Live blogging with Stuart Heritage

How to cover unfolding events and cultural highlights as they happen, for any audience

Live blogs enable journalists and bloggers to provide audiences with instant coverage and commentary on unfolding events – from breaking news and football matches to the season finale of the latest TV drama. The Guardian has been at the forefront of the live blogging revolution, and this lively event gives you the opportunity to learn from our experience.

Guardian columnist and veteran live blogger Stuart Heritage condenses the technical and creative principles into an easily digestible evening course. As well as an introduction to the basics of picking your platform and writing to micro-deadlines, you’ll learn how to identify the best subjects for a live blog, and how to strike the right tone to keep your audience informed and entertained.

You’ll also get involved in a practical live blogging workshop using your own laptop or tablet, enabling you to try out your new skills and get invaluable personal feedback from Stuart. Perfect for journalists who want to master an ever-more important skill, and bloggers who want to make their site required reading.

This course is for you if...

• You’re a blogger who wants to create more newsworthy content
• You’re a journalist who wants to futureproof your skills
• You’re an aspiring writer who wants to find effective new ways to engage with audiences

PLEASE NOTE: Attendees should have basic word processing skills in order to participate fully in practical workshops. They should also bring along their own laptop or tablet and charger with a basic word processing programme installed (e.g. Microsoft Word or TextEdit).

Course description

This entertaining evening event includes advice and demonstrations on best practice for live blogging, and gives attendees the opportunity to try out their new skills during practical workshops on their laptop or tablet. Topics covered include:

• Why liveblog?
• The difference between news and entertainment live blogging
• The best and worst subjects for a live blog
• Live blogging platforms, from Twitter to CoverItLive
• Should I prepare? And if so how?
• Balancing information and humour
• How to link your live blog to social media
• Practical live blogging exercise on laptop computers or tablets, with time for feedback
• Q&A and discussion with Stuart Heritage

Tutor profile

Stuart Heritage has been live blogging for the Guardian since 2010, covering events as diverse as television shows, films and press conferences. He also writes columns, features and reviews for the Guardian, and is the co-host of the Luv and Hat podcast. Stuart has written for the NME, Radio Times, Cosmopolitan and Vice. He’s also on the telly sometimes, but often not (he blames his haircut).

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website