Writing and Journalism Courses

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WRITING INDUSTRY.

Professional writing skills are nurtured and developed throughout the course. Writers are both employed (eg. by publishers and advertising companies), and work freelance. The publishing industry is much more than just writing. It employs editors, graphics technicians, photographers, artists, salesmen, clerks and managers. You learn about the whole industry; and lay a foundation to develop more specialised skills if you so choose.
There are four core units ie. Management, Office Practices, Business Operations and Marketing Foundations. A further three units cover publishing and writing. A workplace project on the publishing industry involves the final 200 hrs of study.

Refine your skills and write like a professional

This is an ideal course to follow Freelance Writing - it is for people who have existing skills in Freelance Writing, but who need to improve their overall technique and develop a more "commercial" approach to their work. Learn about the key elements of different genres of writing. Improve your overall technique and develop a more "efficient" approach to your work.

Nurture your Creativity, and Become a Successful Writer

To be successful as a creative writer, you need to develop not only writing skills; but also a technique and an ability to distil your ideas, focus on a project and follow that project trough to it's conclusion. Creative writing is stimulating, but also challenging, and not always completely what the student expects it to be. Then again... if it was what you expect; you would already know what this course sets out to teach you, and you would already probably be a successful writer.

If you want to be a successful, creative writer; and have the commitment to follow that dream; this course could be the path you have been looking for.

ACHIEVE YOUR POTENTIAL AS A JOURNALIST WITH THIS CERTIFICATE.

The full certificate involves thirty lessons, covering: Introduction to Writing; Writing Skills; The Publishing World; Planning What You Write; Magazine Articles; Newspaper Articles; Graphic and Photographic Illustration; Layout Skills; Publishing; Office Organisation and Procedures; Conducting an Interview; Biographical and Fictional Story Writing; Educational and Scientific Writing; Writing a Regular Column; Newsletters and News Columns; How to Present and Sell Yourself to a Publisher.
'Many of the skills that I have learnt from this course help me on a day to day basis’.
A. Peterson, ACS Journalism student.

Fire children’s imaginations through storytelling

Children’s writing is a specialised craft. It is a rewarding, inspirational, and often demanding, branch of writing. Very few people can easily recall their own childhood, and write in a manner that children can relate to. For most, it takes many hours, months, and possibly years, to write a unique and appealing story that children will want to read. This course is designed to set you on an appropriate course for more successful writing geared to the children's market.

BE A BETTER COMMUNICATOR.

This course aims to improve your ability to communicate in all situations, whether private or professional. Poor communication is the cause of many problems in life, It can if unchecked lead to problems in a person's family life, breakdowns in friendships or difficulties in the workplace. Poor communication can be more than just saying the wrong thing. We communicate in many ways: talking, writing, body language, as well as actions and decisions we take.  This course considers Behaviour; Visual Communications; Language; Public Speaking; Conducting Meetings; Writing Letters and Reports; Communications Technology, and lots more.

Become a better communicator and live a happier and more effective life.

FULFIL YOUR DREAM AND BECOME A BESTSELLING WRITER.

Learn how to write fiction and non-fiction for profit or pleasure. Learn how to structure magazine or newspaper articles, short stories, books and more. Polish up your grammar skills with our concise, easy to follow study method. Receive constructive guidance every step of the way from professional journalists and writers.

Dan Read, a student in our Creative Writing course has recently had an article purchased for publication.  He said of the course - "I feel that the course has given me the tools and confidence necessary to make this possible."

Being paid to write things is a dream shared by many. It can be an exciting profession, but before embarking on a substantial course of study whit us or anyone else; be sure you fully understand what is involved. Some people simply don't succeed perhaps because the dream is not the same as the reality; or maybe they are simply not the right personality. This job is not just about writing well: it also requires you to be able to write fast, work under pressure. You also need to be prepared to write what an employer wants, which is not always the same as what you want. This is the reality of journalism. If you can get past these considerations, and with a bit of luck, you may be able to forge a serious career.

Dan Read, a student in our Diploma in Journalism course has recently had an article purchased for publication.  He said of the course - "I feel that the course has given me the tools and confidence necessary to make this possible." 

A solid foundation for a career in the Publishing industry.

This course is very practical, and develops a strong capacity to adapt to an industry that is changing so rapidly that it often leaves graduates of other courses behind.

Study this with a view to becoming:

• As a journalist or writer
• Publishing assistant or manager
• Web Developer
• A Marketing manager
• A Production Manager ...etc

ACS tutors are well published and successful professionals with current industry experience. Study here for an education with a strong dose of both reality and opportunity.

Learn to Write Drama.

The first step is to develop a premise (ie. A concise statement of what happens in a story).
The next step might be to develop the main characters (ie. Contrive a profile that describes who each of the main characters is)
The third step may be to develop the principal “events” (ie. Consider the dramatic events, what their cause & effect is, -what leads up to them, what happens as a result).
Next develop the sequence of main events.
Finally fill in minor events and details.

This course develops your understanding of the purposes and aims of editing, and also of what editors and proof readers do.

You will learn the importance of clear, effective writing throughout all stages of the publishing process and how editors assess manuscripts and prepare them for publication. 

This is a substantial training program and alone covers as much as some colleges cover in entire certificates or diplomas. Even if you go no further, it may be sufficient to embark on a career as a proof reader, freelance editor, copy editor or publishing assistant in a small office or home based business. For those with a passion to learn, you can use this as credit, continuing study toward a certificate, diploma or degree and increasing your skill and career prospects as you go.

The course covers: the nature and scope of editing, the role and responsibility of the editor in publishing, working with authors and publishers, the editing process and skills required, copyright and other legal concerns, indexing and referencing, varying the approach according to the kind of book, etc.

LEARN TO BE A TOP CLASS EDITOR

This course is designed for self editors, aspiring professional editors and desktop publishers. Its aim is to develop the student's understanding of the editing
processes. Develop a capacity to edit a broad range of publishing material including both print and electronic media, text and graphics, commercial and non commercial material.

Dreaming of a career in editing or publishing? This course will give you the know-how to get started, by involving you in the production of an online publication. You will learn from experience what is required, and how to go about it. You will develop your ability to edit both text and illustrations for articles and prepare layout for articles.

LEARN TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY - A USEFUL SKILL IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

This course is useful for people who wish to brush up on or improve their basic writing skills. It develops an understanding of how to write clearly and efficiently and to communicate thoughts without ambiguity.

Improve Your English Language Skills

This course will develop your knowledge of English grammar and your ability to write in English for business and study. The course is aimed at students who can write and speak basic English and wish to strengthen their English language skills, particularly their writing skills. Students will learn by reading the course notes, completing written and spoken exercises for each lesson, and submitting them for comment and correction.

WORK FOR YOURSELF DOING SOMETHING YOU ENJOY -  LEARN HOW TO BE A FREELANCE WRITER.

Many professional writers start out by freelancing. This course will show you how to write, what writing is marketable, and how to go about selling your work. Emphasis is placed on things which are important to publishers who might buy your work.

To be a successful freelance writer is partially skill, but also attitude, persistence and even a little luck.

Comment from a student in this course:   "I found the course to be extremely helpful. It has given me the confidence and the skills to present my work to publishers" D. Bond

The hardest thing is often to get your first piece(s) published. In this respect, study with this college can offer opportunities you might not find elsewhere.

• We provide opportunities for students to contribute to electronic and print media publications which our staff write for (once your skills reach an appropriate level
• Students can also submit articles for publishing in the student magazine
• Many of our staff are experienced, published writers; and are happy to provide advice and guidance to graduates of this course.

Want to use legal language better?

An understanding of legal terminology is valuable in many different situations; from crime writers who want to be more authentic in their language; to consultants and research staff working in a paralegal or political situation.

If you are a writer who needs to work with legal language; this course could be invaluable.

It’s easier than ever to start a career in publishing

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in a more creative industry? Well wonder no more. With the demise of unwieldy printing technology and the advent of desktop publishing, it is easier than ever before to become a publisher. In this course you will find out about how the industry works, learn the creative and artistic skills of the trade, learn how to market your work and develop an understanding of the ethical issues and laws relating to the field. You will also have a chance to undertake a stimulating publishing project and implement the skills you have learned.

Who should do it?

This course provides an excellent start for anyone considering self publishing or seeking employment in publishing. It is equally relevant to electronic or print publishing.

This course builds on Publishing I, covering the following:

• The Publishing Process
• Print Media, Electronic Media
• Law and the Media: Copyright, International vs National Law, Deformation, Blasphemy, Criminal Libel, Contract Law, Right to Privacy, Reporting Restrictions, Internet, CD/Film and Other Electronic Media
• Ethics and Morality: Professional Code of Conduct, Prejudice (Cultural, Economic, Political); Statistics, Digital/Photo Manipulation; War; Crime; Censorship and Freedom;
• Maintaining Impartiality; Importance of Accuracy.
• Production Systems I: From Writing to Printing
• Layout for Print Media
• Media Advertising
• Marketing and Distribution Systems: Print ,Electronic Media

Each publisher will answer the question, “What to publish?” differently. Some establish a limited repertoire of publication activities, focusing on academic books, novels, westerns, romance novels, text and educational books, informative or self-help books or material on specific topics such as health and wellbeing, ostrich farming etc., fashion or gardening magazines, music scores etc.

Other publishers will engage in a wider range of activities, publishing books, journals, monographs and newspapers in their different branches. The nature of the publishing enterprise will determine what kinds of texts they will publish, and how they choose which texts to publish.

All publishers share one thing in common though: that being their primary concern is to maintain a viable business operation.  This course focuses on the Business side of publishing.

This course develops the student's ability to write on technical matters, for both academic and general audiences. The course aims to improve your ability to write for a wide range of media including: articles for the print media (magazines, newspapers and technical journals); technical reports; proposals; instructional manuals and even marketing material. Attention is paid to different styles of writing, problems (eg. technical jargon, focus, conciseness, etc) and different ways of working (eg. Contract, in house, collaborative). On completing this course a student should have a greater capacity to write useable and marketable material, and be better able to adapt their work to a greater variety of situations.

Technical Writing may cover any of the following; and more!

Do you want to be a novelist?

This course will introduce you to the techniques you need to help you become a great fiction writer. Learn the basics of plot development, characterisation and developing your own style. Study different genres of writing and identify the characteristics that set them apart from each other. Learn how to plan a novel and submit a manuscript. Above all, learn how to turn your germ of an idea into a potentially publishable work.

Comment from one of our Writing Fiction students:

I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. Thank you for making it available"   S. Cooke

This course provides those interested in poetry with an introductory course into the different elements of poetry and how to write it.

In bringing forth the poet inside
there is no need to stem the tide
This course has a style for me and you
From sonnets to odes and even haiku
Enrol today and find your flavour
Do your creative self a favour          Kate Gibson