What Editors Want in a Personal Essay, with Meghan Nesmith
Personal essays are both hugely popular and hugely misunderstood. How can a writer convince an editor that their own deeply intimate story will be of interest to a broader audience? What are the best places to pitch a personal essay? And how does one write a pitch in the first place? In this workshop, writers will learn the basics of pitching personal essays, including finding the right editor and venue for your work. Then, we’ll look at how to craft personal essay pitches that highlight the universality of our stories, find a “hook” to make our stories timely, and demonstrate to an editor that our stories will resonate with readers. We’ll break down successful personal essay pitches and have plenty of time to practice writing our own. At the end, we’ll go over a list of places to pitch your work! Perfect for nonfiction writers of all levels.
Saturday, June 17th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ($75)
Meghan Nesmith’s work has appeared in numerous print and digital publications, including Teen Vogue, Bon Appetit, the Globe and Mail, the Guardian, Man Repeller, and more. A former editor for The Billfold, she has also worked as a content strategist and consultant for brands such as Spotify and Slack. She received her MFA from American University and now lives in Boston, where she is at work on a novel.
Saturday, May 6th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ($75)
