“I am committed to OpEd!”

The OpEd studio celebrated their last class on Thursday evening with a special session of “intense sati” led by Wendy Suzuki, neuroscientist, NYU professor and certified fitness instructor. Click here to watch the video!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what some of the ladies had to say about their OpEd Studio experiences:

“The most impressive thing about this class was the high quality of

both teachers and all of the special guests. Julie and Jolie provided

the perfect framework and tone for the class and each one of the

guests was so generous with both their knowledge and advice. The

class was an amazing experience!” – Wendy Suzuki

“Over eight weeks the teachers and participants in the OpEd Studio work together to demystify all types of media and help position your message to be heard. It is one of the most valuable classes I’ve ever taken.” – Cali Yost

“The multimedia studio is a great way to get a beat on what is happening right now with the major forms of media. If you have ideas that need to be heard, this class can help you figure out not only how to get heard but understand the variety of channels to market that are available now. The facilitators create a safe experimental environment and the guests shoot straight about the realities of the marketplace for ideas. If you only have time for one professional development experience in the next year, take this one.” – Karissa Thacker

“Your body is your most powerful AV tool!”

Indira Etwaroo (right) giving Wendy Suzuki some performance advice.

The OpEd Studio on Thursday, June 9 welcomed Indira Etwaroo, executive producer of WNYC’s “The Greene Space.” As a dancer, musician and scholar, Indira brought her performance expertise to the women at the OpEd Studio. Students bravely gave professional and genuinely fascinating presentations in their areas of expertise (everything from neuroscience to corporate responsibility!) Indira and the class gave helpful critiques and cheerful encouragement. An expert on performance techniques, Indira offered her insights and advice over the course of the evening. Some highlights included:

• Powerpoint presentations are rarely the best or most effective way to get your point across to an audience, especially if you want them to stay awake.

• Your body is your most powerful AV tool.

• We all have our “security blankets”, even when it comes to public speaking. They may be reading glasses or a coffee mug. As long as they work with your message, feel free to keep them.

• Get comfortable with your body. This may sound easy, but it becomes a bit more complicated when you’re addressing an audience.

• Practice your presentation at home as often as possible. The more you repeat it to your bathroom mirror, the easier speaking to a live audience will be.

• Have command of yourself, the material and the space. Really own the space you’re in. If that means arriving a few minutes earlier to get acquainted with the stage or lecture hall, try to arrange that.

• Be funny! Don’t be afraid to have a personality. Avoid professional or academic jargon, especially when addressing a general audience.

-Katherine Milsop

Pitching to Magazines

Katie Orenstein talks with Ilena Silverman.

The OpEd Studio welcomed Ilena Silverman, an editor at the New York Times Magazine, on Thursday, June 2. She offered her advice and experience about pitching and writing for magazines, in addition to individual critiques of pitches written by women in the class. Here are some of the highlights and key points from Thursday evening’s studio:

• Be aware of the magazine you’re pitching to and writing for. Be wary of anything too “message-y.” Depending on the publication, you may want to get your point across without over messaging, and in some cases, without coming off as an advocate for a cause.

• Figure out who’s writing in your area of expertise and interest. Review their work and email those writers directly before sending your pitches to editors.

• Spend a lot of time talking through your pitch. “The best pitches read like stories in terms of voice and presentation,” Silverman said.

• Get to the fundamental tension of the story. Memoirs, for example, are effective when they show a larger picture, as well as the insider’s view.

• The tension is the most interesting part of the piece. If the problem is too easily resolved, people won’t want to read about it.

• If you’re new to magazine writing, it may be better to pitch to other areas of the magazine (the New York Times Magazine’s “You Are Here” section, for example), instead of a full-length feature story.

• If you’re pitching to a literary journal, channel your writing style into the query. Be specific and demonstrate how well versed you are.

• It’s often better to narrow the focus of your story. Don’t write a pitch as if it were a school report. Be conversat

Studio leaders Julie Burnstein and Jolie Solomon with the class.

ional.

• Pitch to magazines your genuinely enjoy reading!

Ilena Silverman speaks to the class.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Katherine Milsop

 

Expert Tips for a Successful Book Proposal

Barbara Jones

The OpEd studio welcomed Barbara Jones on May 26, a former executive at Hyperion Publishing who has extensive experience in editing fiction for magazines and book publishers. Jones offered insights into the book industry, as well as her editorial expertise when she reviewed the diverse array of book proposals submitted by the class. Additionally, she outlined several key points to aim for in a book proposal:

• Proposals must be well written. They should have their own voice and “embody what the book is going to be.”

• You need a good story. “Is this a story you can tell better than anyone?”

• Strong narratives are key. “A sweeping narrative still sells.” The arc of your story should be authentic. In the case of a memoir, it should be passionate, acknowledge the problem and embrace the struggle.

• The more you can write before you go out, the better off you are. While it’s important to be ready for input and changes from your editor, it’s helpful to have as much of your book written as possible beforehand. Most publishers will give you a year to complete the book.

• Do your own PR though social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. Make videos and post them online.

• Beware of modern scenarios and topics that have become cliché subjects for books, i.e. women in Afghanistan (Although, women in Afghanistan have recently been an invaluable part of one OpEd Project staff member’s work. See our previous post!).

• Be able to “tag” your book with terms that someone can Google, such as “psychology”, “celebrity”, “drugs”, etc…

• Know specifically what group of people the book is intended for. Include details such as the kind of cover, placement in stores, length and even price.

Jones also explained that publishers look for books that can easily get television publicity and can potentially be turned into movies. The “platform” of the author, or her popularity, career and notoriety, will often be the key to a successful book deal.

-Katherine Milsop

“Harnessing Twitter” – OpEd Studio, May 19

Sarah Milstein at the OpEd studio.

How do you get your point across in 140 character or less? Thursday night’s studio on Twitter began with Jolie Solomon challenging one woman’s use of “nothing words” in class. (What does “laying the groundwork” mean, anyway?) The goals of each woman at the seminar ranged from getting more followers on their personal Twitter accounts, to using Twitter as a tool for “Ted Talks” (Technology, Entertainment and Design conferences) and media exposure.

In her discussion, guest speaker Sarah Milstein successfully demystified Twitter the seminar attendees. Milstein, co-author of “The Twitter Book”, gave a presentation on harnessing the power of Twitter. She became the 21st Twitter user after the site was created in 2006. Milstein is also the co-founder of Two Tomatoes Records.

According to Milstein, women tend to be more active in social media. But about 70 to 90 percent of individuals who use social media are “lurking” – meaning that they are not actively posting, networking or tweeting through the sites. She described Twitter as a “low risk” way to network and build relationships with people in your field. The standard for use is simply to read. Read the posts of other people, organizations or news outlets that you are following.

If you’re interested in becoming a Twitter “thought-leader”, it’s important to create a Twitter persona. It could be your own, but feel free to experiment with multiple personalities in the same account.

Milstein emphasized the importance of sharing “valuable stuff.” This could be as simple as linking to a fascinating news article or opinion column you read recently. You can also link to photos and videos on other sites. When sharing links, it’s often a plus to include your own opinion before the link. If the author or host you are citing is a Twitter user, it’s all right to “call them out” and include their user name with the “@” symbol in your tweet. (For example: “The seminar tonight was great! @oped_studio.”) Sites like bit.ly offer a free url shortening service to help keep you under the 140 character limit.

Sharing tips via Twitter is another way of mixing the practical with the personal. Point to credible sources and give people information they can use. Milstein discussed Twitter’s ability to provide a vivid personal connection and make a window into your own life. You can share funny anecdotes about your dog, or mention helpful tips about finding a hotel in Barcelona. Milstein suggested following the “80/20 rule”: Keep 20 percent of your posts about you, and 80 percent about everything else.

The value of Twitter doesn’t necessarily rely on how many friends you have. According to Milstein, following is extremely overblown. It’s not necessary to have thousands of followers. If someone follows you, no Twitter etiquette compels you to follow her in return.

The class also discussed Twitter’s ability to spread news and big events faster than most news media outlets. The site’s ability to cultivate organic trends and memes via hashtags (searchable phrases or words with the “#” preceding them) makes it an indispensable tool for thought leadership.

But sometimes the most compelling tweets are the simplest ones. Don’t feel you have to be clever each time. While the tweet is essentially out there forever, it has a shelf life of about five minutes, so don’t stress each tweet.

One attendee noted that it’s very easy to get lost in the “vortex” of tweets. Milstein said that it’s important to play around on Twitter but, “While you’re playing, be interesting.”

Check out the OEP on twitter @theopedproject. Follow our studios @oped_studio.

-Katherine Milsop

The OEP Presents A New York Day: The April 16th Public Seminar

This past Saturday, April 16^th, I spent my day as a participant in the program I’ve assisted in running behind the scenes for nearly three months now. Despite my initial hesitation, I found my time at the Op-Ed Project’s New York Seminar to be engaging, enlightening and overall a phenomenal use of a rainy day.

Things opened with a casual breakfast of bagels and light conversation before moving on a standard parade of introductions and greetings and progressing, finally, to an opening exercise that remains one of the most insightful experiences in recent memory. While I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone who hasn’t (but surely should) had the chance to participate in one of these seminars yet, those who have will certainly catch my drift when I say that sometimes knowing yourself can be more difficult than you might suppose.

After the lunch break the day resumed with a more formal guide to approaching the art of the op-ed. As the hours ticked by and the exercises stacked up, I found myself staring deeper into a beast that I thought I had conquered quite some ago. As the social media intern here at the OEP, I (wonderfully) get to read each and every successful publication by former participants of the program: I carefully scan each—always from a growing variety of publications—and, in 140 characters or less, try my best to crystallize the point, the purpose behind the author’s countless hours of work. This role, combined with a pre-existing healthy appetite for op-ed reading, had lead me to believe, before Saturday, not only that I understood the abstract concept of an op-ed piece, but also that I could, with ease, guide someone to writing their own. Not true; simply, not true.

That afternoon the magnificent and magnetic Katherine Lanpher—as well as the equally qualified OEP founder Katie Orenstein—treated we seminar participants to a surgically compressed break-down (but not a template: I cannot stress this enough) of how op-eds work, conception to publication: the proper opening tools and hooks; tips for highlighting and establishing relevance; methods of strengthening arguments while retaining core beliefs and audience, etc. As the clock’s hands flirted with the scheduled 5 PM conclusion time, I had, in my hand, a rough yet workable outline for a possible piece and, in my head, what felt like a whole semester’s worth of glorious, insider knowledge and insight.

Because of the US’s wonderfully frustrating legal drinking age (at least in the eyes of a newly-minted 20 year-old), I was unable to attend the ensuing Happy Hour, instead opting to assist the actually wonderful Director of Operations here, Senka, clean up; to remove any sign that we were ever there. However, even though clearing the bagels and used napkins, rearranging the tables and chairs, resetting the world to as it was before was quite easy, clearing my mind of what I learned that day is nothing shy of impossible. So while I might have stepped onto the 9^th floor of 260 5^th Ave on Saturday with a firm belief that, basically, I wouldn’t learn too much that morning regarding writing an op-ed piece, just the opposite proved true: not only did I learn more than I ever conceived possible about the art, I also learned about a surprising bit about myself. Not a terrible way to spent a rainy Saturday—or a sunny one for that matter.

-Chris Fanikos is the social media intern here at The OpEd Project. He is a soon-to-be rising junior at NYU, a history major with a major interest in education and the progressing world of 21^st century marketing and media.

OEP NYC Session 8/23-8/24

This past Monday and Tuesday, we had an Op-Ed Project Workshop here in New York and it was great! Here are some of the many photos taken from the day:

Also, Alyssa Best, from our DC office, came in for the day. It was great meeting her!

Alyssa & Jordan

After the session ended on Tuesday evening, we went out for a late happy hour at the Ace Hotel. It was hopping – there were so many people making so much noise that I practically had to shout to be heard! Even though it was loud, it was great to see so many interesting women and chat with some of them. In all, another fun and inspiring day here at the Op-Ed Project. And as mentor-editor Lynn Harris said, “If women can be heard in the loudest room in Manhattan, we can be heard everywhere.”

It was great meeting all of you. Good luck!

- Jordan

The OpEd Project and Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow hold second session….

Over the past weekend protest has raged over the proposed Islamic community center and Mosque that could be built near ground zero in lower Manhattan. This topic was painfully familiar to many who attended The OpEd Project seminar with Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT)  last week on August 13th.

The level of engagement and energy throughout the session was phenomenal and we were especially eager to hear from one participant,  Daisy Khan, who is the executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the founder of MLT.

Zeba Khan, one of the alums from last year’s MLT / OEP collaboration, wrote her very first op-ed after attending the session and later that fall beat out thousands of competitors in the Washington Posts “America’s Next Great Pundit Contest,” ending the competition as runner-up to the first-place position. Khan’s work has since appeared in numerous media outlets, including the Huffington Post and the Washington Post. You can read some of it here: http://views.washingtonpost.com/pundits/contestants/zeba.khan/

In light of the contention that so often characterizes our national conversations today it’s important that we have a diversity of voices contributing to the dialogue. Thank you Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow for showing up to enrich the debate!

OEP / Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow seminar, 2010

OEP / Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow seminar, 2009

OEP San Francisco Session

This past weekend, the Op-ed Project was in SF for a session and happy hour.

Here are a few photos from the day:

Kate, Jennifer, Barbara, and Pia

Some of the SF participants

Laura Mazer teaching

Mugging: Oped Project founder Katie O, OpEd Project Advisor and Mentor Editor and New Mamma Laura Mazer, and OpEd Project Mentor-Editor and new West Coast Leader Ginna Green.

Leila Ginna & Katie at Happy Hour

 

Alum Lila Janah, founder of Samasource

We were happy to see Leila at Sunday’s Happy Hour – Leila is an OpEd Project alum from 2009, as well as the founder of Samasource, which connects women, youth and refugees to life-changing work via the internet. Here’s a terrific talk Leila gave at TEDxSV:

In all, it was a great day. Thanks to everybody who came to the session and/or the happy hour!

DC Happy Hour

Here are a couple photos from the Op-Ed Project DC happy hour that was a couple of weeks ago.

Alums and friends gathered at the National Press Club in DC for a summer happy hour celebration and had a great time!

DC Instructor and Mentor-Editor Kelly with OEP alum Faith

OEP alum Jill chats with Zephyr