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Check out this May 7 workshop, trailblazing women in media & copy resource of the week

Author

Kimberly Houston
May 05, 2024

Hey, hi, howdy, and welcome to Issue #16 of The Subhead, a bi-weekly newsletter about copywriting, marketing & media, and a look at some of the women who make it great.

Here’s what’s on deck in today’s edition:

✨ This week in freelancing

✨ Something super fun (+ helpful!) happening Tuesday May 7

✨ Trailblazing Women in Media: Amanda Zamora

✨ Copy Resource of the Week: User Persona Generator

✨ Just for Fun

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This week in freelancing …

What’s new this week?

Well, I received eight new article assignments from a current client – I love it when that happens!

I continued work on an ongoing website + email welcome sequence copy project. We’re still on the website portion of the project, and I am ever eager to get that finalized, so we can move on to the email welcome sequence, as I love writing those.

I’ve been writing website copy for years, and still find it super-rewarding, but there is just something about writing emails for clients that makes me want to jump for joy.  I can’t explain it.

But enough about me …

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What are you doing Tuesday May 7?

If you have any interest in learning how to pitch stories to online or print publications (Yes, they still exist!), and racking up some of those sweet, sweet bylines, then you probably want to check out Amber Petty’s no-cost, Live Pitching Workshop next week.

I’ve been on Amber’s email list for a while, I’ve taken her monthly paid pitching class (it’s stellar), and I have her Getting Into the New York Times digital product (again, stellar), so I can pretty much guarantee this workshop will be worth your while if getting bylines is on your writing wish list.

Workshop details are at the link below, but in a nutshell, in this 60-minute workshop you’ll discover what stories are selling now & what you need to put in a pitch, plus start your next pitchable story in class.

And here’s the there’s-nothing-else-like-this-out-there kicker:

It’s also a musical! That’s right, friend, it features 3 original tunes to keep things interesting.

It’s Tuesday May 7th at Noon PT/ 3pm ET/ 8pm BST.

Check out Amber’s free workshop that teaches you how to pitch, gives time to write, and features fun songs like Content Rainbow and Don't Let the A-Holes Win:

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Trailblazing Women in Media: Amanda Zamora

Amanda Zamora is Founder & Principal of Agencia Media, LLC, a consultancy that “partners with organizations to drive narrative change and civic engagement, especially with and for communities of color.”

I just recently discovered this fact, however, because how I first came to know of Zamora was through the non-profit newsroom and publication she co-founded, The 19th, which covers gender, politics and policy. She now serves as strategic adviser to the organization.

Zamora, a longtime journalist, has worked at newsrooms including the Texas Tribune, ProPublica, and The Washington Post. She’s a board member of the American Press Institute and Chicas Poderosas.

If you’re a nerd like me, you might enjoy this interview with Zamora, where she discusses women’s representation in journalism, the mission of The 19th, and her hopes for the next generation of women entering the field, among other things.

Favorite quotes from this interview:

“Voting rights is such a political bomb right now in this country. The truth is voting rights are an important issue. It is something that not everyone has equal access to still to this day, we are going to report those facts. That does not make us partisan. It makes us truth-tellers.”

And …

“. . . I am committed to being the best professional pain in the ass that I can be to do my part to help change the game.”

I would love to be able to link to Zamora’s consultancy, Agencia Media, LLC, but I couldn’t find a website for it, and I searched high and low.

You can learn more about Zamora at the inline links above, and / or:

:: Listen to her discuss launching a news brand about women and politics on the Media Voices podcast here (this episode is from 2020).

:: Listen to Zamora and her The 19th co-founder, Emily Ramshaw, talk about the origins of their independent, nonprofit newsroom here.

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Copy Resource of the Week: User Persona Generator

I’ll be honest, I haven’t experimented with any of the current AI tools out there, but I have seen some of the content those tools generate, and … it ain’t good. In fact, some of it is downright awful.

No personality, no distinctive point of view, just entirely dismissible dross. Even when using so-called “good” prompts. (But how do you really feel, Kimberly?) 😊

My guess is that won’t always be the case.

That said, I recently took the plunge and tried an AI Persona Generator just for fun, on the recommendation of one of my LinkedIn friends.

I tested it using the target audience segment, “female founder of healthcare startup.” And even though what it generated did not blow me away, I think it could be useful as a start to figuring out a kind of top-level overview of a user persona.  

The tool claims it can help you “understand your ideal customer without running 50 interviews. Know exactly how to win their hearts.”

Hmm, not sure the persona it generated for me did all that, but as I say, it’s definitely a good start.

Check it out at the link below. (It’s free, by the way.)

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Just for Fun

I loved this recent article from the New York Times about an artist who has found success (Gift link).

Jeffrey Gibson’s history-making turn at the Venice Biennale brings the gay and Native American artist center stage with works of struggle and freedom.

And finally, I implore you to check out this delightful story of a nine-year-old boy who won a screeching competition. If you closed your eyes, you would never know this sound is coming from a human child – it’s uncanny!

The video at the top of the story is all you need to get the full effect, and it’s only 37 seconds. 😊

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Alrighty then.

That’s all for this week, my friend.

Be well. Stay curious. See you again in two weeks, on May 19.

Warmly,

Kimberly