The program instils confidence. A confidence that yes, you can write and yes, people will read it.
When I was 7, I stumbled across a dust-ravaged typewriter that my grandmother had sequestered in the cupboard under our stairs. The drafty, lurid cupboard that I rarely dared open. The one we affectionately named the cubby hole.
I am glad I did.
When I tinkered on the keys, black smudged splodges came to life on the crumpled page. Not quite decipherable letters, she needed a thorough clean. None the less I was overjoyed, overjoyed that words could appear on a page in such fashion.
My words, my thoughts.
I will take a moment to say that I fully appreciate the power of technology in journalism, while realising that metal fingers marking a page might, to the youth of today, seem ludicrous. But on that day, romanticism seeped into my pores and like indelible ink, it stayed with me.
And that’s where it stopped, for a while.
Itchy feet accompanied the itchy fingers. Wanderlust propelled me around the world. I relished stumbling upon old bookstores and drowning in the folklore of a far-flung village. Writing was always in the recesses of my mind, but I never quite knew how to put those thoughts onto paper in a coherent manner. I wanted to convey meaning yet inspire.
And in stepped the British College of Journalism.
The framework on which the professional diploma hangs so beautifully ensures that you learn the essentials in an understandable and dynamic fashion. Judy, my tutor, was extremely supportive. Guiding me, questioning me, propositioning me, to get the best from me.
‘Never say in 5 words what you can say in 2’ still courses through my veins.
The program instils confidence. A confidence that yes, you can write and yes, people will read it.
I have been writing about luxury travel now for over 12 years.
I am still learning every day and every day is different. In such a fast-paced environment, a sound foundation is essential, and the British College of Journalism offers this. Take it.
I will forever be grateful to the typewriter, my grandmother, my editor, and The British College of Journalism.
