Learn a New Career or Expand Your Income By Freelancing for Newspapers
| This course is designed to help the beginning freelancer learn how to approach newspapers for work. Covers freelancing articles through writing opinion pieces. Helps to establish a foundation for students wanting a career in freelancing or just looking to supplement their income.
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A.) Be able to approach local and state newspapers for work.
B.) Know who to contact for assignments
C.) Be able to write features
D.) Be able to write opinion pieces
E.) Be aware of how to effectively market their story ideas
F.) By the end of this course students should have submitted at least one piece of work to their regional newspaper
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1.) Students demonstrate their knowledge of this course by submitting several sample articles.
2.) Students learn the standard AP (Associated Press) style and how to hone their editing and writing skills throughout the course, preparing them for actual job assignments.
3.) At the end of this course, students should feel confident in approaching various newspapers.
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Discuss course objectives for the forthcoming eight weeks. Different news styles are presented, from features to opinion pieces are discussed.
Students learn how to pitch their ideas to appropriate editors. Such as the op/ed editor for opinion pieces. Students are given mini exercises to assess where their current writing level is. Individuals learn proper journalistic writing.Discussion of how to organize and keep track of their submissions is also addressed.
Students participate in several more mini exercises of submitting a couple of paragraph synopsis for possible pieces. Students turn in these pieces for evaluation.
Expected compensation for various pieces is discussed and which types of articles are more salable,which markets pay more. How to increase potential income is also addressed. Students submit sample article leads for evaluation.
Students approach at least one editor with an article idea, then report their outcome.They also turn in their folder that shows how they are organizing their work/submissions for evaluation.
If the student was successful in placing an article, they submit their piece for evaluation. If they were unsuccessful, they submit to the instructor details of their experience.
Student prepares the final story and ideas for last submission. (In the event that they have already successfully placed one piece, they may submit a second for analysis)
Evaluations of folders of organization and submissions are returned.
Reviews student’s work, answers any remaining questions.
Contact Hours: 24
