FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS

"Most thought-provoking, am enjoying it immensely"
Pamela (Lesson 2, Freelance)

"Please find enclosed my second assignment, which I enjoyed doing and found both interesting and challenging. I look forward to reading your comments."
Kathryn (Lesson 2, Journalism)

"I really enjoyed this lesson and learned a lot from it."
Layla (Lesson 2, Journalism)

"I must say that the work has been interesting and even rewarding."
Brian (Lesson 2, Freelance)

"Many thanks for the contributions, suggestions, corrections, recommendation and encouragement. Remarkably, there is really a great deal of material in the course contents so far…"
Marcus (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"At first I wasn't sure I would get a lot out of Lesson 3 as it didn't seem relevant to the kind of freelance writing I'm interested in. However, I have to admit that it has been full of common sense, good ideas and has made me look at things from a different perspective."
Jacqui (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"Thanks for all the feedback you have given me over my past two assignments. I find it invaluable. I am enjoying the course, and find it especially beneficial in my current role as media relations assistant, where most of my job involves writing of some sort (mainly press releases!)."
Anna (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"Actually going out and researching information and interviewing people has really given me an appetite for this course and journalism."
Darren (Lesson 4, Journalism)

"Thank you for my feedback on my third assignment, which taught me a lot. Especially, that I must be aware of the fact that not everything that is published is an example of good reporting."
Lorena (Lesson 4, Freelance)

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the exercises thus far and I trust that as time unfolds my writing will improve…"
Marcus (Lesson 4, Freelance)

"I have just completed a week's work experience at The Solihull News, my local newspaper. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it really useful on getting an insight into the industry. I managed to get 15 things published in total, some very, very short pieces on local notices or events, but I got three bylines which I was quite pleased with."
Sarah (Lesson 3, Freelance)

I asked the editor of the Maintal Tagesanzeiger, the local newspaper, it he would publish a story about this event. And guess what? They really published my article…"
Tina (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"Since contacting the various publications outlined in my last assignment, I have written and had published two articles and am in the process of writing a third. I have enclosed the article published last month in Poland Monthly."
Andrew (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"I managed to get the article accepted by Searcher magazine for their August issue. I have also included three photos at £20 each that she accepted. My second article, for Wiltshire Life, is to be discussed at next week's editorial meeting…"
Robert (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"Thanks to this course, I have started to write for a website here. I find it extremely challenging, as I have to write in Armenian and English…"
Karine (Lesson 3, Journalism)

"Lots of encouraging news…last time I wrote, I mentioned I would be sending a query to the Reading Eagle in the US for three Hajj articles. They accepted, and published the articles on three subsequent Saturdays. The afternoon before we left for Hajj, I figured I would send off a feature I wrote about a local architect to the Gulf News, another paper I profiled for class. I was pleased to find on my return that they printed that one as well. The Gulf News liked the article enough that they asked me to contribute regularly to their Out & About in Abu Dhabi column. So I have now had a total of about eight articles published in the last three months."
Brian (Lesson 3, Freelance)

"You asked me to let you know when I had an article of mine published by When Saturday Comes - well, it happened yesterday and I've been asked to write more so obviously I am really happy…"
Chris (Lesson 4, Freelance)

"I got a lovely mixed crate of wine delivered to the office on Tuesday (for a prize-winning reader's letter) but haven't tried it yet - my first paycheck!"
Jacqui (Lesson 4, Freelance)

"Things are moving along nicely. The Religion News Service based in Washington DC expressed interest in my stories and sent a freelance contract. They liked the idea of having a correspondent in the Middle East. I sent them an article …which got sent out on their service last week. At least one major US paper picked it up so far. I am still writing for the Gulf News, mainly for practice and to build a nice cache of clips..."
Brian (Lesson 5, Freelance)

"All the things that could have gone wrong went wrong but despite everything I'm pleased with the end result. It was a great learning curve and backed up everything that was said in the lesson. I was not looking forward to doing this assignment and am surprised how much I loved it…"
Jacqui (Lesson 5, Freelance)

"You certainly pointed out plenty of faults in my profile…but I have to admit that all of your criticism was entirely justified, and as it was constructive…I have no problems in accepting it."
Joe (Lesson 6, Freelance)

"Thank you for your useful comments and suggestions. I'm finding your feedback very helpful. I am also gradually building up my confidence now. I have gone from letting absolutely nobody read anything I write to being much more liberal in sending articles to friends and family…"
Carolyn (Lesson 7, Freelance)

"With each lesson I receive and complete I'm presented with a new task to do. So far every lesson is fresh and non-repetitive and I haven't even started the topics I'm really interested in yet…"
Darren (Lesson 7, Journalism)

"I have had some luck getting into print. The Jerusalem Post has accepted for publication a story of mine for a feature 'Personally Speaking' which appears in one of the weekend supplement sections. It is a 1000-word anecdotal story of a train journey I took whilst on a visit to Britain."
Colin (Lesson 6, Freelance)

"Already I have begun a fortnightly column writing on the western expat life of Georgians residing in the United States and United Kingdom…"
Lara (Lesson 7, Freelance)

"Many thanks for your valuable remarks on Assignment Six. I submitted my Dartmouth article to our yacht club's magazine organiser and there is a good chance they will use it."
Christine (Lesson 7, Freelance)

"I am pleased to report that I have had my first (paid) article published in a local magazine. It is a travel feature about a region in South Africa. They have also commissioned me to write a piece about the sailing programme I was working for this summer."
James (Lesson 8, Freelance)

"I thought you might like to know that I've had a short article printed in my local paper, the Haslemere Herald, about a local race I took part in with my running club. Also, the interview that I did for Lesson 5 has been accepted by the Surrey Advertiser. Thanks for helping me get there!"
Rebecca (Lesson 8, Freelance)

"I am pleased to let you know that my article on Diana was published in The News…They have asked me to submit articles on fashion, music and moves in the future. This became possible because of the encouragement and support I received from the LSJ course and your feedback. Thanks a lot."
Salima (Lesson 8, Freelance)

"Since July I have seen my name in print four times (only via online magazines, but it's a start!)
Amanda (Lesson 9, Freelance)

"Apart from being pleased that (Day Tripping with The Fab Four) was accepted by the Jerusalem Post, I'm especially pleased that they utilised my photos in making a two-page spread."
Colin (Lesson 10, Freelance)

"Many thanks for the tuition provided over the last 13 or 14 months. I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and feel that I can achieve a great deal in the future as a result. I will continue to travel, indeed I return to the Caribbean in just a few days, and despite the furious competition intend to concentrate largely on travel writing. A local publication (who pay a small amount) has asked me to contribute regular features for their travel supplement. By continuing to do this at the same time as tapping into as many other markets as possible, I feel I can genuinely attain the goals which I set out to at the beginning of the course, as well as many more."
James (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"Recently, my targets for the next 12 months have become clear. Firstly, to maintain my relationship with The Jerusalem Post, secondly to further my connection with an Irish travel magazine and thirdly to be on the look-out for new markets, using the internet for research. My priority is The Jerusalem Post. They have published seven of my articles and have accepted another three…"
Colin (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"I have learnt a lot about my writing style and how I can adjust that to suit different pieces. Another big part of the learning curve was knowing how to deal with different types of people. Overall, I have taken plenty from this course but the one thing that comes out the most is now having the confidence and ability to tackle a wide range of issues and stories."
Dave (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"I think this course has most benefited my writing skills - I've now got a much clearer idea about structure in writing anything from a short news item to a feature article. I also have a much greater understanding of the freelance procedure and have had early successes in putting it into practice, through an article published in the Asian Times newspaper."
Ruth (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"This course has been stimulating. The mentoring and organisational support has been professional. I learnt a lot from the comments. The questions that I have left can only be answered by myself."
Hugh (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"I have had my first article commissioned. I have written an article on a recent road trip around Southern Africa, for a British travel magazine called Travel Africa due to be published in February. It's only 300 words but it's a start…"
Carolyn (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"I have enjoyed the course immensely and found it valuable. The lessons are thorough, interesting and comprehensive. I have learned to approach my writing in a more structured, commercial way. In particular, I thought the feedback from my tutor was invaluable. All his comments and suggestions have been helpful and the criticism constructive. The critical success factors for me are maintaining the self-discipline of writing every day and become more confident in sending articles off, irrespective of previous rejections…"
Carolyn (Lesson 12, Freelance)

"Completing this course has taught me that there is a lot more to journalism than writing news stories. My writing has become more concise and I can now write more interesting articles using fewer words and concentrating on the facts. I know this will continue to develop over time. I also have a better understanding of what people want to read…"
Nicky (Lesson 12, Freelance)