AARP cover story, WD print feature, looking for cover stars, and more.
P.S. Dog is on the mend and I'm obsessed with Reboot on Hulu
Happy Happy Tuesday. Hope everyone is having a great week so far. A few updates on my end:
We are 2.5 weeks into my doberman healing from ACL surgery and things are going MUCH BETTER. She stopped peeing in the house, she’s putting more weight on it and she starts physical therapy on Friday. Thanks for all the well wishes that you sent her way. TV show wise, I’m SUPER into Reboot on Hulu. If you haven’t watched, I highly recommend. I have never adored Judy Greer more! I am currently reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and loving that. We were finally starting to get some fall weather here in Los Angeles last week but it’s going to be 90 tomorrow (and our AC is currently broke…eek!). And my goal for the week, aside from deadlines, of course, is to get some Halloween decorations up. We skipped that whole ordeal last year but I’m really feeling fall right now (as long as the weather continues to play nice). ;-)
I have several things I’m sourcing for this week and am excited to hop into that in a minute. But first, I wanted to remind everyone about something new that I’m really excited to be a part of:
If you haven’t subscribed to the Top Tier Consulting Substack yet, you’re missing out on WEEKLY articles written by 2 top-tier journalists PACKED with actionable tips on how to:
Take a pitch from “This is a client I have” to “hey journalist, this is a story idea you will be excited to jump on.”
A look into what goes through a writer’s head when they are opening your pitches and some easy tips and tricks on how to make them stand out
How to help clients stand out when submitting them as potential sources
How to truly help a pitch be timely
How to find the right writers and editors to be pitching for your clients
How to stand out in the inbox of a writer when you’re pitching something that EVERYONE is simultaneously pitching (gift guides, holiday content, SuperBowl, cold and flu season, a topic tied to a cultural moment)
How to help your source be someone a writer will go to again and again
And more!
More about TTC and our Substack below:
Jill Schildhouse and I have teamed up together to launch a media consulting business: Top Tier Consulting! With that, we recently launched an official Top Tier Consulting Substack, where we share our industry insights every week. As two writers who frequently contribute to top-tier publications, we treat these just as we would any other article. That means lots of brainstorming and hours are poured into providing our subscribers with weekly articles jam packed with information they can put instantly into practice. We’ve been receiving such amazing feedback on how our content has already been making such a difference for publicists and seriously all the feels there!
These are action packed with information (no joke, the last one was 1,600 words long … we go deep into these topics!). Our recent newsletter was on 8 Things You Need to Do to Help Prep Your Clients for Interviews and boy have we been receiving wonderful feedback on that. It’s amazing how taking just a few small steps before handing off your client to participate in an interview with a journalist can make all the difference. A few of our popular past topics have been:
We’re getting ready to put this week’s newsletter out and have a running list of topics to cover going so if there is anything you ever want us to do a deep dive into, please let us know!
TTC Substack founders members get monthly access to us via group Zoom sessions where we go through our members’ questions that came up for the month. And of course, you can book a session with us at Top Tier Consulting by visiting our website.
Now onto pitches:
AARP Cover story: Common Health Grievances (This story is due Monday so need to connect with sources ASAP)
Thanks to everyone who participated in this one so far. My editor is adding a bunch of health grievances and I need experts to provide comments on the following (sources can’t be tied to brands but can be tied to clinics, hospitals and specific medical centers). Looking for blurbs on why these are common health grievances and then lots of actionable and research-backed advice on how to navigate these. Here are the topics:
Is Monkey Pox something for me to worry about? Would like to speak to an MD or infectious disease doctor
My spouse is convinced she has long Covid. How can we know?: Would like to speak to an MD, infectious disease doctor, or someone who works at a long COVID center
I know someone who can’t eat meat anymore because of a tick bite. Could it happen to me? Looking for a doctor who treats tick-borne illnesses
I probably would benefit by hearing aids, but even the new OTC ones seem expensive. How to proceed? Looking to speak to an audiologist
My daughter is trying to convince me to join her on a fasting regimen. Smart or dumb? Looking to speak to an MD
My doctor says I should get a routine colonoscopy. Proceed or not? Looking to talk to a doctor who performs these
Everyone is talking about mental health these days. I’ve never been to a psychiatrist in my life. Should I start? Looking to talk to a therapist
With each October and April, my coughing grows worse. Is it me or are seasonal allergies getting worse? Looking to talk to an allergist
My spouse wants us to only use gluten-free pasta and bread at home “because it’s just healthier.” Is that true? Looking to talk to an RD or doctor
Woman’s Day print feature: Zest for Life
For a print feature for Woman’s Day, I am looking to speak with women who went through some amazing life change that helped them reclaim their joy and lives. Even better if part of the way they reclaimed their life involves helping other people and bringing joy to others. There can be one weight-loss story/transformation, someone who took control of their health in a big way. (We’d need before/after photos for this one!) There could be a story about someone who lost a loved one and were in a bad place, but found inspiration to go on and maybe found love again, or made it their life mission to support others who are grieving. The key here is heartwarming stories where the person rediscovered their “zest for life.” People with compelling back stories that you want to root for.
If you are submitting women, please include their full name, age, location, job title and a photo of them. And if you need something branded mentioned, please include that as well as I need to get approval on those ahead of time.
Parade Cover Stories:
As many of you may have heard, Parade is now transfering over to an e-edition. I am looking for cover stars to feature on this. Here is more information on the changeover:
Starting with our November 20th issue, we will transition to an e-edition of Parade magazine. The weekly e-edition will still reach the same devoted readers via 900+ newspapers across the country and our stories will be supported with tons of social and a big presence on parade.com.
You will be able to enjoy the same Parade classics, including Walter Scott Asks Interviews and Ask Marilyn and Numbrix.
Looking for well known actors, musicians and personalities to feature. Must be mainstream and a household name.
Please send all pitches to NCPajer@gmail.com.
Also, if you want to get social, follow me here:
That’s it for this week. Thanks all!
<3 Nicole