WHEN Monday, June 19, 7-10 p.m. WHERE San Francisco Friends Meeting 65 Ninth Street San Francisco, Calif. 415-756-7469 MORE INFO Email learnwest@mediabistro.com, or call (310) 659-5668. PRICE $65 ($50 for ) more info

Course Details

What do successful magazines, Web sites, newsletters, and even marketing materials have in common? Short, lively blasts of information that draw readers in, despite their dwindling attention spans and growing number of choices in media. Publications of all genres rely heavily on brief, focused stories to whet audiences' appetites and entice them into reading longer, headier stuff. (It's a great way for beginning freelancers to break into writing, too.)

Yet writers and editors often struggle with relating information in, shall we say, capsule format. So, how do you tell a story in a few hundred words -- or less?

In this hands-on, three-hour seminar, you can expect to learn:

• The pluses and pitfalls of keeping copy short
• How to judge/decide just how long any given story should be
• How to turn a mountain of information into a short, focused item
• Tricks for trimming copy without sacrificing content
• Ways to maximize the editorial real estate on a given page

Instructor Bio

Rebecca Smith Hurd's Courses

Rebecca Smith Hurd is an all-around word nerd whose journalism career spans more than 20 years. For the past three, she's maintained a successful freelance business as an editor, writer and communications consultant. Hurd specializes in producing clear, concise and clever copy -- and enjoys helping others do the same. Her job experience includes a six-year stint (2000 to 2006) as assistant managing editor of Wired, which during her tenure earned three nominations and won a National Magazine Award for general excellence. She holds a bachelor's degree in news reporting and editing from San Jose State University.

Testimonials

Rebecca's material was fresh, the assignments interesting, and she was a fun, dynamic, informative speaker. My experience with Rebecca has made me eager to sign up for other classes with mediabistro. -- Trina Enriquez, copy editor, Sunset Magazine

"Rebecca provides valuable information about copy editing and hilarious anecdotes from the publishing world. Her teaching style engages, informs, and entertains." -- Evan James

"I highly recommend studying with Rebecca. She designed a thorough and challenging curriculum and taught it with wit and warmth. She was highly accessible and always on point." -- Corey Williams

"Rebecca has a vast expanse of knowledge and is more than happy to let students pick her brain while challenging them to improve." -- Lindsay Sandor