When I first saw The Professional Freelance Journalism Course advertised, I carefully considered whether I could fit the study and effort needed to do a proper job for the course, to do it justice, and hopefully pass. I needed to combine the coursework with my daily training delivery and have time to continue with my writing.
The material and the tutorials were extremely well set out and easy to work through, making the tasks straightforward, which is great for busy people. For someone like me, who has spent most of their life reading and writing legal documents for the courtroom, I had to examine grammar and punctuation carefully. I received help with this through various tutorials. I also gained a great deal of advice on enhancing my writing skills in a different style. Writing in the active voice, for example, which I had not considered before, was really interesting to learn about. If I didn't understand something, I could openly contact the College or my tutor by email for assistance.
I was concerned about how long it would take to write each assignment, but I'm one to get on with things and get it done. I didn't have to burn the midnight oil. With good time management, I found time during my daily timetable to research, investigate, write, and submit the assignments on time. I stuck to a weekly basis for each assignment so I could complete all the assignments within three months.
The work I submitted to the College was dealt with exceptionally well. The assignments were marked promptly, and feedback was returned quickly with my tutor's constructive comments for improvement.
The difficulty with any new area of business is knowing how to reach the right people, and that's something the College has taught me: how to approach the right person at a publication to effectively communicate a compelling message to any editor or publisher.
I'm very grateful to the College for what I've learned. I have published two books and have been writing for the last two and a half years for an online Premier Football League website called www.wearebrighton.com. I have also written about my travel experiences around the world using a WordPress site to publish those journeys to test the water publicly.
The Professional Freelance Journalism Course has given me the confidence to try and sell further work in this area. So, what I plan to do now that I've had the training is to develop my travel writing. Having just completed a Hurtigruten Expedition Cruise in the UK, I plan to put together a title about the faraway places in the UK.
I wanted to write when I left school, but I never achieved the correct qualifications. Finally, I achieved that goal and successfully became a graduate. I received my diploma promptly, and a boyhood ambition has come true. I cannot thank the College enough, and I highly recommend the course to everyone. I will be taking the Ultimate Travel Journalism Course offered by the British College of Journalism in due course.
TO SEE MORE OF TONY’S WORK, PLEASE VISIT The Seagulls Best Ever Season: Brighton & Hove Albion 2021-2022 Season, The Seagulls Best Ever Season: The incredible story of Brighton's 2022-23 season, AND WEAREBRIGHTON.com.
