Jour 202
Feature & Magazine Article Writing
Section 01
Jepson G-23
Kathleen Phalen, Instructor
katep@cstone.net
kphalen@richmond.edu

About the course
In today's competitive publishing arena, feature writers must craft intriguing narrative in a distinctive voice. The need for in-depth reporting and research is critical for composing captivating scenes, believable dialogue and unique structures. That's why this professional-level feature writing course focuses on these elements. During our 14 weeks together you will write, revise and write again. You will learn to go beyond the superficial, to dig for the hidden story, the gem of a quote, the tale that makes readers, laugh, cry, or even get angry. You will discover that provocative writing takes work, that provocative writing is rewarding and fun.

It is my intention that stories written for this course be submitted for professional publication. I will help you maneuver that sometimes uncertain path. Feature ideas for assignments will be submitted to me in query-format as though I am a magazine editor, you a freelance writer. This will help you focus your stories and practice submission guidelines.

Course texts

Guide to Writing Magazine Nonfiction, by Michael J. Bugeja, Paperback
ISBN: 0-205-26113-2 Allyn & Bacon

The Orchid Thief, by Susan Orlean, Paperback ISBN: 044900371X
Publisher: Ballantine $14.00

The Best American Travel Writing 2002, edited by Frances Mayes
Paperback ISBN: 0-618-11880-2 Houghton Mifflin $13.00

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2002, edited by Natalie Angier Paperback: ISBN: 0-618-13478-6 Houghton Mifflin, $13.00

Reading: You are required to read assigned sections of the Sunday New York Times, the New York Times Magazine (Sunday); creative non-fiction literary journals such as Creative Nonfiction, Granta, DoubleTake, the Sun; magazines such as Scientific American, Discover, Esquire, GQ, Oxford American, The New Yorker, Harper's, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic Monthly

Attendance: Attendance is required. Since we meet only twice a week, more than two absences will affect your final grade unless an official excuse has been provided. If you do miss class it is your responsibility to obtain class notes, assignments, hand-outs. You are required to contact me before class about the absence. (e-mail is fine) After-the-fact notification--except in the case of an emergency with an official excuse-will not be accepted. If you do not miss any classes, I will drop your three lowest class work or homework grades. (that could add as much as 30 points to your total earned points) If you miss more than two classes, your final point value (based upon 1000 total earned points) will drop 10 points for each additional class.

Deadlines: Since writers must meet deadlines, no late assignments will be accepted.

Copy preparation:
Double-space all copy.
On page one in the upper left hand corner type:
Name
Address
Phone
E-mail
Story slug and work length
Title and subtitle
On all subsequent pages in the upper right-hand corner type:
Last name, slug, add 2 of 4; last name, slug, add 3 of 4, etc.
All stories must have sources listed at the end and how the interview was conducted: In-person, telephone, e-mail.

Grades:
Your work is evaluated according to professional standards. Grades are based upon performance. Criteria include creativity, uniqueness, news value, content, quality of reporting, number of sources, spelling, AP Style, lead and kicker, body structure, flow, pacing, accuracy, completeness.
A=Publishable, meets professional standards
B=Publishable, minor editing
C=Needs substantial editing, or serious error
D=Requires extensive rewriting or multiple errors
F=Unpublishable

Grading based upon a 1000 potential total points
A = 950-1000 A- = 900-949
B+ = 870-899 B = 830-869 B- = 800-829
C+ = 700-799 C = 730-769 C- = 700-729
D+ = 670-699 D = 630-669 F = 629 and below

Assignments and point values:
In-class assignments and homework: 75 points
Lead book: 75 points: A notebook containing a lead you like from a feature story and your draft of a lead in that style. One per week. Book due on March 25, 2:15 p.m.

Query letters: 75 points: Four query letters, one for each feature. Due, Jan. 16, Pop Culture; Feb. 11, profile; Feb. 13, health science; Feb. 20, travel. Query letters are one-page, tightly written. What is the topic? Theme? Why this story? Why now? Audience? Why are you qualified to write this story? What sources will you use?

Pop culture feature (800-1,000 word): 150 points, Due Feb. 6, 2:15 p.m.
Science/health feature (1,200 word): 200 points, Due March 20, 2:15 p.m.
Narrative travel feature (800-1,200 word): 150 points, Due April 1, 2:15 p.m.
Profile (final exam) (2,500-3,000 word): 300 points, Due finals week, day and time of scheduled exam.

Features may be re-written; grades will be averaged for a higher grade.

Plagiarism: The easy access to sources provided by the internet has brought about a rash of plagiarism cases on campuses across the country. This involves taking someone else's words and using them as your own. Not only is this illegal but it is unethical and an honor code violation. If you are involved in plagiarism on any paper in this course, you will automatically flunk the course. It is fine to use material --narrative, quotes and indirect quotes--as long as you provide sources for each so that it is clear to the reader where the information comes from.

Help
As a working journalist, I understand the challenges writing often presents and I am willing to help you in any way I can. Please ask me for assistance, sometimes talking a story problem through is necessary. My fellow writers and I do it all the time. The best way to do this is through e-mail.

Detailed Project/Assignment Summary Given with Each Assignment/Project

Class and Assignment Schedule
Note: All classes will begin with a 10-minute freewrite exercise to get you going and a reading of leads from lead book. Selected feature articles and other reading assignments will be given in class. Reading listed for each week are due for that week unless otherwise noted. Features may be re-written and re-written; grades will be averaged for a higher grade.
Week one:
What is feature writing? How does it differ from news writing? Discuss features gathered over break. Audience, ideas, topic, theme. Read: Bugeja, Chapters one through three. Discussion of pop culture stories. Begin reading The Orchid Thief.
Week two:
Information gathering. The magazine interview. Sensory information. Research Methods. Read: Bugeja, Chapter four. Read: Pop culture story TBA. Query letter with two pop culture story ideas due on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Week three:
Time elements. Narration. Expansion and contraction of time. Present and past tense. Chronological, weaving from past to present. Transitional moments. Point of view and tone. Read: Bugeja, Chapters five and six. Read: Excerpt, The Things They Carried, The Lives of the Dead, by Tim O'Brien and "Crime and Punishment," by Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated. Begin pop culture story.
Week four:
Endings. Revision. In-class workshop of pop culture drafts. Read: Bugeja, Chapter eight.
Week five:
Pop culture feature due, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2:15 p.m. Preparing for the profile. Discussion of the Orchid Thief. Begin discussion of health/science feature. Writing science and health stories, challenges, quirks and tips, putting a face on the science. Read: (due for week six) from Best American Science Writing, "Why McDonald's Fries Taste So Good," by Eric Schlosser, Atlantic Monthly; "I Have Seen Cancers Disappear," by Judith Newman, Discover; "The Sting of the Assassin," by Peter Stark, Outside.
Week six:
Query due Tuesday, Feb. 11, profile personality. Query due Thursday, Feb. 13, health science feature. More on science writing. Start reading stories for discussion in week seven(library will place online): "Killing Chickens," by Meredith Hall, Creative Nonfiction; "My Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams," by Nasdiff, GQ; "God, Glass and LSD," by Greg Bottoms, Creative Nonfiction; "Fish Cheeks," by Amy Tan, Seventeen; "Notes on My Dying," Ruthann Robson, Creative Nonfiction; "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved," by Hunter S. Thompson. Take notes and be prepared to discuss structural elements, use of narration, description, dialogue, time elements, point of view. Be prepared for in-class graded exercise tied to these stories.
Week seven:
Structural elements, section story, story within a story, narration, beat, memoir, lyrical. Begin science/health feature. Query due Thursday, Feb. 20, travel feature.
Week eight:
Travel writing, the good, the bad and why. Read: From Best American Travel Writing, "Below Canal Street," by Scott Anderson, Esquire; "Throw Junior From the Car," by William Booth, The Washington Post Magazine; "Postcards from the Fair," by Kevin Canty, The Oxford American.
March 3 and 6 Spring BreakHave Fun! Take notes for your travel story.
Week nine:
In-class workshop of science/health drafts. Submitting for publication.
Week ten:
More on profiles. Beat, rhythm, flow. More on publishing. Science/health features due Thursday, March 20, 2:15 p.m.
Week eleven:
In-class workshop travel drafts. Lead books due, Thursday, March 25, 2:15 p.m.
Week twelve:
Describing people, getting to the heart, getting real, the dark sides too.
Travel features due Tuesday, April 1, 2:15 p.m.
Week thirteen:
In-class workshop, profiles.
Week fourteen:
Wrap-up. All re-writes due, Tuesday, April 15, 2:15 p.m.
Final exam: Personality Profile due during exam week, scheduled exam day and time.