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What students say about this course:

Diana provided us with several hands-on, practical exercises to prepare us for the reality of making a living from one's writing -- which isn't always pretty or easy. That said, I found her feedback and the resources she mentioned to be extremely helpful and relevant. Despite being thousands of miles away, Diana was always prompt in making assignments and responding to questions.

And like any good teacher, she makes great use of her natural wit to keep students engaged in the learning process. While I have yet to replace my old 9-to-5 job's income with freelancing activities, I firmly believe it is just a matter of time, thanks in large measure to Diana Bocco's course and her encouragement.

For anyone vacillating on whether it's a worthwhile investment: I say if you're serious about freelancing, take this course!
  ~ Akweli Parker

Read more testamonials:

Facilitator:  Diana Bocco

Workshop Syllabus

Not only can you make money writing, but with the right tools, you can earn enough to make a full-time living at it. Learn to develop, research, and write pieces suitable for publication in a number of venues. This course is not only full of tips and strategies, but also of checklists, tables, and handouts you will be able to use long after the course is over. This is an intense, hands-on program, so you should be prepared to work hard. By the end of the course, you will have at least two pieces (and their respective query letters) ready to be submitted.  

Week 1: 
Finding Your Niche
How to determine which specialty is right for you, and how you can break into it.  Using press releases to get inside information. How to gain access to thousands of top experts. How to master an interview. Seven great ways to generate ideas that editors will love.

Week 2: 
Mastering Query Letters  
What makes a query letter effective?  Do's and Don'ts of queries that sell.  Multiple ideas, simultaneous submission, and "shotgun" queries. Reslanting and refocusing letters to target different publications. Getting past the "no clips, no credits" dilemma. The trick that makes editors say yes.

Week 3: 
Writing as a business
How to develop good work habits. Creating a tracking system. Equipping your office. Developing a marketing plan. Staying organized and getting things done. How to deal with rejections --and learn from them. Explore multiple streams of income, including writing for content websites, approaching local newspapers, and writing copy and product reviews. 50 additional ways you can make money writing. 

Week 4: 
Selling your work
How to locate hidden markets. How to analyze magazines and know what they want. Taking full advantage of the Internet. The best paying markets for beginners. The most popular types of articles and how to write them. The four rules that make article writing quick and painless. Titles that sell. The secret to breaking into the "big" markets.  

Course Materials:
Provided by instructor as e-mail attachments. Critiques, reading material, lessons, writing prompts, free-writing exercises, worksheets, market listings, and many extras, including a 70-page e-book with tips from top freelance writers.

Objective:
Through this step-by-step course, students will gain the tools they need to generate saleable story ideas, maximize their writing efforts, and break into paid markets. At the end of the course the student will have written two pieces, plus created perfectly polished, no-fail query letters to go along with them.

Prerequisite:  None.

About the Facilitator:
Diana Bocco  is the author of over 300 articles, short stories, and essays for national, international and online publications such as Woman's Day, Marie Claire, Mothering, Writer's Digest, and Self . She was one of six writers/reviewers to work on the bestselling book Vegetarian New York: The Essential Dining, Shopping, and Lodging Guide, edited by Suzanne Gerber and with a foreword by Paul McCartney. She is also the editor of the forthcoming anthology Room 636: A New Take on Urban Legends.  Her website is www.dianabocco.net.

Registration: Select the payment service you want to use.
Workshop Duration: 4 weeks  
Tuition: $80

Scheduled Sessions for 2008:

January Session beginning January 7^th

February Session beginning February 11^th

March Session beginning March 17^th

April/May Session beginning April 21^st

June Session beginning June 2^nd

July Session beginning July 7^th

August Session beginning August 11^th

September Session beginning September 15^th

October Session beginning October 20^th

Nov/Dec Session beginning November 24^th

Payment Services:

Select your session:

July Session August Session September Session October Session Nov/Dec Session

Your receipt and information will come to the e-mail address on your PayPal account.  The e-mail will come from our administration address, so be on the lookout!

To pay by check or money order CLICK HERE
By registering, you indicate that you have read our 
Workshop Terms of Service.

Recommended

The following books are not required purchases for this course, but are highly recommended by the facilitator.

The Well-Fed Writer
by Peter Bowerman

Atlanta freelancer Bowerman shows timid (but talented) souls how almost anyone can forge ahead as an independent writer. His advice is good, couched in brassy prose that is easy to read.

The Renegade Writer
by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell

This guide aims to set freelance writers straight. Full of great tips and common sense, the book demystifies all the stages of getting a piece published, from "Cranking up the Idea Factory" to "Getting the Green."

Make a REAL LIVING as a Freelance Writer
by Jenna Glatzer

Veteran freelancer Glazer provides a practical guide for aspiring writers who want to earn a living doing what they love.  Glatzer takes readers through the must-do basics - from sending clean, spell-checked cover letters to avoiding harassing busy editors.

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