Pitch Letter Essentials

Write pitches that will get your article sold

Course is closed.
Pitch Letter Essentials

WHEN Wednesday, October 29, 6:45-9:45 pm

WHERE University Settlement, 273 Bowery (at Houston), New York, NY 10002

PRICE
$65 ($50 for )
more info

Course Details

Pitches are a freelancer's calling card, resume, and currency rolled into one. They're how you get started and how you keep your career on track, because it won't matter that you know how to write the best articles in the world if you can't get an editor to give you the chance to do it.

This seminar will teach you how to write a pitch letter that will make editors want to bite. You'lll learn how to best showcase your skills and writing and learn what publications are the best fit for your article ideas.

In this seminar, you'll learn to:

  • Organize your ideas into succinct and irresistible proposals
  • Negotiate your way around publication lead times
  • Choose appropriate pacing, voice, and tone to match your proposed article's impact
  • Showcase your credentials -- with and without clips
  • Expand your article's scope and word count with sidebars and boxes
  • Avoid embarrassing mistakes that separate amateurs from experts
  • Identify suitable editors and follow-up with them once your query has been submitted
  • Develop strategies for turning rejection into a future connection/ opportunity

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Instructor Bio

Betty Ming Liu's Courses

How to Cover New York Stories – New York (Seminar on January 21)
Pitch Letter Essentials – New York (Seminar on February 11)
Writing for NYC Publications – New York (Class starts January 29)

Betty Ming Liu
Betty Ming Liu is a former New York Daily News columnist and has worked as a commentator for thirteen/WNET. While at the Daily News, she launched a nationally syndicated column on diversity issues and in earlier assignments covered gossip, business, and features at the paper. She is also a former staff reporter for The Newark Star-Ledger and Crain's New York Business. Her freelance articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Village Voice, This Old House, and other publications. Betty blogs at www.bettymingliu.com.

Testimonials


The class was excellent! We began to better understand how to formulate questions, how to follow up on hints the interviewee might be throwing out, and how to ask hard questions. -- Jane Greer

"Betty is smart, articulate, practical, and fun! She combines the practical knowledge of a working journalist with the skills of a gifted teacher." -- M.H. Fryburg

"Betty is media-savvy, approachable, and open to sharing her experience and insights on how to approach targets, craft query letters, and cultivate media relationships. This is a great foundational course for anyone interested in pitching to the media -- online or offline!" -- Lourdes Del Valle

"Betty was great! She immediately set the class at ease, was well-organized, and used every second of our time together efficiently and effectively! She was generous with her feedback, encouragement, and constructive comments." -- Susan Sawyers

"Betty is a smart, informed journalist who made this info-packed class really fun, interesting, and helped me feel more confident in my skills." -- Anna Davies

"Four stars! She was dynamic, entertaining, efficient, smart, savvy, and flexible in the ebb and flow of the class. It was a great mix of lecture, reviewing selected material, and on-the-spot training." -- Janice Hughes

"She was great. Well informed, her professional expertise was apparent from the moment the class begun until it ended." -- Charles Eckert

"Betty was great. She was always encouraging with us, but shot straight with us too. She certainly gave me the direction I needed. She makes the class a very comfortable space to explore writing." -- Laura Madden

"Betty is an incredibly approachable, down to earth teacher." -- Leslie Hunter-Gadsden

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