Olivia and Johanna

Journalism and PR Training: welcome to our site

2009-12-22T17:58:00.012Z

Welcome to Olivia and Johanna's training blog.

If you're visiting this site, chances are you've either enrolled on one of our courses or you're interested in taking one.

This blog will answer any questions you have about our offline training workshops for journalists and PR professionals, and the online correspondence courses we run, as well as our bespoke training services.

You can find out what our courses cover, how much they cost, how they work and what past delegates have had to say about our training.

You can also find out more about Olivia Gordon and Johanna Payton - the two experienced (and very friendly) journalists who run the courses.

Read on for more about:

The Ideas & Pitching correspondence course

The Successful Freelance Journalism workshop

Our PR training workshops

And if you'd like the rest of the lowdown you can:

Find out how the correspondence courses work

Book your place on our correspondence courses

Read testimonials from past delegates

Read more about Olivia

Read more about Johanna

* Photo taken by Nina Hollington.

Ideas and pitching: 4 week correspondence course

2009-12-22T17:57:00.052Z

NEXT COURSE MONDAY FEBRUARY 6 - FRIDAY MARCH 2 2012

'I just wanted to share with you the successes I've had since the pitching course because it's all down to what I learned with you. I've had a great week this week and have now written two pieces for Take a Break, a piece for Grazia, and have a commission for a piece for YOU. My working life has been transformed by the course and it moved me along from 'trying' to be a journalist to succeeding as a freelancer.'

'I studied journalism in a degree that cost $45,000. I found your course much better and more enjoyable - it's much more focused, practical and professionally oriented. It's a good feeling to know you're being taught by people who continue to work successfully in the field, rather than former journalists.'

'I did half a course in freelance journalism at The City Lit, but learned more from just the first week in this one than all I learned there.'

'I've just got my first ever commission from the Daily Mail! Thank you VERY much for all your help, I never would have got that without doing the course.'

'It was the best investment I’ve ever made for developing my career. My pitching has been totally re-vamped!'

'I have been on six Press Association courses and none come close to yours!'

'Excellent value for money, would have happily paid for another 4 weeks.'

'I have had two features from the course commissioned!'

'Within weeks of finishing, one of the pitches I'd worked on during the assignments was commissioned. Financially, this more than paid for the course. More importantly, it gave me a break into a new publication and a relationship with an editor I hope will commission me in future.'

'Editors are now emailing me back, whereas before my pitches were ignored.'

'Thank you SO much for your feedback and for the fantasticness of the course - it's been amazing.'

'You've given me so much confidence and inspiration. Oh, and also a touch of insomnia as I can't get to sleep at night for thinking about all these pitches.'

'This course has given me the kick start I needed to get back into writing. So much useful advice and information! This is a really excellent course with very detailed feedback from Jo, some harsh
but justifiably so, some very encouraging. In such a short length of time, I feel I’ve learnt loads.'

'[This course has been] invaluable. I’m a novelist with some freelance journalism under my belt, but I think this course will give me the confidence to describe myself as a novelist and journalist. I already feel so much better equipped to sell my ideas to editors knowing that I am putting them forward in the best way possible. I’ve already got one possible commission with a glossy after pitching them for the very first time during the course – something that is entirely down to your help and advice.'

Correspondence course trainees' post-course comments, 2010/2011

Ideas and pitching for freelance journalists: Four week correspondence course
Students who took this course have gone on to get commissions from papers and magazines including The Guardian, The Times, The Mail on Sunday You magazine, Grazia, Cosmopolitan, The Lady, The Daily Mail, The Express and Take a Break.

A completely unique and intensive remote course including detailed, individual feedback on your practical assignments, and a 30 minute telephone conference for you to 'pick the brains' of an experienced, busy and well-respected freelance journalist.

Tutors: Johanna Payton and Olivia Gordon

Class size: Maximum of 10

Cost: £250.00 per delegate

Next course date: FEBRUARY 6 - MARCH 2 2012

Course outline:

Ever wondered how the bylines of successful freelance journalists pop up in every national magazine and newspaper going?

How do they generate the killer ideas that make their way onto the page? And how do they make sure their suggestions grab the attention of editors who are being bombarded by pitches from freelancers in an increasingly crowded and competitive market?

Contrary to popular belief, most prolific freelancers are not ex-staffers or best friends with the features editor. Plenty of highly-regarded freelance journalists are pitching and selling their ideas because they know how to pinpoint stories that sell to the highest profile publications (for the best rates), and can write punchy, perfect pitches that cannot be ignored. These freelance journalists don’t wave a magic wand – they possess skills and knowledge that can be taught.

From where to source story ideas and working out what kind of features editors are looking for, to knowing how many editors to pitch to at once and negotiating a good fee for your feature, this correspondence course has been to designed to take the mystery away from the pitching process and give you the tools you need to become a successful freelance journalist, selling ideas to the markets you wish to target.

Whether you’re a pitching novice, or an experienced freelance journalist looking to enhance your pitching skills and up your hit rate, this course will help you become a confident, professional and successful pitcher. As the course can be completed from your home or office, it’s also perfect for people who can’t take time off to attend an offline course, or live too far away to travel to lectures.

The course tutors, Olivia Gordon and Johanna Payton, successfully pitch and sell their ideas to a wide and impressive range of publications. They are not former journalists harking back to a halcyon age of freelance pitching – they are experienced, professional, working journalists who know what editors are looking for right now, not ten years ago.

By sharing their own secrets and top tips, as well as giving you a real insight into the workings of an editorial office, Olivia and Johanna will provide you with top-notch training in the art of sourcing ideas that sell and pitching them successfully. Although the focus of the course is on the consumer print market (glossy and weekly national magazines and features sections/supplements in national newspapers) the skills you will learn on the course can be seamlessly transferred to niche or trade markets.

Olivia and Johanna are two highly experienced freelance journalists who have written for everyone from Grazia, LOOK, Red, EasyLiving and Sunday Times Style to Take a Break, Celebs on Sunday, The Daily Express and The Daily Mail. They also run Real Life Journalism and Successful Freelance Journalism workshops for Journalism.co.uk – the testimonials of their delegates speak for themselves.

The ideas and pitching course is suitable for beginner and moderately experienced freelance journalists and covers the following areas:

Week one: Sourcing ideas; what makes a good story, finding stories and generating ideas.

Week two: Getting ready to pitch; deciding where to pitch, matching stories to publications, pitching checklist, finding the right angle.

Week three: Pitching; crafting the perfect pitch, pitching dos and don'ts.

Week four: Pitching issues; chasing pitches, negotiating fees, writing on spec, handling rejection.

Find out how the correspondence courses work.

Ready to book?

What our correspondence course students say:

"I have had two features from the course commissioned and the phone call is a real selling point - a rare opportunity to ask lots of questions without feeling like you’re being a pain!"

"Absolutely invaluable! Essential! There’s nothing left in my new style from the way I was preparing pitches before the course at all! I have loads more confidence because I feel equipped with the right skills and more insight into how to go about pitching in a more professional manner. I did half a course in freelance journalism at The City Lit, but learned more from just the first week in this one than all I learned there."

"The course was over too quickly! Excellent value for money, would have happily paid for another 4 weeks. The feedback provided every week was invaluable and I will undoubtedly refer back to it for many years to come."

"Sent off my first ever feature pitch to Marie Claire on Friday, which I'd been working on as part of Jo and Olivia's course...I'm so pleased to get such a positive response so quickly. And it's all thanks to Jo and Olivia and their genius course and advice. I'm loving the course and will be gutted at the end of the week when it's over! If anyone's thinking of doing it, I'd really recommend. I feel miles more confident already."

"This is a fantastic course! I learnt so much from Jo and Olivia - excellent support and critique that has really helped me on the slippery slope of establishing a freelance career! I still dig out my course notes on a regular basis and got several commissions on the back of ideas generated as coursework."

"[The course has] filled in a lot of the gaps I had in my head about the whole pitching process. I think it would be hard to find a course as directly related to the specific areas I wanted to learn about. The feedback on my pitches was really helpful but more than anything I probably appreciated the phone call – there was lots of really useful stuff that came up that I hadn’t really thought about."

"[The course has] already made a big difference to my attitude. I feel a lot more positive. My pitches are a lot more professional. An excellent course! It's improved my confidence greatly and has made a real difference to how I approach pitching. I've also gained a real insight into the commissioning process, which will help me in future with tailoring pitches & generating feature ideas. I thought the format was perfect: easily digestible modules and homework assignments that really made me think. The course was comprehensive but easy to fit around work."

"Thanks so much for running this - I think it's a great course. It is useful to get some reassurance that you’re not going to look daft by sending a certain pitch. Or indeed, to be tipped off that you are going to look daft!"

"[The course] has given me both the confidence and the technique to approach a new range of publications. I really appreciated the detailed feedback, the hints and tips for finding contacts and the checklist to run through before developing a pitch. I loved the pace of this course – with time to think about the course notes and the flexibility to change the pitch I was working on within the course. The personal feedback was fantastic – I was glad it was critical as that was more constructive. Plus, it made the praise at the end feel very motivational!"

"I have been on six Press Association courses and none come close to yours! I think this course has been very useful and I hope to put my newfound knowledge into practice as soon as possible. It boosted my confidence and gave me the push I needed to start approaching editors. That alone was worth the money. When you start out as a freelance it is all a bit of a mystery, so to find out from people already doing the job how to crack the industry was fantastic. The feedback was always helpful and constructive and my questions at the bottom always answered fully. It was a great course and I will be recommending it. It was excellent value for money. The chat at the end of the course is a very good idea."

"It was very helpful to have so many examples of pitches, good and bad, included within the course notes. The phone one-to-one was also very useful to address my individual concerns. Everything was useful in terms of refreshing my knowledge. Thanks Jo and Olivia for all your help!"

"I just wanted to share with you the successes I've had since the pitching course because it's all down to what I learned with you. I've had a great week this week and have now written two pieces for Take a Break, a piece for Grazia, and have a commission for a piece for YOU. My working life has been transformed by the course and it moved me along from 'trying' to be a journalist to succeeding as a freelancer."

"Very useful. It has given me a good framework for pitching. I can see where I am going wrong. I'll also make use of the resources mentioned. Ways to generate new ideas were also inspiring and helpful. Thanks so much for an inspiring course."

"I can't praise enough the quality of advice I received on this course."

"I studied journalism in a degree that cost $45,000. I found your course much better and more enjoyable - it's much more focused, practical and professionally-oriented. It's a good feeling to know you're being taught by people who continue to work successfully in the field rather than former journalists. It was brilliant to look in detail at the dos and don'ts of pitching; it was also really useful to have personalised feedback on my pitches. The course has been extremely useful. I really liked its flexibility and tailored nature and I've already recommended it."

"Very useful. It has taught me how to write better pitches and what has legs and what hasn't. The course structure is spot on. The detailed feedback, which was in excess of what I expected, has been really helpful."

"It was a very comprehensive guide to freelancing. You provided tons of practical information and advice and I also liked having the real life examples to refer to. I’m already using your information as a mini reference library! It was all relevant. It was great to get individual feedback and you hit the right tone with this – both honest and constructive. I also felt encouraged throughout the course."

"MANY THANKS, both of you! Your course has given me the confidence to get out there and keep going! I've already had very constructive feedback from two editors and that's just in one week. I had the right sort of ideas but needed to hone them and this course has done that. I now have a blueprint of what to do and how to do it. I'd certainly recommend it."

"I've just got my first ever commission from the Daily Mail! Thank you VERY much for all your help, I never would have got that without doing the course."

"Thank you SO much for your feedback and the fantasticness of the course - it's been amazing."

"This course absolutely transformed my pitching skills. Within weeks of finishing, one of the pitches I'd worked on during the assignments was commissioned by an editor I had never pitched to before. Financially, this more than paid for the course but, more importantly, it gave me a break into a new publication and a relationship with an editor I hope will commission me in future."

Successful freelance journalism

2009-12-22T17:54:00.001Z

Olivia and Johanna run a one-day Successful Freelance Journalism workship for Journalism.co.uk.

This masterclass on how to be a successful freelance journalist will help anyone thinking of working as a freelance journalist, as well as new freelancers, or those who are already working in the field but want a refresher to up their game.

Led by two experienced and in-demand freelance journalists, the course provides a comprehensive and practical introduction to everything freelance journalists need to know, from how to pitch ideas and getting paid work, to building relationships with editors and making sure you get your fee on time.

Click here for details of our next course.

PR Masterclass

2009-12-22T17:51:00.101Z

Unique PR Masterclass: Next Date Wednesday April 25th 2012, central London

'Extremely helpful! Real, honest and practical advice that I could not wait to turn into practice. Just one day later I was able to pitch one of our case studies to one of the biggest women's glossies in the UK...the photoshoot is next week!' Bianca Mercer, Parship

'Jo and Olivia were fantastic. They really helped me to hone down my pitches and understand exactly what journalists are looking for. Pitching has been a lot smoother since!' Kim Atkins, Relate
'Olivia and Johanna’s PR Masterclass was fantastic. A day later I’m already using their tips. Their honesty on the day and expert knowledge means that I can feel confident pitching to a range of media and titles.' Emma Wrafter, British Safety Council

'After 22 years in PR I still don't have all the answers (who does?) and your course was helpful in confirming some of my best practice and showing me where I can improve. Having newsworthy clients and case studies is only half the equation in PR. Pitching them is the other half! I now feel armed with essential tactics to make sure my clients' news/views are read and given a chance. Thank you for a terrific course. I learned so much and really appreciated your candid views!' Katherine Selby, PR Workshop

'It was really insightful and I have come away with a new energy
and enthusiasm for my work, and can now identify where I have been wasting my time and where I can vastly improve things! Your teaching style was brilliant – really laid back, which helped the whole class to join in with suggestions. Learnt heaps!' Hannah Torjussen, Little Brown Publishing

'I would certainly recommend the course. It was like gold dust to me!' Pat Wilson, Director, Weight Loss Resources

'It was a well thought out day and brilliant to get advice and information straight from the experts.' Clio Turton, The Soil Association

'Everything that I have learnt on the course will be extremely useful in my work, particularly the tips about approaching journalists and pitching in stories. Fantastic course, very impressed with expertise. Very useful advice.' Natalie Eales, Adhoc PR

'It was fascinating and incredibly useful to have an insight into how journalists
operate and what they want from us as PRs. Especially useful to find out why
emails don’t get opened/why pitches fail and of course the dos and don’ts
(especially the don’ts)! It seems so obvious now...but having the reasons behind this explained has helped to engrain it in my mind.' Jessica Crockett, Hay House Publishers

'Picking both your brains on approach, style, relationship-building etc is just invaluable. If only all journalists were as lovely as you both!' Sarah Wolf, Diablo PR

In response to demand, Olivia Gordon and Johanna Payton run a one-day masterclass for PR professionals and companies wanting to get journalists and editors' attention.

The focus of this unique workshop is how to communicate more effectively with the women's consumer press - in particular, winning the interest of journalists and getting clients, case studies, experts and products into national magazine and newspaper features.

Olivia and Johanna are two successful freelance journalists working across the national print media, with over 12 years of experience between them, who run hugely popular media training workshops. They know exactly what journalists and editors want - and exactly what they don't - up to the minute.

The masterclass covers:

* the stories journalists and editors take notice of;

* coming up with fantastic feature ideas and preparing perfect pitches to wow journalists;

* responding to journalist/editor case study requests to get results;

* using services such as Response Source/Askcharity wisely;

* fine-tuning approaches and emails to journalists;

* pre-interviewing case studies, spokespeople and experts and preparing them for the media.

Next course date: Wednesday 25th April 2012, 10:15am-4:30pm
Location: Friends House, Central London (opposite Euston station)
Class size: Maximum of 10
Pricing structure: £150 per delegate (for charity PRs), £200.00 per delegate (self-employed PRs) £250 per delegate (standard PR/company rate)

Please contact Olivia - olivia [at] oliviagordon.com - for more details or to book a place on our next masterclass.

More about the course leaders:

Many media trainers are ex-journalists, ex-staffers or PRs. Well-known journalists Olivia Gordon and Johanna Payton work on a freelance basis for a huge range of high-profile, national publications - the same consumer publications you are trying to target.

Ever wondered why some of your emails to journalists get ignored? Olivia and Johanna will explain the incredibly common mistakes most PRs make - and how to rise above the rest.

Delegates are invited to ask questions throughout the day to address the issues that are most pressing for them, filling the gaps in their professional knowledge. Olivia and Johanna will share super-practical 'insider' knowledge and workshop unsuccessful pitches within the group, providing specific, targeted and often priceless advice. We go the extra mile - our training really is like no other training out there.

Our workshops are always tailored to the needs and varied experiences of the group, with an emphasis on making sure every participant gets value from the day. Whether you have a few months' PR experience and want to up your game or you have many years of experience and want some journalistic fine-tuning, you'll find our courses will bring your skills up to a high level that will mark you out from your competitors. In fact, if your competitors are taking this course and you're not, you should be worried.

In addition to impressive journalistic portfolios, Olivia and Johanna are experienced - and extremely friendly - tutors, having hosted a series of hugely successful media training workshops for PRs and journalists.

The testimonials of past delegates at the PR master class speak for themselves:

'I learnt so much about the practicalities of pitching which academic courses don't tend to cover. It was also a great chance to network and meet other PR practitioners. I've already recommended the course to others as I was able to put what I learnt into practice immediately.' Angelina Lambourn, Shelterbox

'Thanks so much for yesterday and the invaluable insight into what interests a journalist – it was incredibly useful and has made me reassess the way I work with each title.' Katie Read, Katie Read Public Relations

'Everything discussed was very useful...nothing was a waste of time.' Jenny Moir, Head of PR, Canine Partners

'A fantastic day. For me it was a real reminder of the importance of getting certain key things right. I think the 'dos and don'ts' will come back into my mind time and time again - some of them I already knew, but it's good to be reminded of those too. With others, I felt myself swallow hard because I know I've made those same mistakes!' Sophie Lacey, PR manager, Splat Cooking

'The relaxed approach to the course was great. There was genuine two-way flow of information and by taking on real situations and opening up the room for everyone to speak made it absolutely relevant to everyone there. I really enjoyed the camaraderie of the other PRs – some of whom had great ideas and input from which we could all learn. All the elements we discussed are valid and relevant to my day-to-day work. I've already put key aspects into practice.' Katherine Selby, PR Workshop

'[The course was] very useful as I pitch features on a weekly, if not a daily, basis for clients. I loved being able to go through poor pitches and pick out which bits of the good ones worked and why. Obviously there are times when even the best pitch won't make it and when the finished feature won't end up in the press. Reminds me to manage client expectations just that little bit better.' Sarah Wolf, Diablo PR

'Being able to go through actual pitches and see what works and what doesn’t
was particularly useful. Found it especially helpful to bounce ideas off them both and see what would have potential to be picked up. I’ve reinvigorated my Twitter account based on their recommendations!' Emma Wrafter, British Safety Council

'Having yourselves make the points drives the message home. I found the notes on pitching to journalists very useful. Points on attracting attention and giving relevant info perfect for me in moving on to a more proactive role in my job, rather than reacting to requests.' Pat Wilson, Weight Loss Resources

'Incredibly useful; understanding the journalist / freelancer view has definitely given me focus on how to pitch ideas and respond to requests in future. [The most useful part of the course was] the simple dos and don'ts, the sharing of the good (and bad!) pitches and meeting other PRs who had experienced the same hurdles.' Helen Stott, Marketing Doris

'Hearing the journalists' perspectives and discussing sample pitches was a great recalibration exercise in empathic thinking, reinforcing the importance of how to marry one's business/PR objectives with relevant, newsworthy and ideally human angles that potential readers will be engaged by.' Kathy Heslop, Knowledge MGI

Olivia and Johanna also run private, bespoke media training sessions for companies in-house and are available to media train spokespeople and experts in any company or organisation on working with the consumer press.

For more information on any of our PR training options, an informal chat or to book a place on the next masterclass please email Olivia[at]oliviagordon.com

About Olivia Gordon

2009-12-22T17:50:00.006Z

Olivia Gordon cut her teeth as a features writer on women's magazine Real.

As a successful freelance journalist since 2006, she has written for Sunday Times Style, Times Weekend, Sunday Telegraph Stella and the Observer, as well as T2, G2, the Daily Telegraph, the Independent, the Mail and the Express. She has written for women’s magazines including Red, She, Grazia, Prima, Brides, Cosmo Bride, Psychologies, First, Shape, Allaboutyou.com and New Woman, as well as many other magazines from Wired to Sweet.

Olivia is also a published author, and does copywriting and editing as well as the occasional in-house shift on women’s magazines.

Read some of Olivia’s work online:

Are British women really more depressed than ever? An investigation of the unhappiness industry.

Why Olivia loves trash TV

Why child beauty salons are booming

What it’s like to try a Mooncup?

* Photo taken by Nina Hollington.

About Johanna Payton

2009-12-22T17:40:00.003Z

Johanna Payton has been freelance since 2002 when she launched her career with regular real life and celebrity features in 'Sneak' and the teen section of BBC Online.

Her features have since appeared in national newspapers and magazines including Grazia, Take a Break, Love It!, LOOK, Observer Woman, The Times/Sunday Times Style, Daily Express, The People, Sunday Mirror, My Weekly, More!, Woman’s Own, Practical Parenting, Maternity&Infant and Essentials.

A published author, Johanna also does in-house shifts for magazines (most recently, Look) and writes advertorial features and commercial content for clients including IPC Media, iris nation and Guardian Creative.

Read some of Johanna's work online:

I hope I'm here for Christmas - Guardian Experience

Cowgirls don't get the blues: why I love line dancing - The Daily Express

Great expectations: why women should safeguard their emotional health - The Observer

Breakups: dumpers aren't the villains - Sunday Times Style

* Photo taken by Nina Hollington.

What our students say

2009-12-22T17:05:00.015Z

'After going on the course I scored a commission worth a thousand pounds from a major national paper. I wouldn't have had the confidence or know how to pitch it before and that one commission alone will cover my course fee more than six times over.'

'Saturday's course was excellent and I feel so much less unsure about the process now. After the course I had the interview I needed set up within about six minutes (and I am not exaggerating!). I had been trying most of last week without success!'

'The course was comprehensive and excellent. It answered those little niggling questions that I couldn't answer using my own common sense and the insights you gave into working practices will, I'm sure, turn out to be invaluable. It was exactly what I needed.'

'Very useful. I have 10 years of on-staff experience, but Jo and Olivia have taught me alot about the 'other side'. I'm really going to put their generous advice into practice.'

'Absolutely fantastic at showing the reality of day to day existence as a freelancer. Left the course more confident about ability and also how to proceed.'

'I just wanted to share with you the successes I've had since the pitching course because it's all down to what I learned with you. I've had a great week this week and have now written two pieces for Take a Break, a piece for Grazia, and have a commission for a piece for YOU. My working life has been transformed by the course and it moved me along from 'trying' to be a journalist to succeeding as a freelancer.'

'Very useful. It answered all the little questions I've come across but didn't know who to ask.'

'Thanks Olivia and Jo for such a brilliant day. I have learned so much and I can't wait to put all your fab advice into practice.'

'It's given me confidence and made me believe far more strongly it's possible. A really enjoyable, interesting and informative day run by friendly, positive, unpretentious people.'

'It was a superb course as the tutors were very helpful and provided us with everything we needed to know about real life journalism. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to venture into this field.'

'Thanks again for the brilliant course! I thought the day was really well planned and structured, very thorough, and interesting at all times. Nice friendly environment - much more engaging than being lectured to. I liked that fact that there weren't too many of us, and that we sat around the table so the whole day was more of a discussion than a lecture. Everyone was encouraged to contribute and share experiences. It was great to have such detailed hand-outs at the end, so I didn't have to worry about writing notes throughout. You provided lots of helpful tips that you don't get from more general training - it was a bit more personal. And there was a lot of opportunity to ask questions. It's really helped me structure my pitches and I feel like I understand the journalists who commission real-life pieces much better now.'

'I thought that the course was really helpful, very good value for money and I also made some good contacts out of it. I don't know if there is anything else like it around. Also, it was quite inspiring just hearing you speak about all the publications you have written for. Will definitely recommend it to my fellow hacks!'

'Useful, in that it gave me some pointers as to where to find case studies; how to deal with editors; and how to handle interviewees re fees, etc. Very good style and pitch. If ever I am asked to find a transsexual Ecuadorian with 7 children all of whom were breastfed to the age of 22 I will think of J and O!'

'I found Olivia and Jo were very approachable and down to earth. The course was packed with practical information and handouts, and other people chipped in with their own experiences and questions. There was no time wasted.'

'I thought it was well-organised, comprehensive and relevant. I found you both sincere, professional and genuinely keen to help. It was great fun too!'

'Thanks for the fantastic course on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt so much. I'll let you know when I get my first commission.'

'Thanks so much for the fabulous course on Saturday. It was great hearing your experiences and gaining insight into the magazine world. Would definitely like to attend any other courses you offer and would recommend you to anyone.'

'I found the course extremely useful, particularly all the tips and advice for pitching to, and writing for, glossy magazines, which I have found much more difficult to crack than newspapers. I picked up a lot of really useful nuggets of information I could never have figured out for myself. The handouts were fantastic too - the best I've had from a training course.'

'To sub a heartfelt story to reasonable length, this course was easily worth the fee, the return flight from Dublin, the hotel - all three.'

'A fantastic course. Jo and Olivia's approach was friendly and informative and their handouts comprehensive. I'm just starting out in freelance journalism and I very much appreciated their honest and realistic presentation of the way this branch of the media works. They were very down-to-earth and their love of what they do shone through. I thought the course was great from start to finish.'

'I have had two features from the course commissioned and the phone call is a real selling point - a rare opportunity to ask lots of questions without feeling like you’re being a pain!'

'Thanks so much for running this - I think it's a great course. It is useful to get some reassurance that you’re not going to look daft by sending a certain pitch. Or indeed, to be tipped off that you are going to look daft!'

'[The course] has given me both the confidence and the technique to approach a new range of publications. I really appreciated the detailed feedback, the hints and tips for finding contacts and the checklist to run through before developing a pitch. I loved the pace of this course – with time to think about the course notes and the flexibility to change the pitch I was working on within the course. The personal feedback was fantastic – I was glad it was critical as that was more constructive. Plus, it made the praise at the end feel very motivational!'

'I have been on six Press Association courses and none come close to yours! I think this course has been very useful and I hope to put my newfound knowledge into practice as soon as possible. It boosted my confidence and gave me the push I needed to start approaching editors. That alone was worth the money. When you start out as a freelance it is all a bit of a mystery, so to find out from people already doing the job how to crack the industry was fantastic. The feedback was always helpful and constructive and my questions at the bottom always answered fully. It was a great course and I will be recommending it. It was excellent value for money. The chat at the end of the course is a very good idea.'

'It was very helpful to have so many examples of pitches, good and bad, included within the course notes. The phone one-to-one was also very useful to address my individual concerns. Everything was useful in terms of refreshing my knowledge. Thanks Jo and Olivia for all your help!'

'It was a very comprehensive guide to freelancing. You provided tons of practical information and advice and I also liked having the real life examples to refer to. I’m already using your information as a mini reference library! It was all relevant. It was great to get individual feedback and you hit the right tone with this – both honest and constructive. I also felt encouraged throughout the course.'

'I've just got my first ever commission from the Daily Mail! Thank you VERY much for all your help, I never would have got that without doing the course.'

'Very useful. It has given me a good framework for pitching. I can see where I am going wrong. I'll also make use of the resources mentioned. Ways to generate new ideas were also inspiring and helpful. Thanks so much for an inspiring course.'

'I studied journalism in a degree that cost $45,000. I found your course much better and more enjoyable - it's much more focused, practical and professionally-oriented. It's a good feeling to know you're being taught by people who continue to work successfully in the field rather than former journalists. It was brilliant to look in detail at the dos and don't of pitching; it was also really useful to have personalised feedback on my pitches. The course has been extremely useful. I really liked its flexibility and tailored nature and I've already recommended it.'

'Very useful. It has taught me how to write better pitches and what has legs and what hasn't. The course structure is spot on. The detailed feedback, which was in excess of what I expected, has been really helpful.'

'MANY THANKS, both of you! Your course has given me the confidence to get out there and keep going! I've already had very constructive feedback from two editors and that's just in one week. I had the right sort of ideas but needed to hone them and this course has done that. I now have a blueprint of what to do and how to do it. I'd certainly recommend it.'

'Thank you SO much for your feedback and the fantasticness of the course - it's been amazing.'

'I can't praise enough the quality of advice I received on this course.'

'This course absolutely transformed my pitching skills. Within weeks of finishing, one of the pitches I'd worked on during the assignments was commissioned by an editor I had never pitched to before. Financially, this more than paid for the course but, more importantly, it gave me a break into a new publication and a relationship with an editor I hope will commission me in future.'

* Photo taken by Nina Hollington.

How our correspondence courses work

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This unique course stands out from other media training schemes thanks to the highly personalised, detailed individual feedback students receive on their practical assignments. You'll also have an individual, 30 minute telephone Q&A with Olivia or Johanna at the end of the course, which is a great opportunity to make the most of their knowledge and experience. In effect, you'll have not just one but two personal mentors! We also run a post-course mentoring scheme for students who want to continue to have ongoing support.

Olivia and Johanna take the tutoring and assignment feedback in weekly turns, so you’ll have the support of two tutors.

Every Monday morning by 10am you’ll be emailed course notes to study and a practical assignment to practise what you've learned, workshopping your own ideas and pitches for features.

Delegates will also be able to discuss the tools and techniques of each lesson with one another on the private students' blog.

You’ll send your completed assignment back to your tutor by 12pm each Thursday, together with any questions you may have on that week’s topic, and on Monday morning, along with your new course notes and assignment, the tutor will reply, giving you personal, practical and constructive feedback and responses to your completed ideas, pitches and queries, making sure you stay on track. (In the final week of the course, the deadline for completed assignments will be 9am on Thursday and the tutor will return them by 1pm on Friday.)

On the final Friday afternoon of the course you’ll have a one-on-one phone Q&A of up to 30 minutes with either Olivia or Johanna, in which you can ask any final questions.

Is this course for me?

Many people have asked us how many hours they will need to dedicate to the correspondence course, and whether it is only suited to absolute beginners - or experienced journalists.

The idea of the correspondence course is to make it manageable and practical; so exercises such as preparing a pitch are what a serious freelance contenders, newbies to the game, or experienced freelancers looking for additional income streams, are willing to do in their spare time. Delegates shouldn't be spending any longer than an hour or two on each exercise - and there is one exercise per week.

We also expect delegates to spend time reading the correspondence lectures, as this is crucial and valuable advice, and we also want you to spend an hour or so each week reading and researching. This shouldn't be too disruptive, whatever your circumstances, and we aim to pass on years' worth of experience in just four weeks.

The ideas and pitching course is suitable for freelancers with a little pitching experience as well as those with considerable experience who are lacking in confidence, have made the leap from staff journalist to freelance, or just want a boost. Total beginners are also welcome on the course, though a basic knowledge of journalism pre-course will help you get the most from it.

The course is designed so that you will be pitching out a fully-fledged idea at the end of it and hopefully getting a commission that (at least) refunds the money you spent on the course. This has happened with past delegates who have attended the workshops (see our testimonials page). Doing this course is about understanding the process of sourcing an idea, finding the right publication and crafting the perfect pitch - all this should become second nature with practice and the course is designed to quickly and effectively teach you that process.

The main benefit of the course is that you'll get individual tuition and feedback from experienced tutors, whose knowledge and skill can help you to make real inroads with your freelance career - and our main aim is to help you score a commission that refunds your course fee as soon as you have completed the course.

As two busy and hard working freelancers we know how precious time is, and so we haven't designed excessively administrative courses; they are tailor made for those who are working, with busy lives, and to pay serious dividends, whatever your level of experience.

Booking/enquiries

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If you'd like to book on our correspondence course or a PR course, or have an enquiry, please copy and paste this form and email it to olivia@oliviagordon.com - we will then respond answering any questions, and if required, giving you a full booking form and details of how to pay by cheque or bank transfer:

Thank you for your interest in booking a place on one of our correspondence courses or PR training courses. (For bookings and enquiries about our other courses, please visit the dedicated course pages at Journalism.co.uk).

Please indicate the courses you are interested in:

Ideas and Pitching
PR Masterclass
Bespoke PR training

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