Workshops

Journalism and media writing courses

Covers all kinds of media writing, from news stories and features to profiles and opinion columns.

Learn the craft of writing, whether it’s for news stories, features or content marketing

Let's be blunt: this course is not for everyone.

It is not for people who want to just get by. AI can help you do that.

It is not for those who think they’re already gifted writers: because only time will eventually tell them they’re not.

This course is for journalism, publishing or communications professionals who want to be better than everyone else.

It’s for those who want to master their craft, so they can write as well as they possibly can.

Because these days, if you want to stand out, your writing has to be great.

It needs rhythm and flow, it needs to be meaningful, it needs to grab people’s attention, and it needs to be genuine and authentic.

If you’re still interested, then this is the course for you.

I’m a former Sydney Morning Herald editor and journalist with over 30 years of experience: and when I teach this course, I provide tips and techniques I desperately wish I had known at the start (or even middle) of my career.

Journalism and media writing skills course options:

Customised writing training for your staff

I run writing training for everyone from magazine and newspaper teams right through to PR, brand and content marketing agencies.

The training can cover any kind of content, from news stories, reviews and features right through to press releases, pitches, opinion pieces and case studies.

It can be tailored to suit all skill levels, from beginners to experienced writers. I can also base examples and exercises on your own content if you choose.

The course is engaging, easy to follow and above all practical.

Ask about staff training

Writing Essentials online course – self-paced and flexible

Study at your own pace, whenever and wherever it suits you.

Equivalent to a full-day workshop, this has six sessions that each take between 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

You will learn how to:

craft short, compelling sentences
write in the active voice
use positive language
cut copy
use the right tone of voice and style
strengthen your intros
show, not tell
write in plain English
put the reader first
use commas correctly
know what the correct tense is
write in the inverted pyramid style
know what people want to read
write a news feature
avoid common grammar and punctuation mistakes
proofread your own work
write great headlines.

The course is filled with plenty of exercises – as soon as you’re shown a technique, you’ll then be able to practice it.

You will receive:

a handbook and certificate (given as a PDF)
unlimited access for up to five years.

If you’d like personalised feedback or to workshop your own writing, optional one-on-one Zoom sessions can be arranged for an additional fee.

Price: US$95

Enrol now in the Writing Essentials course

Press release writing course

I also offer a half-day live webinar that will show you how to write effective press releases, in addition to giving key tips on pitching to the media.

Find out more about the press release writing course

One-on-one journalism and media writing training

Personalised one-on-one sessions are available either online or in person, allowing me to focus on the specific writing skills you want to build – and the type of content you need to write.

I see a wide range of clients, from those in journalism, communications, marketing and PR right through to those who want to learn how to write like a journalist in order to be more engaging.

Arrange a session

"Dan's writing and communication sessions were inspiring. His hands-on training has helped to improve how our team writes and has increased our confidence when editing. I highly recommend this professional development resource."

Sue Gifford

Marketing team – Carey Baptist College

"A helpful workshop which went over both the basics and pertinent points for copywriting and communications professionals."

Vanessa Gregory

Access-DGC

"Very useful workshop – highly recommended. Dan was very professional and questions and answers were welcomed. Nice and relaxed environment."

Ciarne Denham

Jaywing

"Dan was fantastic, the exercises were challenging and the content informative."

Jack Woodward

Sydney Opera House

“Dan was very responsive to creating a workshop that suited the team’s needs. His knowledge is excellent and all examples and tasks were relevant to meet the learning objectives. My team was very enthusiastic about the workshop and remained engaged throughout the whole session.”

Jo White

Director, Public Affairs, Department of Education Queensland

"Dan was fantastic, delivering the workshop in an easy-to-follow way. Dan generously answered our questions and provided great insights from his professional life. I'm looking forward to implementing the techniques."

Katherine

CropLife

"This workshop has helped me to develop a clear understanding of grammar, punctuation and copy. I've learnt about common mistakes I've been making for years – I won't now. The practice and activities helped to put it into action and I can't wait to get back to work with these skills. Thank you!"

Annie Waterworth

"Really enjoyable. Content is broad, which is great – it links all kinds of comms strategies."

Alana Doyle

Melba Support Services

"Writing and sub editing is an important part of my role. Despite my experience in journalism and content creation, Dan Kaufman’s workshop was engaging and challenging. It taught me new skills and refreshed my knowledge for several platforms and writing disciplines."

Rebekah Clark

Sydney Swans

"Loved learning how to cut my sentences and work on structure. Particularly good to get some tips for media releases and sending to journos. Great exercises to actually put theory into practice."

Amelia Quenby

Tonic PR

"Excellent refresher and insights to help my copy and news writing skills. Excited to put a lot of these teachings into practice."

Sophie Harrison

GrainCorp

"This was a fabulous workshop. It is one of the best I have attended in a long time. It is going to make my writing better. Thank you for your time today."

Daniel Johnson

Dementia Australia

"Really got a lot out of today's session."

Peter Gill

Knight Frank

"I really enjoyed the workshop. Very practical and I think it will improve my writing. Very eye opening and I had many aha moments!"

Ilana Lourival

City of Gold Coast

"Great content and very helpful to everyone. The way you engaged everyone made them feel happy to contribute and easily get responses."

Amanda Manwaring

Department of of Transport and Main Roads

"Enjoyed the format and content and how elements had been applied to our work. Thank you for a fabulous session."

Vanessa Hollidge

Reymond Communications

"Top job – I was engaged the entire time! Definitely taken away some great lessons I'll use in the future."

Jesse Welsh

Nine Entertainment

"After trawling for the right editor to teach me the trade, from square one I knew I'd found the right person in Dan. He's an incredible teacher, with amusing anecdotes to boot. After just a few sessions, I was seeing English in an entirely new way and, with his help, I knew I was ready."

Gavin A

"Dan was an engaging presenter and answered all questions well. The exercises were extremely helpful in understanding the content."

Lurline Byles

Department of Fire and Emergency Services

"Thoroughly enjoyed the workshop. It was presented in a very clear and engaging way. Thank you for sharing your knowledge."

Anna Do

"I learnt so much from this workshop. Your teaching style and passion for writing is inspiring. Thank you."

Peter Emptage

"I was really impressed with the course and the delivery was both entertaining and engaging. We covered a lot of ground."

Ewan Richmond

Yarra City Council

"Highly practical, relevant examples and extremely enjoyable. Thank you."

Jamie Ferguson

City of Sydney

"Dan is adaptable to the various audience’s requirements and has a tremendous scope of information and experience which he delivers very well."

Maggie Videan

Cancer Council NSW

Who can benefit from these journalism and media writing courses?

When I first started teaching journalism writing courses, they were targeted – not surprisingly – at journalists and editors. These days, however, most organisations are creating far more marketing and communications content than ever before, whether it’s for:

press releases
newsletters
blog posts
case studies
profiles
social media.

Regardless of what you need to write, my journalism and media writing training can give you the skills, techniques and confidence you need.

Want to know more about how to improve your journalism writing skills?

The media landscape is broader now than ever: so it's understandable if you're not sure what you need to learn or where to start.

Feel free to ask me any questions you may have

Want to know more about how to improve your journalism writing skills?

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