Friday: So much exciting news to share!

Good morning!

Friday is usually such a quiet day that sometimes I don’t even send out my daily Substack email…but today is NOT one of those Fridays. I have so much news to share!

And it’s all…very…exciting.

Today is the day that I’m teaching a virtual workshop for college journalists hoping to break into freelance writing post-graduation. As this was my own career trajectory, I hope they can learn from me (or at least learn from my mistakes — trust me, there were many along the way!). I’m right now readying my apartment to be virtual-workshop ready. This essentially means putting a privacy screen behind my couch so you don’t see my bed and putting on some mascara. But I have so many talking points and I just hope to keep their attention long enough to get to it all!

In other news, I was excited to be interviewed by Darby Communications for their Ask the Expert series. In this week’s edition, they covered how to get the most out of Substack. Was so honored they considered me a Substack expert! I seriously sometimes feel like it’s 2005 and I’m typing away on my LiveJournal…

But all that isn’t even the most exciting news of the day. I had about a half dozen stories publish yesterday — including for THREE new-to-me outlets, and one of those outlets was one that was a bucket list for me for YEARS and I’m so excited to see my byline there now. Here’s some of the stories that published since yesterday morning’s email:

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

My first story for @WineEnthusiast !! Passover Wines to Make Your Seder Shine | Wine Enthusiast

winemag.com10 Passover Wines to Make Your Seder ShineWhen you have four cups to get through in one dinner, wine quality is paramount. These excellent, Passover-approved bottles more than make the cut.

Wine Enthusiast has been HIGH on my byline bucketlist for as long as I can remember — and getting to write about a topic so near and dear to my heart made achieving that goal all the much sweeter.

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

6 Items You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen When Guests Come Over

bestlifeonline.com6 Items You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen When Guests Come OverAccording to experts, some of the items you need in your kitchen when guests come over include filtered water, aprons, and a clean sponge.

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

The Healthiest Tomato Sauces You Can Buy at the Grocery Store cleanplates.com/shopping/best-… via @CleanPlates

cleanplates.comThe Healthiest Tomato Sauces You Can Buy at the Grocery StoreWhen selecting from a variety of jarred tomato sauces, there are a few key factors to consider to ensure you’re getting the best quality.

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

10 Easter Sales That Shouldn't Be Missed for 2023 retailmenot.com/blog/best-east…

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Shopping For Passover Wine And Spirits Requires Careful Preparation via @Forbes

forbes.comShopping For Passover Wine And Spirits Requires Careful PreparationChecking the labels is incredibly important.

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Fun Passover Cocktails To Welcome Guests At The Seder via @Forbes

forbes.comFun Passover Cocktails To Welcome Guests At The SederWhether or not you are strictly Kosher for Passover, there’s a fun cocktail to help you get in the spirit of the festivities just in time for the week-long holiday.

Bicycling Magazine @BicyclingMag

The best concoctions to sip before and after a workout.

trib.al10 New Smoothie Recipes to Liven Up Your Breakfast and Fuel Your RidesThe best concoctions to sip before and after a workout.

Aside from all that going on, it’s a busy day. After my workshop this afternoon, the furry little princesses are going for their pre-Passover grooming, and then I have dinner plans I’m very excited about (will share more about that on my Instagram tonight). And then this weekend will be a whole lot of Passover prep. (and also non-Passover work too!).

So, let’s get to it! And happy Friday!

Newly published or freshly updated

Since people are often asking about the status of stories from a while ago, and I only share stories in this newsletter that were published or updated in the current week, I have created a list of my author pages at various publications to which I contribute. Bookmark it and make your life a bit easier.

This list will live on my Substack URL and be updated as necessary. That way, you can see what I’m doing at any publication, at any time, from types of stories to general structure of stories to even volume and frequency of my content at that outlet.

This can also help you to target pitching a bit better. That makes your job easier, and mine too!

• In case you missed it, I was recently a guest on a podcast. Check it out here — I share some easy-to-follow tips on how emerging brands can get the attention of busy editors.

• Speaking of podcasts, I was a guest on the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast last month (I ADORE Lexie Smith!), and you can still catch it here. We chatted at length about pitching, the ever-changing landscape of the editorial process, and more.

• (Also, if you host a podcast that has anything to do with media/PR/writer content or food/bev/travel content and are interested in me coming on as a guest, I’d love if you reach out!)

• Wine Enthusiast: 10 Passover Wines to Make Your Seder Shine

• Southern Living: Invited To Your First Passover Seder? Here's What You Should Bring

• Forbes: Fun Passover Cocktails To Welcome Guests At The Seder

• Forbes: Shopping For Passover Wine And Spirits Requires Careful Preparation

• Best Life: 6 Items You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen When Guests Come Over

• Clean Plates: The Healthiest Tomato Sauces You Can Buy at the Grocery Store

• RetailMeNot: 10 Easter Sales That Shouldn’t Be Missed for 2023

• Bicycling: 10 Smoothie Recipes for Cyclists to Fuel Their Rides

• Clean Plates: The Best Healthy Snacks to Buy at Target, According to Dietitians

• The Kitchn: Martha Stewart Taught Jamie Oliver a Very Useful Kitchen Hack, and We Can’t Wait to Use It

• Forbes.com: Capture The Spirit Of The Season With Whimsical Easter Cocktails

• Forbes.com: Food-Themed Easter Baskets Add A Touch Of Whimsy To The Celebration

• YourTango: 15 Best DIY Hair Masks To Get Soft, Moisturized Hair

• YourTango: 40 Best Energy-Boosting Foods & Drinks To Make A Part Of

If you or your client are featured in any of these stories, I super appreciate any social media shares! Please remember to tag @alywalansky and the outlet.

Here’s what I’m working on:

Be sure to read the below list carefully. Many are stories I posted about yesterday, but some of yesterday's stories are no longer listed and a few new ones have been added since yesterday. This (below) is everything that is still a currently open opportunity as of today.

Please remember when pitching me: Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com - do NOT just hit reply on this newsletter, or there’s a good shot your email will be lost in the heap. Give your email a subject line that makes it clear which story you are pitching me for — it’ll help you in the long run.

Please consult my industry insights guides on submitting expert commentary, sending emails that will catch a journalist’s attention, how to craft pitches journalists will say ‘yes’ to, and the right and wrong way to submit photos, if you need any extra guidance before sending your pitches.

Best Life

Things You Should Put Away When Guests Come Over, Experts Say 

You may recall that last week, I did a version of this story regarding what to put out when guests come over, so we wanted to try the reverse of that idea. This can be things like bills, your cat's litter box, medications, etc. Would love experts (perhaps home organization? etiquette?) to weigh in.

The Best Colors to Paint Your Bedroom, According to Sleep Experts

Thought this would be interesting to get the take of sleep experts here, as well as color experts as sources.

TODAY.com

I’m beginning to round up Cinco de Mayo food deals at chain restaurants. I’m not looking for free delivery or reward point type of deals at this time but more BOGOs, freebies, discounts, etc. Please be sure to tell me how to claim the deal (i.e. coupon code, downloading app, etc) when responding.

Forbes.com

I’m looking for home entertaining experts to send some commentary over email about how to plan your own at-home coronation watch party.

Also, I am looking for bars/restaurants around the world that have created specialty cocktails in honor of the coronation of King Charles III this May. I’ll need the usual — where it is, what’s in it, why it’s a perfect cocktail for the occasion, a quote from a bartender/owner/chef, and a high res image. I’m really excited about this one, so lets try to find some great cocktails!

Looking to up your affiliate marketing game?

Affiliate marketing is complicated, and it seems that the landscape keeps changing. If you are looking to be prepared for gift guide season and all other shopping-related content, you may want to try the Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. It's a brilliant course and it'll answer all your questions (including some you didn't know you had!)

Virtual (and now in-person!) consulting sessions...

Looking for a consult as you plan your next event or trip? Or just want someone to take a look at the pitches you’ve been sending and give some feedback?

I've been popping into a lot of PR team virtual meetings and some other fun stuff and making myself available to answer all sorts of questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective.  I like to keep these things chill and comfortable and relaxed all by sharing perspective and learning from one another. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat!

If you are interested in setting anything up for your own team in the coming months, please email me and we'll get something on the books! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts. If you are a freelance publicist and want to join in with a few other freelance publicist friends and set something up, we can do that as well!

Have a great day!

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