Hit Send: Publishing Short Nonfiction
GUIDE TO NONFICTION COURSES
Hit Send: Publishing Short Nonfiction is a 4-week class, which includes a mixture of lectures and exercises. It’s for beginners or anyone who wants a refresher. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.
There are countless magazines, newspapers, and websites that need a continual supply of short nonfiction pieces—articles, essays, etc. And they need material on every subject under the sun. How do you get them to publish (and pay for) your work?
You need to bait the hook properly. Here you will learn how to generate saleable ideas, turn them into pitches, and match them to the most appropriate people and places. It’s like fishing, and you don’t always get a bite, so to maximize your chances, you need to be repeating the process regularly.
You will work under the guidance of a successful freelance writer, who will help you identify your best ideas and prepare them for “casting into the waters.”
An excellent investment in your freelance career!
Carla Curtsinger
communications consultant
Upcoming Classes
Price
Registration fee $25, paid once per term
4-Week
-
Online
Anytime, week-long sessions
Tuition: $195
Syllabus
This course shows you the process of getting your short nonfiction pieces published, and helps you craft a winning pitch letter. Course components:
Lectures
Writing and receiving feedback on a pitch letter (each student presenting work two times)
Week1
The Pitching Life: Perks of the pitching life. Setting your goals. What is your expertise and/or platform? Pitching basics.
Week 2
Who Wants My Writing?: Finding a home for your work. Narrowing the field. Doing reconnaissance. Listening for voice and tone. Moving up the ladder.
Week 3
Getting The Job (And Getting It Done): Understanding the editor’s dilemma. Making contact. Query letter basics. The art of the successful pitch. Query letter FAQs. Before you hit send. Handling it when you hear “No.” What to do when it’s a “Yes.”
Week 4
The Work of the Working Writer: Getting paid and how much. Contracts, rights, negotiating for more. Should you accept a fee of $0? Conducting research. What it means to deliver the goods. Working with an editor. Getting “killed.” Promoting yourself. Making time for the work. Keys to success.
Note: Content may vary among individual classes.
Related Courses
Essay & Opinion Writing I
Various types of viewpoint writing—essays, op-eds, reviews, and more.
Personal Essay 1: Exploring
The writer’s view on a topic, interlaced with experiences from the writer’s life.
Feature Article Writing
Feature articles are the story-driven side of journalism, covering topics earth-shaking or simply interesting.