EMAN QUOTAH
Eman Quotah's novel, Bride of the Sea, was called a best debut of 2021 by Booklist. Her essays and stories have appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, The Toast, The Establishment, Book Riot, The Rumpus, Literary Hub, Electric Literature, Witness, Necessary Fiction, Gargoyle, and other publications. She is also a communications professional who works with leaders in health, education, and social justice. She lives with her family near Washington, D.C.
Learn more at her website.
SESSION: Just My Opinion: Writing (and Landing) Op-Eds and Guest Essays
Whether your publisher has asked you to pitch essays to promote your book, or you’ve got a burning opinion you want to share with the world, this session will show you how to write, pitch, and land persuasive pieces that get people talking.
Opinion and essay writing are great ways for writers (of all genres) to get a byline and attention for their work. But when is it an opinion? And when is it an essay? And how do you get an editor’s “yes”? This session will walk you through how to identify topics to write about; the difference between opinion essays and personal essays; how to get started writing; how to find outlets that take each; what opinion editors are looking for, and what they're not; what makes an opinion an opinion; how to whittle down your pitch list; and what the pitching/submission process is for different types of publications. We'll also examine some recent pieces and talk about what aspects of each one make it a strong piece and likely helped it get published. Fiction and nonfiction writers are equally welcome.