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Boot Camp for Magazine Editors

Course is closed.

DURATION/TIME
4 weeks
Tuesdays
February 15-March 8
7-10 p.m.

LEVEL
This class is taught at an intermediate/advanced level. This class is for editors who want to be stronger managers, junior editors who want the skills to jump to the next level, and writers who work closely with editors on a regular basis.

LOCATION
Santa Monica

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
more info

Course Details

Journalism school doesn't teach you how to be a magazine editor. So where are you going to learn what it really takes? If you already have the type-A personality and a sense of humor, this class will guide you through all the rest of the awkward phases, from finding original story ideas to handling kill fees. This class will give you advice on everything you didn't even know to ask about. You'll edit at least four pieces, master the assignment letter, and delve into the writer-editor relationship. This class will be a mix of lecture, discussion, and in-class critique of weekly homework assignments. Each class will require at least one reading and an editing assignment. Students will learn how to edit various styles of articles and master the art of managing freelancers. This is a rigorous class for students who are interested in building on the experience they have to master editing, people skills, and the art of magazine-making. Expect at least three hours a week of outside-of-class work.

In this class, you can expect to learn:
  • How to edit a variety of stories from the front-of-the book piece to the literary profile. We'll discuss story structure, what makes a compelling lede, how to revise without rewriting, plus copy editing marks, clichés to avoid, and all the other minutiae that come with being an editor.
  • How to avoid the heartbreak of bad copy by building a Rolodex, choosing the best writer for the assignment, and setting them up to succeed.
  • How to craft a revise letter that gets the results you need. Plus, you'll uncover a few tricks for managing relationships with freelance writers.
  • How to analyze magazines and generate story ideas. We'll also workshop a story-idea meeting presentation for each student's targeted magazine.
By the end of class, students can expect to have:

An understanding of the editing business, where you are and where you want to go; essential skills and systems for editing; the ability to assign and work with writers; and the skills to prepare for your dream job.

Admission requirements:

Applicants should be involved in staff editorial work in some capacity or be freelancers who work with editors. To apply, you must submit a letter of interest, including a brief work history and your desired outcome for this class. You will be critiquing articles from magazines, so it may be necessary to buy a magazine per week.

Instructor Bio

Lew Harris's Courses

No courses available at this time.

Lew Harris
Lew Harris started his career at the University of Missouri, where he was editor of the campus newspaper, which won an All-American award during his tenure. After getting his bachelor's in journalism, he went to the Chicago Tribune, first as a reporter then as an editor of the Daily Features and Sunday Features sections. During his five years there, he created prototypes for both the Sunday and Weekend entertainment sections that are still being followed today. He left to be features editor of the Riverside, California, Press-Enterprise, then hit L.A. and Los Angeles magazine, eventually becoming editor-in-chief and winning several California Magazine Awards. In 1995 he became entertainment editor of People Magazine, and left in 1996 to create E! Online, now the number-one entertainment site on the web with daily page turns averaging 5 to 10 million. After a brief stint at IFILM, as editor-in-chief, he then became senior editor of the new Us Weekly. Lew is married to entertainment attorney Marcia Harris and has two (grown) children.




Testimonials


I'll never procrastinate over writing pitch letters again after taking mb's Boot Camp Class for Journalists taught by Lew Harris. When I signed up for Lew's class I had three years of experience as an arts and entertainment contributor to The Los Angeles Times' Community Newspapers. Most of my stories were assigned to me by my editor. I had managed to sell a few pieces on my own to other sections of the Times but I felt like I wasn't doing enough to get published elsewhere because I dreaded the pitching process. It wasn't until Lew's class and his frank feedback that I realized that I'd been giving away too much of the story in my pitches. Lew is a very friendly and down-to-earth teacher. He's supportive and insightful. His no nonsense approach to my ideas and my work helped me refine my writing process. He helped me become a more efficient and succinct writer. During class I pitched and sold a feature story to the L.A. Times Weekend Calendar section in less time than it usually took me to just draft a pitch letter. As a result, I'm more confident about writing pitches which also helped me establish a connection with a national newspaper. Since Lew's class I've sold stories to The Christian Science Monitor. -- Katherine Tolford, freelance writer

"Lew was great. Since Boot Camp, I have published 62 pieces for TheStreet.com, will be completing a masters at Columbia J-School in 3 weeks and took a job as a reporter in the Washington bureau of Reuters beginning June 1." -- Joel Rothstein, former boot camper

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