What our clients say about us:
  •   "Thank you for your lovely compliments, great advice and constructive feedback. I've not only...
  •   "I recently completed the 'Writing great features' course online. I found the course very in...
  •   "Thanks so much for your feedback, it really is so so valuable." ...
  •   "I thought it was an incredibly useful and insightful course. My knowledge and awareness have...
  •   "The trainer was excellent ....very useful and enjoyable." ...
  •   "Interactive and interesting." ...
  •   "I've just completed your online ContentETC module on review and test writing. It's definitel...
  •   "Thanks for going above and beyond with this. Really enjoyed getting the feedback and I recog...
  •   "Thank you very much for your feedback. You’re spoiling me! I have very much enjoyed doing...
  •   "Thanks for the fabulous course! Attached is my feature for your first round of approvals an...
  •   "Thank you! Your feedback has made me beam with delight! Thanks so much for such an informa...
  •   "Thanks for taking the time to go through my feature. It’s much appreciated. I found your...
  •   "First let me say that I really enjoyed the e-learning course on Review and test writing. It...
  •   "Many thanks for that Piers, I really enjoyed it and found it very useful." ...
  •   "Thanks for your help and direction, much appreciated." ...
  •   "You folks are brilliant at what you do over at ContentEtc! Thanks for the feedback and glad...
  •   "Thank you very much, it was very helpful to someone like me who did a writing course and nee...
  •   "Thanks for your feedback – I found both this and the online section to be very useful. I ...
  •   "Thanks for marking it. I found the course incredibly useful." ...
  •   "Thanks very much for your help and advice – you’ve provided an invaluable insight into t...
  •   "Thanks for getting back to me and for all your comments and advice throughout the course, re...
  •   "Thanks Margaret - I'm much more pleased with this now!  I really enjoyed the online course,...
  •   "Very easy. Intuitive, obvious, logical." ...
  •   "Everything was clear and easy to understand. And it had eye-catching graphics and all that."...
  •   "Overall, I thought it was very informative and surprisingly enjoyable." ...
  •   "The system was easy to use and dip in and out of. It's very useful to have summary checklist...
  •   "Both the news writing and the writing for the web courses were excellent." ...
  •   "I found the one-on-one approach very beneficial. Being able to complete the course at my own...
  •   "The sense of positive reinforcement was very welcome." ...
  •   "The exercises were cool." ...
  •   "I really enjoyed both courses and found the format a forum in which it was extremely easy to...
  •   "The course is logically laid out and the feedback is excellent." ...
  •   "Overall, the presentation and level of information I absorbed from the course was highly sat...
  •   "I found the course to be most instructive." ...
  •   "Excellent, very authoritative, yet friendly.  Understood the needs of journalists…" ...
  •   "Up to the usual high standard" ...
  •   "All of the feedback is incredibly positive." ...
  •   "We are always pleased with the reports we receive from people attending courses - everyone s...
  •   "An invaluable course.  Extremely useful particularly in terms of practical tasks, interview...
  •   "Inspiring, understanding and very knowledgeable. So far, excellent."   ...
     
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Advanced feature writing

Anyone who writes a lot of feature articles runs the risk of getting into habits, not all good!  This advanced interactive e-learning course from ContentETC prompts experienced feature writers to take a really close look at their working practices, to see where they can stretch themselves to make good features even better. 

quote"Thanks for taking the time to go through my feature.  It's much appreciated.  I found your suggestions really useful and will make sure to carry them into all future work."

Suitable for:

Print or web writers who have at least one year's experience, or who have completed the Feature writing online training course and are now ready for the next stage of their development.

You will learn:

  • What makes a great feature really stand out
  • How to plan and layout your feature for maximum effect and impact
  • The secrets of hooking your reader with your first few words
  • How dialogue, scene-setting and other techniques create reader excitement
  • The importance of variety and style flexibility in your features
  • The techniques for managing suspense, drama and intrigue
  • How to optimise quotes for maximum effect
  • Which finishing touches elevate your feature to must-read status
...and much more.
 
 What the advanced feature writer should do
 Aiming at your reader
 Hooking them in
 Using formats and structures to make information come alive
 Leading the reader with links
 Telling them something they didn't know before
 Thinking in scenes
 Borrowing from other media
 Using the right language and tone for your reader
 Paying attention to pace
 Ending well
 Informing and entertaining
 Starting well to end well
 Being clear on your big idea
 Making sure you're using the best format for your subject
 Thinking before you write
 Pulling the reader in, keeping them reading, and knowing how it will end
 Making and linking your points
 Planning so that all the parts work together and in isolation
 
 Hooking the reader in and keeping them in
 Exploring the intro options
 Varying, mixing and matching them
 Knowing what makes a good intro
 Using powerful language
 Testing for length, pace and rhythm
 Making logical links
 Creating cliffhangers and adding drama
 Pacing and polishing your copy
 Keeping an eye on quotes
 Thinking soundbite
 Making time to polish
 Painting a picture
 Getting the vital information in at the beginning
 Cutting and editing your own work
 The best endings
 Hammering home your big idea
 Adding variety with different ending options
  
.

Top tips and checklists

 Handy tips and checklists at key stages of the course.  These cover vital topics including: finding your big idea; borrowing fom other media; what to do if you're blocked; planning; playing with time; links; thinking illustrations; intros; linking and using quotes.
.Feedback from the trainer
 

Our expert trainers are here to provide you with invaluable one-to-one feedback on your progress.  Email your work and the trainer will supply you with individual guidance, comments and practical suggestions.  Then, once you've improved your work, the trainer will appraise your revised content and provide a second set of constructive comments.  This unique feedback really brings your e-learning to life and makes sure you have truly grasped - and applied - all of the key principles.

  

Timing: You can dip in and out of this e-learning course as often as you like.  It should take you approximately 1 hour in total to complete. You can go at your own pace and go back at any time, to any part of the course.

If you have any queries, we’d be delighted to help, just email us.

Please note that this e-learning course is intended for speakers of English.

Price

Advanced feature writing is £99 + VAT per user* which gives you full unlimited access to the course for one month.

If you want to add personal one-to-one trainer feedback to the course, the price is £150 + VAT.

If you feel you need feedback at a later stage, you can request it then.

* Discounted rates for multiple users are available.  The discount applies to this course or a mix of e-learning courses.

Interested?

You can:

. Buy this e-learning course now

. Try e-learning before you buy

. Meet the trainer, Margaret Coffey 

. Email us to buy this e-learning course or discuss bringing it into your company for multiple users

. Find out more information on tailored face-to-face training

About us

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We provide training for print or digital content, tailored to our clients' specific needs. Delivered through face-to-face training or via e-learning, or a combination of the two. This gives you a totally flexible approach to your learning and development, both in content and delivery.

Click through to etc-online.co.uk for more detailed information on who we are and how we work; call us on 01428 644123 or download our brochureRead more...

Training Consultants

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Learn direct from the best in the industry.  Our tutors, trainers and writing specialists are all experts in their field, and work with Europe's leading media owners, publishers and content providers to improve skills, efficiency and creativity.  With e-learning you gain their invaluable insight and the very latest techniques at a fraction of the cost of traditional training programmes.  Read more...

Contact us

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Please let us know if you want to learn more about e-learning or tailored training for print media and digital content, PR and corporate communications.

You can call us on 01428 644123, or email us to discuss your needs in more detail.

Affiliates & partners

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ETC is pleased to work with and recommend a growing number of carefully selected partners.  Meet our partners here...

Creating content

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We have a large pool of expert talent available to create high quality content for your print or digital projects.

Our award-winning writers can help you create web content, online communication or persuasive marketing copy.  Read more...