Writing opinion pieces with Polly Toynbee and Tim Dowling

This course teaches you how to research the news to find stories, and express your personality in your writing. You’ll learn essential skills for developing original and engaging angles, and gain pointers on the ethics and legalities of opinion writing from our panel of experts. It’s the ultimate primer for anyone who wants to learn how to present a strong argument with confidence.

Course content

• Weekend magazine writer Tim Dowling on how to use your own life experiences in your writing
• Guardian journalist and features writer Hannah Jane Parkinson on defining and refining your writing style
• Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee on how to write a column and raise important issues through your writing
• Columnist and author Daisy Buchanan on how to pitch a column or opinion piece with a newsworthy hook

This course is for you if...

• You’re a journalist who wants to establish a stronger editorial voice, or get more interesting commissions
• You write for a website or blog and want to learn how to present your arguments with skill and confidence
• You work for a NGO, lobby group or similar and need to submit advocacy pieces to comment pages and websites
• You’re new to writing and want to break into the industry through comment pieces or citizen journalism

You may also be interested in...

• Column-writing with George Monbiot

Tutor profile

Polly Toynbee is a columnist for the Guardian. She was formerly BBC social affairs editor, columnist and associate editor of the Independent, co-editor of the Washington Monthly and a reporter and feature writer for the Observer. She won the Orwell Prize for journalism in 1998 and in 2007 was named Columnist of the Year at the British Press Awards. Polly has also written and co-authored many books – her latest Cameron’s Coup, co-authored with David Walker, reveals how in four short years the Conservative Party has reversed decades of social progress. Read Polly’s Guardian articles here.

Tim Dowling is a journalist for the Guardian. He writes a weekly column for Weekend magazine and is the author of several books, including How To Be A Husband. Read Tim’s Guardian articles here.

Hannah Jane Parkinson is a Guardian journalist, writing comment and features. She writes mostly on technology and culture, politics and mental health. Originally from Liverpool, she has lived in Russia and Oxford.

Daisy Buchanan is a journalist, author and broadcaster. She started her career at Bliss magazine and has since written for a wide range of national newspapers and magazines since going freelance in 2012. Her book, Meeting Your Match: Navigating The Minefield of Online Dating was published by Carlton in January 2015.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website