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We are at an historical inflection moment.
We're all drowning in so much loud, unhelpful noise in so many different directions, and there just isn't enough of the good stuff rising to the top.
The op-ed pages of the major newspapers are all too often dominated by keyboard warriors with bad ideas, and the people with truly gamechanging so often haven’t yet hit our bookshelves or the algorithm.
The world is better with more good voices in it.
And I want your voice to be amplified.
So I'm teaching a couple of workshops to help this to happen.
(Also! I was interviewed by The Nation with writer Rebecca Solnit about Cornell, rape culture, institutional betrayal and accountability– because I've been publishing regularly on these topics. Link to that converation below.)
In part because it’s become so easy to self-publish, more people have counted themselves out of other platforms that could help them access others being changed by their thinking.
(This isn't to say that self-publishing isn't absolutely the right choice for some folks! There are pros and cons to every path, including publishing op-eds and books through more mainstream publishers.)
We've seen the great cultural backlash of now reflected in our media:
In 2019, op-ed columnists were 62% men and 38% women.
By 2024, that gap has widened to 71% men and 29% women.
(I don't have data offhand about Black and Brown authors, but I have a guess about that,.)
People of all genders, races and backgrounds must fight the mediocrity that reigns now. But to do that, you have to know how to offer an irresistible pitch, what the right hook is for every occasion, and more.
I've written for the New York Times, The Washington Post; The Atlantic; Time and many other publications, and published 8 (going on 9) books (and one audio course!) for everywhere from indie feminist and specialized religious publishers to academic presses to some of the Big 5 New York Houses (and got my start working at HarperCollins). I've learned some things about how to get words into places. I was taught some of those things by others; many, I picked up or figured out along the way.
I’m happy to tell some of my own ugly stories of figuring out how to get the book I was trying to write into a form that others would actually read.
About how to pitch your nuanced ideas so that they feel hot and urgent in a clickbait world.
About when to respond to the news cycle, and when to stay, as they say, evergreen.
We need your voice now, more than ever before.
Pen for Power:
a two-part workshop series designed and led (by me) to help you bring your ideas into the world.
The Deets:
- How to Write an Op-Ed, October 28 at 8:00 PM ET | $80Learn how to shape a timely argument, write with clarity and conviction, and pitch your piece for publication.
- How to Write a Book Proposal, November 18 at 8:00 PM ET | $80Learn how to build a strong proposal, clarify your idea and audience, and create a roadmap for your book project.
- You can also purchase the Pen for Power written guide separately. The written guide will help you in crafting a nonfiction book proposal, which includes the hard-earned lessons I wish I knew from the start, along with practical guidance on agents, advances and pay, and the anatomy of a compelling book proposal.
House of Study members get 75% off EVERYTHING
(And yes, as long as you’re registered, the session’s recording will also be available to you.)
Trust me– you don’t want to miss this.
OR Join the House of Study NOW
and get the discount code to get everything 75% off!
(Once you've subscribed to the House of Study, you'll get sent the code to register, don't worry.)
Happy writing (& hope to see you soon),
RDR
Here's the Nation interview:
smccroskey
