Authors: Read this before you send out your essay/op-ed ideas

Use this EXACT wording to hear back from editors faster, hang onto your IP, and more.

Hi, friends! I’m rounding out my series on pitching and placing your own book-related essays and op-eds with some intel that’s really, really useful for any freelance writer, novelist or otherwise. Over a many-year career as a full-time magazine-writer-for-hire, I learned the exact phrases that got results: how to follow-up so my pitches didn’t languish in editors’ inboxes for eternity; how to navigate the legalese of a writing assignment so I’m not handing over my IP; and how to bring the right energy (and backup) to ensure the piece runs the way I want it to.

You got this, headless freelance writer. (Photo by ready made)

I’m not normally too prescriptive (general attitude: do what you want but here’s what worked for meeee), but I’m not gonna lie: These phrases are gold, and I wished I’d known them when I was first starting out as a writer with myriad pitches and big dreams.

We’ll take a break from PR after this (but not for forever; I’ve got book publicists on deck to spill their secrets, and y’all are already sending me your successful off-the-book pitches, muahaha) to have some fun discussing “likeability,” writer’s block, AI, and more. Okay, without further ado: Here are three phrases I highly recommend using when you’re trying to place your essays/op-eds (plus why and how to deploy them for maximum oomph)!