English350-02 

This course will help you understand the art, business and craft of writing, editing and selling magazine features. With regard to writing and selling, means:  You will create a package of articles (totalling 4000 words) targeted to specific publications, and accompanied by query letters; These articles will be critiqued by your peers, and by me, in workshop sessions,  You will revise those articles and queries for submission to the specified  publications, as well as for a grade. At least one article will be for unbound, our  online newsmagazine. The others will be for print or online magazines of your choosing.

With regard to editing, this means:  Many of you will have some responsibility to assist in the editing and production of  Issue 10 of unbound. Some of you will have formal editorial and production positions,  with some concommitant adjustments in your article-generating requirements. All of  you can expect to be ask to assist with task such as finding links or fact-checking.  Through this effort, you will gain an appreciation for the way in which magazines  are targetted to specific audiences, the relationship between publication design,  advertising and editorial content, and the changing shape of the magazine industry. We will also discuss the business of being a non-fiction writer. You will learn about  the structure of the magazine industry, and the ways in which non-fiction writers build their careers. You will study the variety of reporting and writing styles that are the tools of contemporary non-fiction writers. You will learn about communicating with editors, agents and publishers. We will also touch upon taxes and other business  issues which confront free-lance writers.

Class Covenant

Grading Policies

Class Policies

Requirements

4000 word package: 35 percent of grade. Initial proposal due February 2. Annotated bibliography and interview list: February 16 First draft: March 13 Second draft: April 13 Work for unbound as assigned. Class members with substantial responsibilities for UNBOUND will have adjustments made in other assignments. Bi weekly journal submissions. Due first class of week: 15 percent Teamwork and professionalism: 20 percent. Teamwork refers to your willingness to assist the class in creating the magazine, and to offer constructive feedback to me and your classmates. Professionalism refers to the extent to which you come to  class prepared, do your homework, meet deadlines, communicate with me and your classmates and present your work in a professional manner. Note: some of the input for this portion of the grade will come from confidential peer evaluation forms which will be circulated mid-semester.

Required Texts: 

AUTHOR OR EDITOR	FULL TITLE	PUBLISHER
Michael J. Bugeja	Guide to Writing Magazine Nonfiction	Allyn & Bacon
Goldstein, Norm	The AP Stylebook and Assoc Press Briefing on Media Law	Associated Press
Sims, Norman and Mark Kramer	Literary Journalism : A New Collection of the Best American Nonfiction	Ballantine Books

Recommended  Reading 

AUTHOR OR EDITOR	FULL TITLE	PUBLISHER
Epstein, Helen	Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search For Her Mothers' History	Plume
Michael Jacobson-Hardy	Behind the Razor Wire: Portrait of a Contemporary American Prison System	New York Univ Press

Additional texts

unbound Operations Manual, spring 2001 edition. On sale, in class, for $5.00. Purchase first week of class.  The AP Stylebook and Libel Manual  NewsWatch Style Guide A Reference Guide for the Creation and Editing of Online Publications by Valerie Kellogg.  All other texts will be on the web, on reserve, or handed out in class.  Class schedule and assigned readings.  (All written assignments are due for the next class, unless indicated. Also, the unbound production schedule may require some schedule adjustments.  Assignment 1 1. Select 3 magazines which you read and for which you might want to write.  If print, select and describe typical front, middle, and back of book stories. If online select 3 stories from 3 regular sections. If both print and online, are both sets of stories in both versions?  *Note advertising surrounding or closest to the stories you've selected.   Look up Magazine in Writer's Market, Advertising Age and Editor & Publisher for the past year. Also look at magazine's ads. Describe the magazine's audience, editorial focus, percent of freelance content? What facts/inferences can you draw about stories they might want and expectations they have of writers (writing style, experience type and level, fact checking, etc). What can you learn about them as potential employers?  2. Do a self-inventory. How do your skills, strengths, weaknesses, potential, experiences, and inclinations fit? 3. What can you do in this class that might help you land an internship, freelance work or a staff job in with one of these magazines in the next year? 4. Based on all of the foregoing, list 3 measurable learning goals for this class. Arrange a conference time with me to discuss them. Bring clips and a resume. You will do a self-assessment once a month.  Due to me --in conference on or by January 25 or 26th.  Assignment 2 Interview a magazine writer-- freelance or full-time. This must be someone who is a paid professional writer or editor -- not a student. 1.How do you generate story ideas?  2.What are your reporting methods?  3.Interviewing tips?  4.What other kinds of writing do you do? How are they similar to or different from your magazine work?  5.Do you have any advice for beginning writers?  Biggest mistakes? One thing a beginner should know?  This assignment is due in class on February 27.  Note: After the first class, you should prepare to discuss the assigned reading on the day it is listed. "The Keyboard" exercise is due the following class. Week of January 16 Magazines vs newspapers --- unbound  Read Chapter 1: "Magazine Basics". Do "The Keyboard" exercise "Targeting the Audience" on page 20. Bring to class. Also read, "The Art of Literary Journalism," in your anthology. Staff assignments????? Week of January 23 Researching magazines. Read Chapter 2: Topics and Ideas. Do "The Keyboard" exercise on page 38 "Compiling Story Ideas." Kramer, "Breakable Rules for Literary Journalists."  Assignment 1 Due   Week of January 30 Story Ideas and queries Read Chapter 3:"Theme". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on page 56 "Identifying Your Theme." Also read Joseph Mitchell's "The Rivermen" in your anthology. Week of February 6 Researching and interviewing.  At this link, you'll find good advice for writing query letters.  Story elements and analysis. Which structure is the right one for your story? Read Chapter 4: "Research". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on pages 81-2. We'll discuss "The American Man at Age Ten," by Calvin Trillin. Week of  February 13 Annotated bibliography and interview list due. Read Chapter 5: "Titles". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on pages 101-2. Story analysis- Service piece --- expository techniques, definition. Week of February 20 Story analysis --Same story: print and online Read Chapter 6: "Time Elements". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on page 123-4. Think about how Joseph Nocera uses time in his article,"The Ga-ga Years" in your anthology.   Week of February 27 Assignment 2 due. Read "A Family Portrait in Black and White."   Week of March 6. Self-assessments due to me. Read "Mr. Bellows' Planet." Conferences-- discuss interview story Read Chapter 7: "Viewpoint and Voice." Do "The Keyboard" exercise on page 146. Apply what you've read to "Trina and Trina" in your anthology. Week of March 13 First draft of package due. Week of March 20 SPRING BREAK!!! Have FUN and stay SAFE.  Week of March 27 Read Chapter 8: "Endings". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on page 161-2.  Think about this as you read "Strawberries under Ice" in your anthology. Week of April 3  Read Chapter 9: "The Writing Process". Do "The Keyboard" exercise on pages 182-4. April 5-6  First Draft Presentations and Peer Critiques scheduled. Bring enough copies for each member of the class to review and critique. Week of April 10 -- Week of April 24 Read Chapter 10: "The Freelance Process". Do The Keyboard" exercise on pages 199-200. Second draft of package due.     Return to the Syllabi Archive  Last updated January 20, 2001