J-330 - Tentative Schedule (subject to change)
Dates
January 21
January 23
January 26
Discussion Topic
Introductions
Review Syllabus and Course
Expectations
Discuss Chapter 1 – Newspaper
Feature Stories
Readings/Assignments
Read Chapter 1
Feature Writing, Friedlander
Assignment #1: In-class Interview
Partner Story - Pair off in class and ask
your partner to tell you a travel-related
story or anecdote (e.g. favorite place
ever been or worst travel experience).
Write 300- to 500-word, third-person
feature story based on your interview.
Include direct quotes. (25 points)
Chapter 1 – Continue Discussion
January 28
Chapter 2 – Developing Newspaper
Feature Story Ideas
January 30
Read Chapter 2 – Newspaper Feature
Story Idea
Due Today: Writing Assignment #1:
Email me your in-class interview story
By 5 p.m. today
February 2
Chapter 2 – Continue Discussion
Discuss 300 Word Story
Assignment #2
(20 points)
February 4
Chapter 2 – Continue Discussion
Read Chapter 3
February 6
February 9
Chapter 3 – The Magazine Article
and Article Idea
Chapter 3 – Continue Discussion
Read Chapter 4
February 11
Chapter 4 – Researching Features
Read Chapter 5 - Interviewing
February 13
Chapter 4 – Continue Discussion
Due Today: Assignment #2:
300-word story.
February 16
Chapter 5 - Interviewing
February 18
Read Chapter 6 – Writing the
Newspaper Feature
February 20
Chapter 5 – Continue Discussion
NO CLASS TODAY
NO CLASS TODAY
February 23
Chapter 6 – Writing Newspapers
Features
February 25
Chapter 6 – Continue Discussion
Email to me today: Assignment #3:
List Story - Write a “List” story. This
could be the 5 Best Places to Eat Pizza
in a particular town or 6 Best Places to
Study or the 7 Wonders of Chicago—
just pick a list topic of your choice and
write at least 400 words. Write this in
Third person (20 points)
February 27
March 2
Review Writing Assignment #6
March 4
Chapter 7 – Writing Specialized
Feature Stories
Chapter 7 – Continue Discussion
March 6
Due Today: Assignment #4: Interesting
People in Your Backyard story –
Interview any Western Illinois
University administrator, professor or
staff person that has some kind of
unique, interesting, noteworthy or
unusual background or back story. This
could be a person who has lived, worked
or grown up in an unusual place,
conducted unusual research or had some
kind of interesting experience. This
should not be a single-source story;
interview at least one other person who
knows the subject of your story. Write
this in third person (At least 500 words).
(25 points)
Read Chapter 7 – Specialized Features
Read Chapter 8 – Marketing and
Writing Magazine Articles
March 9
Chapter 8 - Marketing and Writing
Magazine Articles
March 11
Chapter 8 – Continue Discussion
Read Chapter 9 – Writing and
Reviewing
March 13
Chapter 8 – Marketing and Writing
Magazine Articles and Handouts
Due Today: Assignment #5: Q & A
Story - Write an in depth Question and
Answer feature with a local artist,
writer, craftsperson or musician. Don’t
forget to begin with a short introductory
paragraph describing who you are
interviewing and why you are
interviewing the person. Use the formal
Question and Answer format (like a
Playboy or Rolling Stone interview)
(400-500 words) (25 points)
March 16-20
SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
March 23
Query letter handout and discussion
March 25
Chapter 9 – Writing and Rewriting
Read Chapter 10 – Legal and Ethical
Considerations
March 27
Chapter 9 - Discussion
Due Today: Assignment #6: Query
Letter – Write a one-page query letter or
e-mail to a magazine editor (specify a
real publication and an editor’s name in
your letter or e-mail. This a letter that
sells your story idea and you to a
publication. (10 points)
March 30
Chapter 10 – Legal and Ethical
Considerations
April 1
Chapter 10 - Discussion
April 3
Chapter 10 – Legal and Ethical
Considerations
Due Today: Assignment #7: First
Person Story - Write a First Person
Experience story. This should be a story
by you on something moving, life
changing, interesting or unusual that you
have done or experienced personally.
This is the only first-person story you
will write in this class. (400-500 words)
(25 points)
April 6
Chapter 10 – Continue Discussion
April 8
Chapter 10 – Continue Discussion
April 10
Handouts - Discussion
April 13
Handouts - Discussion
April 15
Handouts - Discussion
April 17
Handouts - Discussion
April 20
Handouts - Discussion
April 22
Handouts - Discussion
April 24
Handouts - Discussion
April 27
Handouts - Discussion
Review Writing Assignment #13 in
class
April 29
Handouts - Discussion
May 1
Handouts - Discussion
Review Writing Assignment #13 in
class
Due Today: Writing Assignment #9:
Profile Feature - Write a Profile of
someone with an interesting background
(interesting job, interesting upbringing,
grew up or lived in a different part of the
world, did something interesting, etc.)
(400-500 words). Make sure you include
quotes from a least one other source
familiar with the person you are
profiling. Third person (25 points)
May 4
Review Writing Assignment #14 in
class
May 6
Review Writing Assignment #14 in
class
Due Today: Writing Assignment #8:
Odd Occupation Feature - Write an Odd
Occupation/Odd Job Story (400-500
words). Think of someone with an odd
or unusual or offbeat job. Must have
direct quotes from the person you
interview and it would be good to have
quotes from someone who works with
the person or knows the person. Third
person (25 points)
Begin work on Final Paper – Longer
form magazine article
May 8
TURN IN YOUR FINAL PAPER
TODAY
LONGER FORM MAGAZINE
STORY/FINAL PAPER DUE
(100 points)
May 11-15
Finals Week
NO FINAL
THERE IS NO FINAL IN THIS
CLASS– You do not have to come
to class.
NO FINAL