Tune up and equip your Online Publishing Toolkit

Graham F. Scott is the deputy editor of Canadian Business magazine and is well-regarded for his course The Online Publishing Toolkit offered in the Mag and Web Publishing program in the Chang School at Ryerson University. Over 7 evenings starting Wednesday Sept 14 (sign up NOW) you'll learn about: 

• Content Management Systems and current trends in content strategy
• The uses—and misuses—of cloud technologies
• HTML5, CSS3, and current trends in web design
• Principles of search engine optimization, semantics, and accessibility
• Mobile sites, apps, and responsive design
• Marketing, analytics, and ad management
• Audience development strategies and social platforms
• The economics of digital publishing (there really are some!)

The major class assignment will be setting up your own web server space, installing Wordpress blogging software and integrating some 3rd pagy services. As Scott says "This course is not intended to make you a coding genius. Instead, we want to make sure you can talk knowledgably with your IT staff, developers, and web designers about your publication's needs and ambitions online."

http://cdjn.ca/207/

Success and Pitching, two new Magazine and Web publishing courses at Ryerson's Chang School

Two new evening courses are due to begin very soon at Ryerson University's Chang School. They are each 7-weeks, each very practical, each the result of listening to what people have been telling us they need and want. Each can be taken as a one-off and both can be applied to the Magazine and Web Publishing certificate program. Don't delay.

• The Art of Pitching (CDJN124) a practical, step-by-step course on how to research, tailor and deliver a saleable magazine pitch to the right editor(s). Taught by prolific freelancer Rosemary Counter (Starts Wednesday Oct 29)
• Success as a Freelancer (CDJN123) is a primer on how to run a freelance business as a writer or editor. It's taught by experience freelancer and instructor Diane Peters. (Starts Thursday Oct. 30)

Magazine and web publishing program builds skills for digital and print

The Magazine and Web Publishing program at Ryerson's Chang School is broad and deep and offers excellent professional development opportunities. Of course I think that since I'm the coordinator of the program and this is a shameless plug, but whether you want to take the certificate program (7 credits) or any one of the individual courses, here's a brief summary of what's on offer this fall starting the week of September 9  [To find out more, go to ryerson.ca/ce/magazine]:

39-hour, 13 week courses

• CDJN 112 — Magazine and Website Publishing -- An overview of the business challenges and opportunities confronting magazine publishers today. Industry guest speakers provide insights. Taught by me.
• CDJN 113 — Magazine and Website Editing -- A step-by-step introduction to print and online magazine editing, with an emphasis on learning job skills in a workshop environment. Taught by Rebecca Caldwell, managing editor Cottage Life. 
• CDJN 117 — Writing for Magazines and the Web -- The course is an introduction to the basics of conceiving, focusing, pitching, researching, structuring, writing, and revising a full-length feature story. It is intended for those with a serious interest in writing and selling non-fiction articles to print or online magazines. Taught by author and freelance writer Margaret Webb.
• CDJN 118 — Advanced Feature Writing -- A project-intensive advanced course designed for serious students of long-form magazine feature writing to further develop reporting/narrative skills. Taught by award-winning freelance writer David Hayes.
• CDJN 119 — Magazine Copy Editing -- Learn to ensure a high degree of clarity, consistency, and accuracy, as well as appropriate use of language, in magazine editorial copy. A critical skill for any magazine editor in print or digital. Taught by Bernadette Kuncevicius, senior editor, CA magazine
• CDJN 205 — Magazine Production -- Covering the fundamentals of print production and the basics of multi-purposing for the web and creating content for digitally formatted documents to display on a variety of devices (e.g. e-readers, tablets). Students will learn about both print and digital formats, advertising delivery through ad portals, pre-media, printing processes and quality control across all platforms. Taught  by Kim Latreille, production consultant specializing in   publishing and digital media.

19.5-hour, 7-week courses

• CDJN 121 — Magazine Packaging -- Learn to tailor content; how to package information that enhance readers' lives in tangible ways. It’s at the core of many of today’s successful magazines and websites.  This is a classroom course; it is taught in the spring by distance education -- Taught by Jess Ross, Tablet publishing manager, TC Media.
• CDJN 122 — Advanced Magazine Editing -- Concentrating on the effective editing of individual magazine articles – sometimes called “substantive editing” – to help writers to grab readers’ attention at the start and keep them reading to the end of print or online articles. A must for anyone planning to edit longer manuscripts and a very useful course for anyone planning to write them. Taught by Jacqueline Kovacs, editor in chief of Professionally Speaking.
• CDJN201 Magazine Advertising Sales & Marketing -- This course provides you with the knowledge required to sell magazine advertising in today’s highly competitive marketplace. It includes fundamentals such as using standard research tools, working with ad agencies and, all important, closing sales. Taught by Gwen Dunant, consultant. Note: starts October 28.
• CDJN 204 — Layout Software for Magazine Editors -- Editors use design and page layout programs, too; with this hands-on course, learn how Adobe InDesign helps to organize editorial production/copy flow, and to edit/format text. This course is taught in a Macintosh computer lab. Taught by Shannon Girffiths, senior graphic designer and print production artist.
• CDJN 206 — Creating Website Editorial — available via Distance Education Learn to address the most common strategic, logistical, and business-related challenges that come with producing great magazine websites. Taught by Matthew McKinnon, online editor, The Walrus.  Note: starts October 26 via distance education. 
• CDJN 207 — The Online Publishing Toolkit -- Today’s publisher or editor needs to deliver content to readers whenever, wherever and however they wish to receive it. The modern, multi-platform, multi-media digital environment demands an understanding of the tools that are available, from content management systems to mobile apps, “the cloud”, mobile editions, social media, microsites, analytics and more. Taught by Graham F. Scott, managing editor, Canadian Business magazine.

•  Plus CDJN 101 — So You Want to Start a Magazine -- Designed for those intending to start their own print or digital magazine in the next six months or a year, this two-day seminar delivers practical, actionable information from one of Canada’s best known magazine consultants. Taught by me.

Web Weekend for magazines to focus on digital strategies

Magazines Canada, in partnership with Centennial College, is holding the first Web Weekend on November 24 and 25 at the Centre for Creative Communications at 951 Carlaw Avenue in Toronto. It's the first of what MagsCan plans to be similar sessions in cities across Canada, a combination of seminars and lab work designed to help magazine managers increase online revenue, integrate print and online strategies, leverage the power of digital media and build online communities.

Cost is $495 for Magazines Canada members($750 for others), which includes the two days,coffee breaks and a dedicated after-care program for participants.