald and her popular Enterprise column appears every week in smh.com.au, theage.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au and watoday.com.au. Her career as a journalist and editor has involved interviewing CEOs, celebrities, authors, entrepreneurs, and ordinary people with extraordinary stories. ... more
SUE WHITE
Sue White is a successful feature writer and travel writer whose work has featured in The Sydney Morning Herald, Vogue Australia, Travel + Leisure (Australia), Sun Herald Travel, Women’s Health, Vogue Entertaining + Travel, CNN Traveller, various ABC outlets, Green Living, G magazine and numerous other publications in both Australia and overseas. ... more
ALLISON TAIT
Allison Tait is a freelance writer with more than 20 years’ experience in magazines, newspapers and online publishing. During that time, her byline has been seen regularly in titles such as Madison, Marie Claire, CLEO, Cosmopolitan, Vogue Australia, Sunday Life, Spectrum (SMH), Essential (SMH), Weight Watchers, Australian Women’s Health, Voyeur, the Qantas magazine, and Elle, as well as House & Garden, Belle, Vogue Living, Australian Country Style, and more. ... more

Course content and outcomes are consistent,
regardless of whether you learn at the Centre or online

We are sticklers for consistency and quality in our courses, so you’ll achieve the same outcomes regardless of which tutor you have. Naturally, each tutor brings their own insight to the course, but you can be assured that the content is consistent across the board.

You’ll also achieve the same outcomes regardless of whether you enrol in our online or face-to-face course!

Your online classroom

You can attend the online classroom any time, any day of the week. This way, you can fit your learning into your schedule and lifestyle. You do not have to commit to a set time each week. However, you MUST complete each module during the week specified, or you won't get the most out of the course. Each week builds on the one before and you have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments about the topics we discuss each week. To sample a taste of how this will work, click here

The online course Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 is an interactive web-based class. Lessons are delivered via our password-protected classroom. You and your online classmates are encouraged to participate and ask questions online. The presenter will answer your questions online as well. You need high-speed internet access (cable or ADSL) to participate in this course.

How much time should you commit each week?

You need to commit a minimum of 2 to 3 hours a week. The audio program itself is around 2 hours a week. Beyond that, we recommend that you put
into practice what you have learnt that week.

While you are expected to commit to a minimum of 2 to 3 hours a week, we won't hold you back if you are super keen and want to spend much more time than that on your writing. We are happy to give you feedback on any feature writing you do during the course.

VIDEO: What do students think of Magazine and Newspaper Writing?
Course designed by: award-winning feature writer Valerie Khoo.
Presented by: the best feature writers/editors in Australia.

Rave Reviews for online course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1

AOIFE MCGEE

“The practical and informative courses with great support and wonderful teachers make the Centre a great place to learn. I am the living proof that you don't have to have a degree, which is what I had previously thought. You just have to have the determination to follow your dreams. It was a fantastic insight into the world of feature writing, I learned much more than I thought I would. Thanks again for your guidance at the beginning of my journey."

Aoife is now a freelance writer who has been published in Body and Soul (Sunday Telegraph), Echo Paper and TNT magazine. She is a regular contributor to Australia and New Zealand Magazine in the United Kingdom.

PERSEPHONE NICHOLAS

"The course equipped me with all the practical information I needed to get started in my new career as a freelance writer. I learned how to develop and pitch appropriate ideas to editors, techniques for improving my writing plus countless insider tips that have helped me behave professionally in my dealings with magazines and newspapers. I believed I was a reasonable writer before I did the course - but doing it has enabled me to get published.

"I am now working as a writer and recommend the online course ‘Magazine and Newspaper Writing' to anyone wishing to do the same."

LEE FRANKLIN

"The depth of information imparted was great, I learnt so much from Valerie. I have more confidence to submit articles to magazines. The course was very comprehensive and yet with the online delivery there was no feeling of being overwhelmed. I could access the information whenever I needed to, even at 2am! [In terms of how to improve the course] ... You can't improve perfection."

JO HARRIS

"I completed Valerie's online course in November. By Christmas, I had secured my first freelance writing job! I was completely amazed at how quickly it all happened. Without Valerie's support and encouragement and of course the user-friendly online course, I would never have had the confidence to apply for this ongoing freelance writing position. If you follow Valerie's expert advice you really can't go wrong."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE TESTIMONIALS

Next available ONLINE course:

5-WEEK ONLINE COURSE:
Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1

TIME: Whenever suits you
FEE: $395 (includes GST)

COURSE STARTS THE WEEK BEGINNING:

Monday 28 May 2012

Available

Can't start on this date?
No problem. We'll have another course starting in about two weeks. Enter
your details in the yellow form above and we'll email you when the new
date is announced.

NEXT AVAILABLE:

5-WEEK ONLINE COURSE:
Magazine and Newspaper
Writing Stage 1
TIME: Whenever it suits you
FEE: $395 (includes GST)

COURSE STARTS THE WEEK BEGINNING:

Monday 28 May 2012

Available

Can't start on this date?
No problem. We'll have another course starting in about two weeks. Enter your details in the yellow form below and we'll email you when the new date is announced.

ONLINE COURSE DEMO

VIDEO: Participant Aine Dowling
on our Online Magazine Writing course.

VIDEO: Participant Randall Longmire
on our Online Magazine Writing course.

VIDEO: Participant Stephanie Hunt
on our Online Magazine Writing course.

RAVE REVIEWS ABOUT ONLINE COURSE: MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER WRITING STAGE 1

"Completing the Feature Writing course with the Sydney Writers’ Centre gave me the confidence to take my writing further. The course content was relevant, well presented and easy to follow. The best thing about the course is how it's delivered – you can do it at your own pace and so it's very convenient. I used to download the sessions and listen to them at various times of the day. Also, Valerie was a fantastic presenter, sharing her own insight and experience. The key takeaway for me was the relevance of the hook and transition, as well as the importance of timeliness in magazine writing.

"I have since had a 2 of Us, Good Weekend (Sydney Morning Herald) story published as well as several articles with different magazines."
- Claire McTaggart

"I just took the BEST writers’ course at Sydney Writers’ Centre and if you're interested in writing feature articles this is the place to be. You will love it!"
- Shawnnita Fairbairn

"I submitted my article and it's been accepted. The editor said it was a 'very, very fine article, very professionally done indeed'. I'm stoked. Thanks to the Sydney Writers' Centre, thanks to Sue and most of all thanks to you for going out of your way to help me with this first article."
- Stephanie Hunt

“Such great practical advice that would normally takes years of industry experience to learn. Sue was great. Very knowledgeable and keen to help. The online delivery was very easy, very well structured and easy to navigate. This mode of delivery allows repeated listening to the modules which will be useful.

"I also think that the online mode allows for more productive use of time, since the online lectures can be extremely well prepared with large amounts of information, and time is not wasted getting off-topic as can happen in classes. Also, being able to do it in segments throughout the week whenever I had time was so convenient. Fantastic!”
- Rachel Morton

"I loved everything about the course! It was exactly what I was looking for when I enrolled. It was clear, practical and thorough. The opportunity to ask questions was great - I would never have had the opportunity to ask someone with that amount of experience and knowledge all those questions I've been stewing on! I found Valerie completely inspiring - every time I listened a new module I had a smile on my face. She truly made me believe that being a feature writer was possible. I've benefited in a thousand ways! I know things now that would have taken me years to learn otherwise. I think the knowledge and skills Valerie taught us are invaluable."

- Velvet Garvey

"I wanted to write and tell you some exciting news since I finished the online Magazine Writing course with you. The idea I put forward as my pitch in the course, a travel story on Griffith in NSW, has since been published in The Sydney Morning Herald Traveller section and I have another travel story coming out in the September issue of Coast and Country Magazine.

"I've also been signed on as a regular freelance contributor with the Herald Sun Home Magazine, something that has meant I am now freelancing four days a week! It has been an amazing few months since I finished the course and I have to say, none of this would have been possible without your incredible skill and advice. So, many thanks once again for such a fabulous course, it really has changed my life!"
- Penny Harrison

"Just a short note to say thanks! Within a month of completing your online Magazine Writing course I’ve had my first article accepted for publication in ‘Finally at 40 – Life Begins’, with the promise of more work. I now have the confidence (and skills, thanks to you) to approach some bigger mags. My journey begins…"
- Steve Wilkinson

"The most enjoyable part of the course is the ability to get the course done without hassles. The online concept is fantastic, and makes the course accessible. Also the fact that the course is delivered by a professional - who is also accessible. Valerie has earned her stripes, but speaks as though she is next to you, not a cut above."
- Tim McKeon