In this workshop, participants will learn simple tips for writing and pitching op-eds and other kinds of public-facing writing to general-audience publications. Public-facing writing is an outstanding tool for demonstrating the broad social impact of scholars� work and building trust with the public.

More specifically, attendees will learn simple tips for:

– Writing clear, accessible prose
– Crafting a pitch and appealing to an editor
– Drafting an op-ed that links their scholarly work to the news cycle

To practice these skills, participants will pair up with colleagues from different disciplines and explain a technical aspect of their work in simple, accessible language. They will then brainstorm ways to connect their work with the news cycle. And they will conclude the workshop by completing a pitch generator activity to help them get started on their first piece of public-facing writing.

Session type: Workshop

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to write and pitch op-eds and other kinds of public-facing writing to general-audience publications
• Learn how to translate scholarly work into clear, accessible prose

Speakers & Panelists

Sean Trainor
Sean Trainor is a Lecturer in the University of Florida's Management Communication Center, where he teaches professional writing in business. He is also a freelance writer and podcaster with bylines in TIME, The Atlantic, Salon, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Gainesville Sun, and many other publications. A historian by training, Sean�s public-facing writing translates scholarly research on US history into clear, accessible prose.