onlincourse

How to Get Your Feature Articles Published

Learn how to research, write, and pitch a winning story to get your feature article published in a major publication, with this online course from the University of Lincoln.

Duration

4 weeks

Weekly study

3 hours

100% online

How it works

Unlimited subscription

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Accreditation

More info

Established

1996

Location

Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK

Turn your ideas into award-winning features

Are you a journalist or writer with a winning idea for a feature article? Do you want guidance on how to research, write, and pitch a 600- to 2,000-word piece?

This four-week crash course from the University of Lincoln provides a comprehensive overview of the feature writing process. From finding your voice and identifying a market, to grabbing your audience’s attention and convincing editors, you’ll get the tips you need to see your idea through to publication.

Get expert guidance from a published journalist

Your mentor on this course is Jason Whittaker, a published journalist and nonfiction writer who has spent 20 years helping budding journalists get their work published.

He’ll introduce you to the world of creative nonfiction, and share his own insights and experience from the field.

Understand the landscape for creative nonfiction

You’ll begin the course by considering the different markets for publications and their respective target audiences.

Whether you want to publish your piece online or in print, in a magazine, a paper, or a news platform, you’ll learn how to tailor your writing to a given market and audience.

Learn how to research, write, and pitch a feature article

In the second half of the course, you’ll begin expanding your journalistic toolkit. You’ll hone your research and writing skills, and learn how to reel readers in right from your introduction.

Last but not least, you’ll take a closer look at the pitching process. You’ll discover what editors are looking for in features, and how to write a pitch they can’t ignore.

By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped and ready to take your first steps as a creative nonfiction writer.

Week 1
An Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
- Overview and Getting Started
  What this course covers, and an introduction to writing nonfiction features.
- Why Write Creative Nonfiction?
  Creative nonfiction is a very wide field that includes a range of forms and topics, from short features to full-length books. Here we will concentrate on the most common form, articles between 600-2000 words.
- Varieties of Non Fiction
  The market for non fiction is huge, so one of the first steps to getting published is to understand what it is that you want to write and what else is out there.
- What Will You Write?
  Now it’s time to put into practice the information you have learned this week. At the beginning of the session, we asked you to talk about what you wanted to write – now we want you to return to that piece.
- Summary of Week 1
  Congratulations on completing Week 1 of How to Get Your Feature Articles Published!
Week 2
Understanding Markets
- Understanding Markets
  The vast majority of nonfiction publications are highly segmented, that is they cater for specialist audiences or sections of the general population. This activity helps you consider a market for your work.
- Finding the Right Style
  The next step for tailoring your writing to particular publications is to work out how your own voice or style can fit in with what they publish.
- Summary of Week 2
  Congratulations on completing Week 2 of How to Get Your Feature Articles Published!
Week 3
Researching and Writing Features
- Gathering Information: Research and Interviews
  To create compelling features and make convincing arguments, you need to know what you’re talking about, including knowing who to speak to. This week considers your options for gathering information.
- Writing from Life/Life Writing
  One of the most common types of feature is one which draws on real-life experiences, whether your own or those of others. In this section, we’ll consider how to use writing about your own life as a way to improve your writing.
- Writing Intros
  Getting your readers' attention is one of the hardest tasks you'll face, which is why writing an introduction to your feature is probably what you'll spend most time doing.
- Summary of Week 3
  Congratulations on completing Week 3 of How to Get Your Feature Articles Published!
Week 4
Pitching to Editors
- Finding Your Way Around a Publication
  The first step of getting your work in front of an editor is to know who you are pitching to. Larger publications will use sections and desks to organise content, and for your work to be read it must reach the right person.
- Do's and Don'ts of Pitching
  When pitching your article, there are a number of simple tips you should follow if you want to have a better chance of an editor opening your email and reading your pitch.
- Writing your Pitch
  In this activity, we'll look at some sample pitches and then set you to work writing your own.
- Summary of Week 4
  Congratulations on completing Week 4 of How to Get Your Feature Articles Published!