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McGill.CA / School of Continuing Studies / Programs/Courses / Writing / Professional Development Courses, Workshops, and Certificates

Magazine Writing—What’s Your Story?

Would you like to write about interesting people, events, and ideas, travel the world, review books, attend celebrity functions, go backstage, test drive new vehicles—and get paid for it?  Then this is the course for you. Magazine Writing—What’s Your Story? is designed for motivated storytellers interested in journalism, media communications, or freelancing. The course develops the writing, research, analytical, and communication skills vital to launching a career in these fields: former students have used these skills for careers as professional writers, publicists, editors of in-house journals, and fundraisers for community organizations. Through lectures, class discussions, and assignments, the course is conducted as a “real life” exercise that aims to get students published by the end of the semester. To assist students in avoiding the starving writer syndrome, you will also be introduced to the business of writing in areas such as financial planning, tax tips, invoicing, how much to charge, quoting for jobs, etc.

This course is co-presented by the School of Continuing Studies Personal and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) program.
 

Start Date: Thursday, September 26th
End Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: 688 Sherbrooke Street West, Room 355
Course Fee: $495.00 plus taxes

This seminar has been cancelled.

Objectives

This course is designed to introduce learners to the fundamental writing techniques, revision processes, and business considerations vital to becoming a successful author of magazine articles.  A primary objective is to have students produce a publishable piece of work by the end of the course.

Outline

Topics covered include:

  • choosing the right topic
  • rhetorical strategies
  • conducting and writing-up research
  • organizing material
  • interviewing techniques
  • business tips for survival

Who Should Attend

Individuals interested in launching a career in magazine writing or in print journalism more generally

Lecturer

A former foreign correspondent, information attaché, and journalist in the Asia Pacific region, Richard Andrews has more than 30 years’ experience as a freelance writer, award-winning editor, and teacher of journalism, public relations, and creative writing. Richard has written on a wide range of topics—from piranha fishing on the Amazon and tracking down war criminals in Beijing, to the coral reefs of Fiji and the boardrooms of Fortune 100 companies.  Richard’s clients include educational institutions, corporations, government and development agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. 

Cancellation Policy

All cancellation requests must be made in writing on-line:  click here to cancel. Please note that you will be required to quote your registration reference number. 

If you cannot attend the course but wish to send someone in your place you must make a request for the substitution in writing to mwc [at] mcgill [dot] ca.

The following cancellation policy applies:

Up to 14 days prior to the start date: Full refund
Up to 7 days prior to the start date: Refund minus $100 cancellation fee
Within 7 days prior to the start date: No refund; however, the instructor may allow you to attend specific classes.

If no notice is given prior to the start of the course and you fail to attend, you will be liable for the full course fee.

The MWC reserves the right to cancel this course up to 5 days prior to the event.

Contact Information

Telephone:  514-398-7109
Email: mwc [at] mcgill [dot] ca

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