Course

Writing for Online and Print Magazines

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Communications
Course code
CMNS 3600
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
30
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course develops the professional skills needed to write for online and print magazines as well as blogs. Students will learn to analyze publications, develop story ideas, submit queries, and research and write opinion columns and profiles. Emphasis will be given to the strategies and practicalities of freelance writing as a career.
Course content

1.  Analyze Genres

  • distinguish types of magazines
  • distinguish types of writing: profiles, service pieces, issue articles, personal experience features, cultural reviews, short features, long features

2.  Research Potential Markets

  • research the market for specific topics of potential interest to a specific editor
  • review magazines for editorial bias and style
  • investigate and examine online magazines
  • develop an editorial profile

3.  Develop Text as Product

  • research audience-specific and genre-specific material
  • learn and apply interviewing techniques used in writing feature articles
  • produce outlines for various articles
  • write a column and a feature profile

4.   Work to Schedule and Deadlines

  • develop timelines and action plans to meet objectives
  • develop prioritizing skills to meet deadlines
  • use problem-solving strategies to meet objectives
  • use skills necessary to maintain scheduling deadlines

5.  Evaluate Product

  • develop specific client-centred revision and editing strategies
  • undertake rewrites as a way to learn critical self-editing skills

6.  Market the Product

  • produce general and specific query letters
  • develop text for specific editorial markets
  • use follow-up strategies
  • pursue professional publication of writing produced in this course

7.   Learn about Freelance Writing

  • learn business and survival strategies for successful freelance writing
  • develop an understanding of how writers and editors work together
  • learn to use the terminology of the magazine publishing industry
  • investigate online publishing possibilities
Learning activities

The course will be conducted in a workshop format to allow for instructor feedback on draft writing. Guest speakers will address specific magazine topics. Some field activities (interviewing, meetings) are required. 

Means of assessment

Students are expected to be self-motivated and to demonstrate professionalism, which includes active participation, good attendance, punctuality, effective collaboration, ability to meet deadlines, presentation skills, and accurate self-evaluation.

Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.

Example evaluation schedule:

Story ideas  20%
Queries and cover letters 20%
Column 20%
Feature article 35%
Attendance/professionalism/participation   5%
Total 100%

 

 

 

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will:

  1. understand the history of magazine writing and how the genre differs from other types of writing
  2. analyze and discuss sample articles from online and print magazines
  3. develop a story topic from idea to completion
  4. actively participate in discussion of draft columns and articles
  5. develop the skills required for freelance and in-house writing for online and print magazines
  6. become aware of the related responsibilities and expectations in this field
Textbook materials

A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts include:

  • Canadian Press Stylebook (current edition)
  • Caps & Spelling (current edition) 

Requisites

Prerequisites

Acceptance into the Post-Degree Diploma in Professional Communication

OR

A minimum of 45 credit hours including a university-transfer course in English, Communications, or Creative Writing with a grade of B or higher

OR

Permission of the Professional Communication Program Coordinator

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for CMNS 3600
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU CMNS 3XXX (3) or TRU JOUR 3XXX (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC ENGL 2XX (3)

Course Offerings

There are no course offerings this semester.