Live learning with REAL editors and journalists

Crash Course Workshops: Write for Top-Tier Publications

Even If You Are Not a Journalist


WHO IT'S FOR

A highly engaging and interactive workshop for NON-JOURNALISTS: professionals, business owners, nonprofit execs, and other leaders who want to be published in national publications.

THE TYPES OF CONTENT FOR PUBLISHING PURPOSES 

This is for thought leadership content, commentaries, personal essays and op-eds--anything written as a guest writer.

Do you fit the profile above, want to write for top-tier publications but don't know where to start? This is the perfect workshop series for you!

LEARN FROM REAL EDITORS AND JOURNALISTS

Join editors and journalists Elaine Pofeldt, Laura Petrecca, and Elizabeth MacBride for an informative and productive workshop designed for you.

WHY WE CREATED THIS WORKSHOP SERIES

We hear from our students and clients all the time that... 




  • They would like to be published but have no idea where the opportunities to contribute are or how to break into the mysterious world of publications. 

  • They work in other fields where they know the unwritten rules, but not this one.

  • They may be decent writers but they are not professional writers and aren't 100% confident they can write at the level of the publications where they want to appear. Yet they see their friends and professional peers doing it and think that if they knew a little more, they could probably do the same.

  • They don't know what editors are expecting or what their feedback really means.

  • They can't devote the whole week to working on these pieces -- they have other full-time work -- and need a crash course so they don't have to learn everything through trial and error, which is very slow.

  • They don't have the budget to hire a top-tier PR firm for $10-15k a month to help them.


DATES, TIMES AND LOGISTICS




  • We will be running two Zoom meeting sessions in May 2023 (on May 10th and May 17th).  

  • Each session is open to only eight (8) participants and runs between 7-8:30pm EST.  

  • You may choose to join one or both of these sessions.

  • Both sessions will be recorded and shared with you afterward. If you are unable to attend the live session, you can watch the replays.

  • In addition to the live training, and recordings, you will also receive a cheatsheet provided by our instructors for how to pitch the media.  




Workshop #1 Agenda and Key Learning Objectives

Did you know that many non-writers contribute to top-tier publications? They do it through guest posting and thought leadership. In this session we will help you answer:




  • Why should you consider guest writing? 

  • What pieces could you write that would help to send the message you want to deliver? 

  • What key news stories or events could you use as a hook? 

  • How do you identify opportunities to contribute? 

  • Do you start with local and state-level publications or national? 

  • How do you do on-the-ground research and build a relationship with editors?

  • What types of content do editors want

  • What types of content editors don't want - Is your writing strong enough to get noticed by an editor or do you need a helper (professional ghostwriter, publicist to ghostwrite, etc.)?


You will also learn the process of pitching, writing and publishing your stories:

  • How to research the editors you can pitch 

  • How to draft once you get an assignment

  • Why you shouldn't take it personally if your piece gets rejected. All freelance writers develop a very thick skin. You need to do the same as a guest poster.  What one editor hates, another one will love

  • How to make sure people read the piece. Editors like sources that promote. Build your social media following on a regular basis. 


Workshop #2 Agenda and Key Learning Objectives

You will learn:



  • Quick review of what we learned in Session 1

  • Create a content strategy. Once you've written one piece, you'll have more of a sense of what you want to write about in general to build your reputation. What articles would support that? Only opt for topics you have not seen covered before in the same way

  • How to take your content to a higher level. Go beyond opinion and use real, fact-checked case studies in your contributed pieces. Include your original research if you do it. Share new trends you are noticing in your professional practice. 

  • Troubleshooting content you really want to publish but just can't place

  • As you start pitching more publications, create a database of contacts at publications and support them. Retweet their tweets, etc.

  • Create a content calendar. Will you write one piece a month? What is your deadline?



  • Create short pitches for your articles. Create a spreadsheet to track submissions. 

  • Submit a piece to only one editor at a time (two can't publish the same piece). 

  • Ask them to respond by a certain date a few days later. Then follow up and say you don't want to bug. If they don't respond by XX, you'll assume they are not interested. And submit elsewhere.

  • Consider repurposing your body of work. If anything attracted a lot of readers or engagement, could it become a book? A documentary? A podcast?

  • Keep promoting your pieces. Editors like to see you have a consistent readership.

Workshop #1



  • Webinar

  • Starts May 10 at 7:00 PM EDT

The workshop will run for 90 minutes from 7-8:30pm EST.

$200




  • Webinar

  • Starts May 17 at 7:00 PM EDT

The workshop will run for 90 minutes from 7-8:30pm EST.

$200