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The best way to build your platform and your writing career is by sharing your “big idea” with the world. Publishing a strong, short piece in a major media outlet can get attention from agents and publishers as well as building your own audience, and book deals have come from New York Times Modern Love columns, Washington Post OpEds and essays in places from Marie Claire to HuffPost. As social media fragments, writing regularly for your email newsletter, Substack or blog gets your thoughts into the world and primes your audience to become your book-buyers.

But what if you “give it all away” and undercut your own memoir, or get stuck publishing for free when you’d really like to get paid? How risky is internet hate in the comments?

In this 90-minute live class with Allison K Williams, learn the key components of a strong editorial pitch, how to sell essays and op-eds (both already written and on spec), and how to choose the media venues that will build your portfolio and your writing reputation. Discover how to find the right idea with cultural relevance—and write faster to publish while the news is hot. We’ll look at tailoring the same base facts to create multiple essays for different publications, and how to examine what’s already published to craft your own work that makes editors say yes. You’ll also learn the best ways to share your work online to maximize impact and raise awareness in your audience.

Special critique opportunity: As part of this class, we invite participants to send in pitches they’re working on in advance. We won’t have time to review all of them, and we aren’t providing written or individual feedback. But Allison will share several in class to point out what works and tips for everyone to improve their pitches.

This workshop will cover:

• The three things that make a great pitch—and just how short that email can be
• Finding who to send that pitch to, and how and when to follow up
• How to know if you’re ready to pitch a prestigious magazine or newspaper
• The difference between literary and commercial media when pitching and publishing
• How to show you’re the right person to write this pitch
• How much of your memoir or nonfiction book you can share to raise interest without turning off publishers with “too much out there”
• Where to find out which publications pay—and how much
• A step-by-step process from idea to finished, posted blog/newletter/Substack in an hour (with a little practice!)
• Repurposing your pitch to sell the same facts as three or more different, publishable pieces
• Dealing with internet criticism (should you ever read the comments?)
• Targeting your work to your core audience—and making sure they see it!
• How copying the structure and tone of already published work makes your original content feel “right” for a media outlet (and how to get into McSweeney’s)
• Sharing your work on and beyond social media, quickly and painlessly

Supplemental materials from the instructor

• Essay, OpEd and pitch worksheets

Note: Allison presented a version of this class in 2022 & 2024. The overall point is the same, but the nuts and bolts will reflect updated tactics and approaches for the 2026 publishing landscape.

Who this class is for

• Everyone mystified by what the heck a “pitch” is—and what makes one sellable
• Writers with a strong opinion or a powerful story who need to share it as an essay or op-ed
• Writers who really want to publish in a particular venue, but can’t figure out the secret sauce to get in
• Writers interested in freelancing who need help choosing/finding where to publish
• Freelancers ready to level up with techniques for writing faster and publishing more widely
• Nonfiction writers and memoirists getting query rejections for “not enough platform,” or working on a book proposal and getting stuck on the Marketing section
• Writers who know their audience is out there, but aren’t sure how to find them
• Substackers, bloggers and newsletter writers who want to write faster

This class is not suited for:

• Writers who feel like sell-outs if they write with audience or money in mind

What you’ll receive

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology. You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

• When: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
• Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. Eastern Time / 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
• Fee: $25 through July 12, 2026 / $35 if you register after July 12, 2026

The webinar is broadcasted via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service, which is about 80%+ accurate.

Refund policy

If you attend the live class and/or watch the recording, and it does not meet your expectations, contact us for a full refund, no questions asked.

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee, presenter, or staff—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

• That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
• That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be disconnected from the live event.