If you want to turn your passion for writing into a career, you won’t want to miss this exciting new masterclass. Led by features journalist and foreign reporter Lauren Razavi, this lively evening course will teach you how to spot stories, pitch them to editors and get paid for writing them. Plus, you’ll get involved in a practical exercise where you’ll develop an idea for an original story and receive feedback on your pitch.
During her second year at university, Lauren made the leap from contributing to her student newspaper to working as a freelance journalist. Since then, she has established a name for herself as a writer, contributing regularly to the Guardian, New Statesman and VICE, among other titles. During this fun and informative course, Lauren will share her experiences breaking into journalism and give hard-earned advice on how to make a living as a freelancer in a competitive industry.
Course content
- How to make the transition from citizen or student journalism to professional writing
- Advice on turning your writing hobby into a career
- Life as a professional journalist – what to expect
- Making a living through journalistic work
- How to spot and pitch strong stories to editors – and get paid for writing them
- Building and maintaining relationships with editors
- Crafting high-quality journalism
- Establishing a writing portfolio
- How to build your web presence through social media
- Practical exercise with opportunity for feedback: generating story ideas and pitching them to editors
- Q&A and group discussion
This course is for you if...
- You love writing and want to learn what it takes to become a professional, freelance journalist
- You have written for your student newspaper and want advice on how to move into paid journalism
- You write as a hobby and want to learn how to write professional-standard stories for publication
- You’ve had a few articles published and want to learn how to increase your chances of getting more paid commissions
Course preparation
- Attendees should arrive with one story idea, which they’ll develop into a pitch during a practical exercise
- The course includes opportunities for solution-based feedback on work carried out during the class
Tutor profile
Lauren Razavi is a freelance journalist who specialises in feature writing and foreign reporting. She regularly contributes to the Guardian, New Statesman and VICE, among other titles. During her second year of university, Lauren made the leap from contributing to her student newspaper to working as a freelance journalist, and last year managed to fund a Masters degree through her writing. Is particularly interested in politics, travel and current affairs, and has run many journalism and writing courses at places including Norwich Arts Centre, the University of Cambridge and the University of Gloucestershire. Find out more about Lauren on her website.
Details
Date: Wednesday 9 September 2015
Times: 6.30pm-9.30pm
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £99 (includes VAT, booking fee and drinks)
Event capacity: 36
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 14 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
