Passionate Blog

Time-saving training for busy journalists

By Carol Garrington

AN acclaimed journalist and agency director is offering telephone training to help time-strapped freelance writers maximise their income.

Linda Jones, author of The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World, and whose blogs include www.freelancewritingtips.com, has been training journalists for a number of years, winning fans through her honest, no-nonsense approach to writing and running a business.

Workshops run through Linda’s company, Passionate Media, offer realistic advice on everything from pitching editors, to ensuring you get paid and how to boost a specialism.

Now writers can share this wisdom without leaving their office, thanks to newly-introduced telephone training.

Got a great story you'd love to share?

THEN don't just save it for your mates!

Ever wondered where magazines and newspapers get their stories?

It could be from you.

We're on the hunt for heartwarming, inspirational, quirky or entertaining stories for UK newspapers and magazines.

If you fancy being featured in a newspaper or magazine then please get in touch.

We love stories about people who have overcome the odds to have a family where the circumstances are truly exceptional.

Kick start your freelance writing career workshop, July 2, Birmingham

WE are now taking bookings for the following workshop. Places are limited to ensure individual feedback and value for money.

Kick start your freelance writing career workshop Saturday, July 2, 2011

Friends House, Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6AF

Cost: £154.80 inc VAT

There are five early bird places available at £118.80 inc VAT.* 

Are pop stars too sexy for our children?

By Carol Garrington

CHECK out Linda's piece about raunchy Rihanna and the dozens of comments which have followed -especially if you want something to make you smile.

We love it when something we have written unleashes people's passions in a heated debate. This one's a corker.

Thanks to Parentdish for the commission. Here's hoping there's many more.

Freelance mentoring, workshops and book proposal critique in Authors for Japan auction

By Linda Jones

 AUTHOR and freelance journalist Keris Stainton has pulled off an amazing feat.

Keris has, within 48 hours, brought together some of the UK's best known popular fiction talent, as well as some overseas writers, in an auction to raise funds for the Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal.

Authors taking part include:

• Jenny Colgan
• Dorothy Koomson
• Andrew Crofts
• Jill Mansell
• Adele Parks
• Sam Baker
• Caroline Smailes

Patsy Kensit leads campaign for better UK playgrounds

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Patsy Kensit wants to help parents quickstep their way to a £15,000 award to breathe new life into delapidated play areas, as she tells us in the video above.

Mum-of-two Patsy is fronting the campaign called Parents for Playgrounds from Robinsons Fruit Shoot and Play England which is asking for nominations from around the UK. She's currently guest editing Ready for Ten where she's also keeping an eye on nominations and help pick the winners.

Back to school means a busy time on Ready for Ten

 
CHECKED out Ready for Ten yet?

This is a parent-powered website for families with children aged six to nine which is edited by Linda Jones. Now's an exciting time for Ready for Ten. Just look at how the team has grown!

As the site prepares for autumn to set in, there's plenty more food for thought from its team of parent bloggers and experts.

Writing Magazine feature: The art of the interview

JOURNALIST Tamsin Oxford recently interviewed Linda for a piece in the current edition of Writing magazine.

It's an article about interviewing and also features Johanna Payton and Anne Wollenberg.

Here's a snippet:

What three things do you believe are essential to preparing for an interview?

To have researched your subject properly, to be in the right frame of mind to be confident the interviewee knows what to expect.

How do you go about sourcing your interviewees?

I have worked hard to build contacts in my chosen areas so I get in touch with people I know or hope will help me and take it from there. These days, I’m also using social media and online tools available more too, so I’ve found people through Twitter and Facebook as well as through blogging, these are different ways of building new contacts and can work well, but I still prefer to then actually speak to the people so I know they are who they say they are. It's important to value contacts once they are made and build relationships with them for the future.

You can find the rest in the current edition of Writing Magazine.

Charitarian: A philanthropy magazine made in China

Photos by Janek Zdarski.

WE are working with an Anglo-Chinese team on Charitarian magazine. So far, we've started work on a blog for this innovative publication that reports on aid for China's most vulnerable groups, as well as including exclusive updates on other aspects of Chinese society.

Janek's photos show migrant children at work and play and are featured in the next issue of the magazine, which is currently being put together.

We can't wait to see the next edition and more of Janek's beautiful images.

An introduction to freelance journalism workshops, London and Midlands

SINCE running workshops for writers in how to diversify and survive and receiving such brilliant feedback from those attending, we've also been asked to consider running training sessions for aspiring freelancers.

In response to these queries, we've booked four training dates for 2010.

These are:

Saturday March 13, 9.30am-4.30pm

Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ 

Saturday March 27, 9.30am-4.30pm

Passionate Media, 2 New Street, Cannock, Staffs WS11 0DD

The itinerary will include practical exercises to highlight the skills, aptitude and realism needed to have any chance of making it in this most highly competitive of fields.