EXACTLY how I got my book on Marie Claire, CNN.com, and more

My successful op-ed and essay pitches, word-for-word

We’ve all done it: You open a magazine or newspaper, read a great little article by an author with a new book coming out—likely an op-ed or essay, maybe a reported first-person feature—and you feel both compelled to buy the book and a bit fizzy with envy. (R.O. Kwon’s Time article on regretful parents, linked to the release of her new novel, Exhibit, springs to mind.)

Well, those chef’s-kiss PR hits don’t come about by luck or magic (at least not entirely); the author had a great idea, got said idea in front of an editor, and worked to get it out in the world right around when their book was coming out.

Recently, I wrote about why and precisely how I’ve managed to place so many book-related essays:

I promised I’d share some of the exact pitches I used to get my “off-the-book” articles green-lit. To kick things off, I pulled together four successful pitches timed to the publication of my debut, The Lost Night. (If y’all want more, I’ll cover pitches related to my other three books in future posts—see the poll at the end!) Below, I’ll walk you through the idea, the guidance (if any) the editor provided, and the final article. Learn-by-example types, take note!