The complete course for freelancers or newsroom reporters to sharpen their feature writing skills for newspapers.

This 12-month course teaches you how to come up with newsworthy angles, write compelling leads and closers and perfect your in-depth interviewing and research skills.

Course Details:

Modules: 8 lessons
Cost: $895.00
Length: Course can be completed at own pace: between six and twelve months
Registration: Online at http://www.nzwriterscollege.nz

Students must complete…

• 6 writing assignments
• 2 full-length features of publishable quality

• Basic writing skills are essential
• Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required
• No previous tertiary qualification required

Tutors:

  Peter Cross is an author, journalist and editor. He has written hundreds of features for British newspapers and magazines, including The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Independent On Sunday, The Daily and Sunday Express, The New Statesman and the UKs nursing and medical press. Before moving to Auckland, Peter was co-editor of BMJ Careers, a supplement for the British Medical Journal.

To date, Peter has also written six non-fiction books: Earning a Crust and Jobs for the Boys for Management Books 2000, Making It In British Medicine (with Sabina Dosani) for Radcliffe, Raise Pre-teens and Re-energise Your Relationship (also with Sabina Dosani) for Infinite Ideas and Stop Smoking (with Clive Hopwood) also for Infinite Ideas 52 Brilliant Ideas series.

Steve Hart is a trained journalist that has worked as a reporter, sub-editor and editor in both Britain and New Zealand.

He began his journalistic career in England starting as a junior reporter on a weekly newspaper. After completing his National Council for the Training of Journalist (NCTJ) course he rose up the ranks to senior reporter in charge of a regional section of the newspaper.

Following a stint as managing editor at a contract publishing firm in London, Steve moved to New Zealand to become chief sub editor of the New Zealand Herald's daily business section in Auckland. During seven years at the paper he enjoyed roles as its Travel editor, supplements editor and left the company as editor of the Careers section.

Steve now works as a successful freelance writer and currently contributes to numerous New Zealand publications.

Course Curriculum:   

Module One - A Glimpse Into The World Of A Feature Writer

·         The life of a feature writer

·         What can you earn?

·         For whom do you work? A look at the key newspapers in New Zealand.

·         What exactly is feature writing? Soft news as opposed to hard news reporting.

Module Two - The Great Saleable Angle, Every Time

·         Ideas are your mainstay - where do you find them?

·         Tips and tools for turning out winning angles

Exercise: Come up with four saleable ideas, and twelve spin-off angles

Module Three - Turning Over Every Stone

·         Research resources and directories

·         Other places to source information

·         Interview techniques, styles and forms

·         Top interview rules you must never break

Exercise: Run with one idea, and conduct your research and interviews

Module Four - Leads That Hook Your Reader

·         What makes a compelling lead?

·         Six types of leads

·         Eleven ways to draw in your reader.

Exercise: Write the opener for your feature.

Module Five - Sculpting The Perfect Body

·         Integrating fact and quotation

·         Remembering the 5 W's and the H

·         Ten essential style rules

·         Perfecting logical flow

Exercise: Write the body of your article: up to 2000 words

Module Six - The Satisfying Closer

·         Six types of closers

·         Five ways to round off your piece with panache

Exercise: Write up the closer for your feature

Module Seven - Being A Professional Writer

·         Editing

·         Submitting your article with a cover letter

·         Invoicing guidelines

·         The business of being a professional writer: tax and income

Exercise: Submit your final feature for assessment.

Module Eight - On Assignment

·         From idea to product delivery, submit a complete feature in one month.

·         Word count: up to 2000 words

Conditions of Certification: Students will receive an NZ Writers' College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions: 

• Students must have completed all 8 assignments (namely: 6 writing exercises; 2 articles)
• The course must have been completed within twelve months of registration.
• Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course

• 40 hours for writing and research
• 10 hours for reading course notes