Placing Personal Essays in Mainstream Publications: Online

Class Description

Pitching essays to newspapers and print and online magazines is a skill that comes with its own rules and guidelines. This class will teach you how to pitch essays, target market audiences, and adapt your work to appeal to mainstream publications. We will identify the four main types of mainstream essays, compare mainstream essays to literary ones, and break down published work as a way to identify the elements and structure of what makes an essay appealing to mainstream places. You'll also submit a completed essay for instructor feedback on the last week of class. The first half of the class will focus on craft discussion, while the second half will hone in on writing and pitching. By the end of the class, you'll have drafted and revised at least two essay pitches and identified three publications to send each pitch.

*NOTE that while our handy dandy "Schedule" tab states a 6-7pm class time, there are actually no live meetings for this class! Weekly lessons and assignments open each Wednesday. Students will receive an invitation to Wet Ink, our online class platform, before 5pm on the first day of class.

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.