Passionate Blog

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.

Business over Breakfast exclusive offer: A beginners’ guide to social media: One-day workshop

DO you know your RSS from your e-newsletter?

How about Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube?

This workshop is tailored to your needs with practical examples of how to use new media methods. If the thought of understanding what any of these new media phenomena mean has you reaching for the headache tablets, then this workshop is for you.

It will cover:

 • Twitter - setting up and first steps

• Facebook for business – setting up and first steps

• Professional communication through LinkedIn

• Why content is king

• Basic dos and don'ts of social networking

• Why podcast?

• Blogging - what's the point?

Thanks for feedback on Saturday's workshop for freelance journalists - testimonials

IT'S always great to get good feedback after a course, and these days, thanks to the magic of facebook and Twitter, it can be pretty darn quick!

Johanna Payton tweeted yesterday that she had found our one-day workshop on making more money as a freelance writer "great" and followed this up with a very positive message by email.

Thank you Jo and thank you to the other course participants who were so fulsome in their feedback.

Here's what Jo said:

Thank you so much for yesterday. I really enjoyed it. I know I’ve been dabbling in commercial writing for the last five years (well, ten if you include the copywriting I used to do as part of my music industry post – but let’s not even go there after that press release-writing exercise!) but getting to grips with the systems and procedures contract-wise is something I’ve never done; or getting myself registered on business directories and seriously networking.

The practical exercises were a real eye opener too and have given me some incredibly valuable food for thought. I know that if I put in a concerted effort that, even with the limited time I have, I can make much more out of the commercial side of my career and your course has totally given me the inspiration I needed to do that. It was also wonderful and confidence-boosting to hear how much our skills as journalists are valued in the commercial world and how much work is out there.

As a freelancer it helped so much to hear that, particularly in the midst of the recession. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending your course to anyone.

Cathy Winston says:

Despite being a professional journalist for over a decade, I'd never done any commercial writing and wasn't sure how my skills would translate into this field - or even if they would! So Linda's course was the perfect introduction, very practical and down-to-earth, with plenty of exercises during which I discovered I actually knew more than I thought.

I'd highly recommend this for anyone thinking of getting into commercial writing as it's great for boosting your confidence (I think everyone realised they knew far more than they thought they did), filling in any gaps that are there and teaching you not to undervalue your skills. I came out all fired up and ready to take on the world.

When freelance work is in short supply, it was heartening to be told there's lots of commercial work out there, and it's great to think I've got another string to my bow now. Linda has even inspired me to finally finish off my website, which has been a work in progress for around 4 months...

Faith Eckersall sent us the following message:

Just wanted to say a big thanks for such a fantastic value workshop yesterday.

 

I thought it would be good but it exceeded all my expectations and I now feel much more confident about a) a job coming up and b) commercial writing generally.

 

Helena Pozniak emailed:

Thanks for great day - wasn't looking forward to a Saturday of "work"
but really enjoyed it. All very useful. 

 

* There's one place left on our Birmingham course on Saturday, November 28. Please email Carol[at]passionatemedia.co.uk if you would like to know more, or a booking form. 

Business over Breakfast: Top five tips for understanding social media

WE'VE encountered many business people who - truth be told - are quite suspicious or scared of getting involved in social media.

In part, this can be down to their level of knowledge or understanding of what it's all about, or they may worry about any negative connotations.

They want to know how much time it needs and what their return on investment will be.

We cover these most pressing of topics in our Intermediate Social Media workshops. But for now, as we are putting together an exclusive beginners' package for Business over Breakfast, we would like to remember first things first.

Here are five tips we reckon are small steps to help demystify social media for small business.

Business over Breakfast: Social media jargon buster

AT our workshops for small businesses, charities and public bodies looking to find out more about social media - and starting from a position of quiet terror, we include a jargon buster to take away, along with other information, including further resources.

We're putting together an exclusive package for Business over Breakfast members from across the UK and thought it would be helpful to show potential attendees some of the terms this jargon buster contains.

At one such workshop last week, one lady said quite clearly that it was the way this 'gobbledegook' prevailed that helped power her nerves about diving in and getting started with social media tools such as Twitter, facebook and blogs.

We hope this list may help. We know it's only a beginning. But you may find the rest of the answers you are looking for in the recommended reading detailed below, or by coming along to one of our Social Media for Beginners sessions.

Making money from commercial writing workshops - London and Birmingham

WE'VE confirmed dates and venues for our next workshops for freelance journalists wanting to boost their income with commercial writing work.

Prices have been set at a rate to be affordable in these tough times and we are keen to make sure the sessions are excellent value for money.

Places are limited to ensure feedback is specific enough to attendees' particular questions.

Testimonials from previous attendees can be found here.

Dates are:

Friends' House, Euston Road, London, Saturday November 14.

Priory Rooms, Bull Street, Birmingham, Saturday November 28

By popular demand: Special offer on social media for business workshops

KNOW your RSS from your e-newsletter? How about Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube?

We will pass on lessons learned through high profile blogging, Facebook and Twitter use.

Our social media campaigns have made waves, with The Times calling our latest site 'one to watch' and brands including Disney and Ford seeking our input.

After being asked by clients to provide this service, we are hosting a workshop with practical examples of how to boost your business using social media.

Why blog? Women’s business conference set to show how social media can boost your bottom line

ASPIRING and established businesswomen will be shown how social media can boost their bottom line at a major conference to be held in Birmingham next week.

The event, to be held at The Pavilion in Moor Lane, Perry Barr, includes an interactive workshop, led by experts from the Connect Culture initiative, based at Coventry University, on social networking phenomenon Twitter, plus blogging for business.

The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World: Book, blog and training

THE Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World, by Passionate Media director Linda Jones, was published in November 2007 and can be bought in bookshops and from Amazon here.

See a selection of reviews, plus feedback from readers, here.

Listen to a podcast about The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World. A blog was set up to help publicise the book.

There's a round-up of around 20 posts with advice for writers here.

We also run training sessions for freelance journalists wanting to make more money. The following is feedback gained from a London session:

Great course. Up and at 'em now! Anne Marie Flanagan

More Passionate Media training sessions in London and Birmingham

FOLLOWING the success of our recent one-day course in London, for freelance writers wanting to find out more about making more money from so-called 'commercial' projects, we have now booked venues for future events.

You can read feedback from our last event here. With attendees telling us it was the "best training they had ever been on" and that "we should add life coaching to our list of skills," it's fair to say we were blown away by the reaction.

We are keen to make sure that the sessions are excellent value and that journalists can find them genuinely worthwhile. We've deliberately kept the price realistic in the hope that people whose circumstances have changed can join us. And we're offering a discounted price for journalists who have recently been made redundant. Places are limited to ensure feedback is specific enough to attendees' particular questions.