STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 I.      Traces magazine history, trends and jargon

 II.     Determines effective methods to develop an article idea

 III.    Develops methods to work around writer`s block

 IV.     Understands magazine categories

 V.      Understands similarities and differences in writing for a magazine versus a newspaper

 VI.     Understands a publication`s audience

 VII.    Develops effective magazine features for a specific market and article size

 VIII.   Understands principles of writing an effective query letter

 IX.     Understands how to develop an effective working relation with an editor

 X       Understands how to analyze a market

 XI.     Develops research and interview techniques for producing fiction and nonfiction articles

 XII.    Assesses a variety of magazine article formats

 XIII.   Uses those body parts: quotations, leads, transitions, anecdotes, and endings

 XIV.    Identifies fiction techniques useful to writing a nonfiction piece

 XV.     Recognizes opportunities and challenges for the freelancer

 XVI.    Initiates a process  to better organize the article

 XVII.   Prepares an article/manuscript for submissions

 XVIII.  Understands the importance of selling an article to competing publications

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Magazine background

 II.     From the idea to the sale

 III.    Body parts

 IV.     The writer as an artist

 V.      Record keeping