Archives: Webinars

Article Nuts and Bolts: Putting Together a Profile Piece

68 minutes of video
68 minutes of audio
11 slides
25 pages of transcript

*****

Profiles of individuals and businesses are the most common types of articles today.

In this webinar, we unpack the ins and outs of this type of article, which is among the most difficult to master, yet the most rewarding to write.

We will cover:
– Why should we focus time and attention on writing profiles?
– Who can we profile?
– Breaking down one (because they’re long!) inspiring profile piece.
– pitching FAQ.

Article Nuts and Bolts: Putting Together an Interview Piece

58 minutes of video
58 minutes of audio
34 slides
19 pages of transcript

*****

In this webinar, we dive into interview pieces which can be some of the easiest to write (and the most bang for your time) because of their rigid formatting.

We will cover:
– The most important criterion of (most) profiles that you can’t ignore in your pitch.
– Interviews have “kinds.” Know them. Maximize them!
– What does this look like as a full article?
– Pitching FAQ.

 

Article Nuts and Bolts: Putting Together a Celebrity Favorites Piece

56 minutes of video
56 minutes of audio
15  slides
21 pages of transcript

*****

These often overlooked pieces are a huge hit with editors–they never get enough pitches for these sections!

We’ll cover:
– What is up with these pieces? They are so odd!
– Who can you really feature here?
– Real examples from Delta Sky and AFAR
– How to Pitch these pieces

Journalistic Detail and Why You Need It

53 minutes of video
53 minutes of audio
18 slides
21 pages of transcript

*****

Editors often say they want “researched” and “tight” “copy”, but what does that mean and how do you do it?

In this webinar, the beginning of a new craft-oriented series on uncovering journalistic detail in your field research and incorporating it into different types of pieces, we explore what journalistic detail is, why you need it, and how to know it when you see it.

Weaving Journalistic Detail into Descriptions of People

55 minutes of video
55 minutes of audio
17 slides
22 pages of transcript

*****

Fiction writers are known for their descriptions of characters, but so many writers skip these details in their travel pieces—to their detriment.

Characters are one of the main things editors regularly lament that writers don’t include in their pitches or final pieces. In this webinar, we explore how to get the details you need on the ground as well as how to incorporate them into your pieces.

Weaving Journalistic Detail into Descriptions of Places

52 minutes of video
52 minutes of audio
19 slides
21 pages of transcript

*****

Setting the scene in your pieces can be the single hardest block of text for so many of us to write! How do we be “creative” or write that “flowery” stuff?

The key to writing a description of a place that (1) doesn’t take you forever and push you into a type of writing you may not be so comfortable with, and (2) actually belongs in the piece your writing and shows your writing chops off to your editor (especially in a pitch) is a strong foundation in journalistic detail.

We explore how it works with evocative verbal depictions of places in this webinar.

Creating Ambiance with Journalistic Detail

37 minutes of video
37 minutes of audio
19 slides
17 pages of transcript

*****

In this series on journalistic detail, we looked at many specific situations in which you should be thoughtful about how and why you’re introducing detail, from short articles to descriptions of people and places.

In the last webinar in this series, we take it higher level—how do the details that you choose create a larger takeaway for the reader without you coming out and explicitly telling them what you want them to feel?

You Are Your Non-Fiction Book’s Best Marketer: How to Make it Work

58 minutes of video
58 minutes of audio
24 slides
26 pages of transcript

*****

In the previous webinar, we looked at one of the two most important sections of your non-fiction book proposal, and in this webinar, we dive into the second: the marketing plan.

No matter what connections you do or don’t have now, you can still make a killer marketing plan that is believable to a publisher and perfectly positions your book in the market. It all comes down to the triad of research, creativity, and a willingness to put yourself out there for your book.

The Guidebook Guide Series – The Writing Side of Guidebook Work

63 minutes of video
63 minutes of audio
21 slides
28 pages of transcript

*****

For the third webinar in the Guidebook Guide series, we explore what it is like to work as a guidebook writer today, from the money to the travel to the actual writing.

We also answer the question what is it actually like to write a book-length work in a month or two–particularly working in a tried and true formula you have little control over?

Article Nuts and Bolts: Putting Together an As-Told-To Feature

56 minutes of video
56 minutes of audio
13 slides
18 pages of transcript

*****

Join us as we take a look at As-Told-To Features with examples from markets that you’d love to add to your clip file.

A staple of major magazines, these pieces offer a surprising way to tell the stories of fascinating sources you meet in your travels.

We will cover:
– Why we’ve saved these pieces last
– How these pieces are fundamentally different than anything else you will write
– Breaking down real-world examples
– Pitching FAQ