Pitch Clinic 2014
We’re excited to welcome you to Freelance Writers’ Pitch Clinic. We look forward to helping you craft kick-butt pitches that will get you great-paying assignments.
You can get started right now with two podcasts we’ve posted on our Module 1: “Let’s Make Your Story Idea Not Suck!” and our Story Idea Lab.
After our first session, we’ll have a useful homework exercise for you to post in the forum. Then each week, you’ll see new materials and modules appear as we move through the course.
Class Schedule
- September 24 – Session 1: Live call; Pitch Clinic: Let’s Make Your Story Idea Not Suck!
- October 1 – Session 2: Webinar recording is released; Anatomy of a Killer Query
- October 8 – Session 3: Webinar recording is released; How to Write a Kick-Butt Letter of Introduction
- October 15 – Session 4: Homework week; Post your queries, LOIs, and any additional questions that come up on the forums!
- October 22 – Session 5: Live “exit” call at 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern
Class Materials
All class materials will be posted below as the course progresses week-by-week.
| Module 1 | Live Pitch Clinic event: Let’s Make Your Story Idea Not Suck! |
|---|---|
| Pitch us your ideas and we’ll help you hone them right there on the call. | |
| Unit 1 | Getting Started in Pitch Clinic |
| Unit 2 | How to get the most from Pitch Clinic 2014 |
| Unit 3 | Module 1 Open Pitch Call - "Let's Make Your Query Letter Not Suck!" - Recording & Transcript |
| Unit 4 | Bonus Podcast: Story idea lab with Carol Tice & Linda Formichelli |
| Unit 5 | Idea Critique Handout -- "Let's Make Your Query Letter Not Suck!" |
| Unit 6 | Module 1 Homework |
| Module 2 | Anatomy of a Killer Query |
|---|---|
| In this webinar, you’ll learn the pros’ secrets to writing every part of a query letter so that editors find it irresistible. | |
| Unit 1 | Module 2 Anatomy of a Killer Query - Webinar, Audio Recording & Transcript |
| Unit 2 | Template - Query Letter |
| Unit 3 | Bonus podcast: How to Make Your Query Irresistible to Editors |
| Unit 4 | Bonus Webinar: Top 11 Query mistakes |
| Unit 5 | Module 2 Homework |
| Module 3 | Writing a Kick-Butt LOI |
|---|---|
| Carol and Linda share details on how to avoid common mistakes and write a standout letter of introduction that gets you hired by editors at trade and custom publications. | |
| Unit 1 | Module 3 Training: Writing a Kick-Butt LOI - Recording & Transcript |
| Unit 2 | Template - LOI Hybrid |
| Unit 3 | Template - LOI to a Business |
| Unit 4 | Bonus podcast: How to break into writing for trade pubs with editor Connie Gentry |
| Unit 5 | Module 3 Homework |
| Module 4 | Post your queries and LOIs in the forum |
|---|---|
| Post your queries and LOIs in the forum, get detailed critiques from the instructors, and take part in another live pitch session. | |
| Unit 1 | Module 4 Homework |
| Module 5 | Live “Exit” call |
|---|---|
| Still got questions? Want to tweak a story idea a bit more? We’ll hold a final, live 1-hour call to get you fired up to press “send” on those pitch letters. | |
| Unit 1 | Module 5 Live “Exit” call - Recording & Transcript |
| Unit 2 | Bonus Handout -- "7 Ways to Get Editor's Emails" |
| Unit 3 | Module 5 Homework |
Technical Support
Have a technical question about the class? Please let us know in the ‘Report Problems’ thread on the Forum or contact our troubleshooters at help@usefulwritingcourses.com