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Writing about Parenting

Turn your parenting experiences into published pieces

Course is closed.
Writing about Parenting

WHEN 4 weeks, November 12 - December 10
Chats Thursdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for information.

LEVEL Intermediate

PRICE
$350 ($325 for )
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Course Details

Have you always wanted to turn your passion for parenting into a writing career? There are endless topics to cover when writing about parenting, from children's health and behavior to how to talk to your kids about serious topics. In this course, you will learn how to broaden your writing career by understanding the parenting market and mastering the keys to writing for it. We'll examine the many topics that fall under the parenting umbrella and how you can use your background, experience, and skills to come up with irresistible, salable ideas.

We'll also explore what parenting editors seek in story pitches and how you can most effectively sell yourself and your suggestions to them. We'll study different story formats, from short service items to department articles and features to how to write and rewrite a strong piece.

In this class, you will learn:

  • How to develop intriguing writing topics
  • How to define yourself as a parenting writer
  • Where to pitch in addition to parenting publications
  • How to target your pitches to publications and sections within them
  • How to research topics and identify sources
  • How to create engaging stories that editors and readers won't want to put down

By the end of class, you will have:
Two salable articles with pitch letters to match, a list of targeted publications, and a strategy for getting published.

The online classroom has several interactive components:

  • Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
  • Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
  • Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
  • Technical support is available from mediabistro staff.

Course Syllabus


 Writing About Parenting (PDF)
View a sample syllabus for this class here.

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Instructor Bio

Meagan Francis's Courses

Writing about Parenting – (Class starts February 11)

Meagan Francis
Mother of five Meagan Francis has made a living writing about motherhood, children, and family life as a regular contributor to Parents, Parenting, American Baby, Family.com, Babble.com, Away.com, and various blogs. She is the author of Everything Health Guide to Postpartum Care: A Complete Guide to Looking and Feeling Your Best After Delivery and Beyond and Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small-Family World.

Her essays were included in the anthologies Brain, Child's Greatest Hits, and Literary Mama: Reading for the Maternally Inclined. She can be found online at www.meaganfrancis.com.

AvantGuild* Discounts on mediabistro.com offerings are just one of the wonderful benefits of being in AvantGuild, our premium membership program. For just $55 a year, you'll receive instant access to our How to Pitch articles and other premium articles, transcripts from selected seminars and panels, and discounts on virtually everything we do (including eClasses and the Freelance Marketplace)! Click here to join now.