Good Stuff for Writers, 9/7

pitch Cosmo, Wired, Lithub, Brooklyn Magazine

Sep 07, 2021

Hi writer friends,

I just got back from a long birthday weekend. Some friends and I rented a little A-frame near the North Cascades, made scrumptious meals we enjoyed on the deck, played silly games late into the night, and wandered the wooded grounds with our dogs. Each morning, I enjoyed my coffee on a little bench overlooking a pond.

This week I have deadline on top of deadline. But this morning, I’m trying to hold on to that slower energy I found in the woods. Before writing this newsletter, Jackson and I took a long walk to a park with some big trees. It’s not quite the North Cascades. But spending time surrounded by nature always reminds me how crucial that time is to my happiness and my productivity. So even though I have a ton of work to do, I’m going to keep prioritizing fresh air, first thing in the morning.

The importance of proximity to wild, natural spaces is a big part of what I’m writing this week. Which goes to show that work and play are aligning for me nicely right now.

I think that’s important thing to take note of. As writers, we can focus on so many different topics and areas of expertise in our work. But the work that comes easiest, and is presumably most enjoyable, is typically the work that aligns with what we enjoy learning or doing. It makes the transition from work and the rest of life so much smoother.

The fact that “going back to work” this week means writing about how we can be closer to nature at home is evidence that at least sometimes, I’m able to align my work with the things I really care about. And that’s the ultimate goal, right?

My morning coffee spot at our vacation house over the weekend.

If you’re looking for ways to do that, perhaps you’ll find opportunities to pitch stories you really care about in this very issue of One More Question.

And if you’re new here, hi! This is a newsletter. It’s called One More Question, and it’s all about making it work as a freelance writer. If you sign up as a paid subscriber, you’ll receive this big list of writing opportunities in your inbox every Tuesday, along with weekly Q&As and essays on the writing life.

My birthday month happens to be an excellent time to subscribe, because I’m offering 35% off, now through September 30! That’s the biggest discount I’ve ever offered. Because I’m still celebrating my 35th birthday and I want to.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff…

Education, Funds, Inspiration, Etc.

The Bill Lane Center is now accepting applications for their media fellowship, for journalists covering crucial issues in the west. Fellows will receive $5,000 for three months of work.
Talking Travel Writing is hosting a mentorship scheme in which early-career/aspiring travel writers are paired with experienced mentors for four structured conversations over a month. Applications are due Friday.
The deadline for the McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism is coming up on September 30. Fellows will receive $15,000 for support on stories that “follow the money.”
Science writers, applications are now open for the National Association of Science Writers Diversity Grant. Deadline: 9/30
The Writer’s Co-op is hosting a webinar on how to develop passive income revenue streams on September 21.
Registration is now open for the world’s largest fact-checking conference, which will take place online October 20-23.
I recently spoke to Jessica Lawlor at Muck Rack about how I started One More Question and the role it plays in my life as a freelance journalist.
And a helpful piece of advice on pitching:
Jaime Green @jaimealyse
Was just talking to a friend about this, so in case it’s helpful: From my pov as an editor, the most important thing a pitch can do is show what the piece will be like. Make some of the pitch read like the piece. Tell me not just what you’ll write about but how.
12:23 PM ∙ Aug 27, 2021
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