Monday: The "what are you working on?" email (See also: The reason I launched this Substack)
Good morning!
Today promises to be a Manic Monday, as I attempt to fit three events into the course of the afternoon/evening!
(But all are going to be super fun and I can’t wait to embark on this kind of unusual day — and this isn’t even the most scheduled day this week…)
Before we get into what I’m working on today (well, at least the top part of today), I wanted to touch on a topic that pops up in my inbox about a dozen times each and every day: The “What are you working on right now?” email.
These emails are a little confusing because the reason I launched this Substack three+ years ago was to answer that question.
Publicists had been emailing me for years asking if I had distribution lists for story sourcing and I finally decided…maybe this is what I should be doing, but in a more streamlined way. And that’s how my Substack was born.
So, while I get how the “What are you working on right now?” email is your attempt to drum up some business, or placements for your client, as the case may be, it gives me a second of pause.
I always respond thanking the person for taking the time to reach out, and encouraging them to subscribe to my Substack, as this will tell them exactly what I’m working on …every day. Without them having to ask. 90% of the time though, the person responds that they are already subscribed…which is what confuses me.
Are my sourcing opportunities being presented in a confusing way? (For real, tell me if they are!), or are you just not reading it even though you are subscribed and somehow think this email outreach is easier than reading the email already in your inbox waiting for you for this exact purpose?
So, if you do get this email, please take the time to read it thoroughly. And if your colleagues are not getting this email, please take the time to share it with them so they can subscribe too.
This newsletter exists as a service to you, but is only going to be useful when used as it is intended!
As a reminder, I’m on the panel of travel and food journalists who chooses the nominations for Newsweek’s Readers Choice Awards. Recently published categories I participated in include: Best Outdoor Grills, Best BBQ Smoker and Best Outdoor Speaker, and Best Pet Food Delivery Services 2025. Right now, I’m working on categories that include Best Mattresses, Best Sheets, and Best Vacuums (scroll down to my pending assignments section for specifics on what I’m looking for in these categories before emailing, please!)
Atlanta friends?
In upcoming travel news, I have a short trip to Atlanta coming up - my first time there (other than an airport connection or two) in years. Open to fun spots to try out while I’m in town or potential meetups to say hello!
Limited-time deals on consulting sessions and ad placement!
Reminder: I’m offering a limited-time special consulting session discount for paid subscribers: If you are a paid subscriber, you can for a limited time, get 25% off a virtual consulting session (where we can have your own private or agency-wide AMA session on anything you want to chat about!) — I have some slots open in the next few weeks, so if you or your agency is interested in booking one, email me today and we’ll chat details.
Flash sale: If you book a group subscription for your agency, you may be eligible for a FREE consulting session for your team (if you buy 12 or more seats as part of your annual group subscription). Email me so we can discuss!
I’m also offering a seasonal special on advertising in this newsletter. I’d love to place your sponsored posts and advertising in this substack, which goes out to nearly 10,000 media professionals every single day; Note: I do limit advertising to only what would be of interest to my readers, but am open to both short paragraph blurbs and dedicated posts - if you are interested in chatting details and scheduling something, please email me at alywalansky@gmail.com today!
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Thank you for helping get the word out!
We had an amazing turnout at our recent Mother’s Day gift guide pitching workshop — and there’s a full recording available for paid subscribers. If you are interested in me sending you the video link, drop me an email. Thanks so much for your support and happy gift guide pitching!
Related: We loved how many of attended you took the time to attend our webinar event last month, covering the upcoming ShareASale to Awin migration. We covered an overview of the migration process and timeline, pricing of networks, and choosing a network for your specific client needs. If you missed it, we do have a recording available for paid subscribers. Email if interested and I’ll share how to grab that recording as well!
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!)
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.
Forbes.com: How To Enhance Springtime Recipes With Specialty Pantry Items And Chef-Approved Tips
Forbes.com: Brother’s Bond Bourbon Looks To Stir Up Sustainability During Earth Month
Forbes.com: Daniel Boulud Is Again Bringing The Michelin Experience To Air Travel.
Forbes.com: 10 Gorgeous Cocktails To Enjoy This Mother's Day
Forbes.com: Locally Sourced Ingredients Are Foundation Of Salad-Centric Culinary Program
Forbes.com: 15 Lavender-Based Treats And Cocktails To Enjoy This Spring
Saatva: The Best Ways to Remove Tough Stains From Your Mattress
Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Weight Rule” for Decluttering, and It Keeps My Small Apartment Clutter-Free
Food Network: Jell-O Launches Its First-Ever Plant-Based Pudding
Travel & Leisure: This Flight Attendant-approved Jumpsuit Is My Go-to Comfy Airplane Outfit — and It’s Only $25 Right Now.
Forbes.com: 15 Sustainable Cocktails To Enjoy During Earth Month
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device
Yahoo Life!: Best pedometers of 2025, tested and reviewed
Yahoo Life: The best black tea to brew in 2025, according to testers and experts
Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off
Travel & Leisure: In-flight Theft Is Unfortunately a Thing, but These 12 Items Give Me Peace of Mind When I'm Traveling by Plane
Southern Living: The Unexpected Reason I Always Travel With Duct Tape—And You Should Too
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.
Newsweek Reader’s Choice
As a reminder, I’m on the panel of travel and food journalists who chooses the nominations for Newsweek’s Readers Choice Awards and I’m working on nominations for several new home-related categories!
Best Mattress: For this one, I’m looking for mattresses highly rated by consumers and have no known safety issues at a range of prices, but also looking at Comfort: Is the mattress comfortable? What type of mattress it it? (Foam, innerspring, hybrid, etc.)
Durability: Will the mattress hold its shape and firmness over time?
Ease of Use: Is the mattress water-resistant and easy to clean-up? Is the mattress lightweight (easy to lift/change sheets)?
Safety: - Is it firm? Is it free from harmful chemicals? (Phthalates, lead, flame retardants, etc.). I’m generally looking for the newest/latest products for this one.
Best Sheets: For this one, I will consider the following factors: Material: The type of fiber significantly impacts the feel, breathability, and durability of the sheets.Weave: The way fabrics are woven impact their texture and performance: Thread Count, Fit & Size: Do the sheets come in varying sizes (king, queen, etc.)?
Best Vacuum Cleaner: I’m looking for a range of prices and types (stand-up, robot, etc. vacs) but staying focused on dry vacuums only, as we may do wet vacs at another time.
Forbes
Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Ways to treat a long distance mom to a perfect Mother's Day dinner date - think in-home wine experiences and private chefs but also like a situation where you can ship a complete meal that just needs to be prepped or heated. For this one, trying to avoid the giant broader businesses with ready-made meals but more specific, regional or niche ones like the Maine Lobster option would be great.
May is National Salad Month, and there’s some great salads found in unexpected places around New York City. I’m doing a roundup of great salads at NYC restaurants — do you go to a steakhouse just to eat their amazing chopped kale starter salad? I’ve been there. Tell me where this salad is, what’s in it, why it’s great, and get me an image and a chef’s quote about it if you wish to be considered. I’m also up for some great salad in a bag/box type options you can enjoy right at home for when you can’t venture out for the fancy stuff.
I’m looking for pitches related to Cinco De Mayo or Kentucky Derby inspired cocktails available at bars and restaurants nationwide. Please be sure to include name of cocktail, where sold (city, state, name of restaurant, URL), description, quote about cocktail, image and appropriate photo credit when pitching - no pitches will be accepted that do not contain ALL these components. Thanks!
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aly
The "what are you working on?" email can lead to awesome conversations. Using tools like Loyally AI can really help keep your audience engaged and build solid relationships. It’s a smart way to connect with your readers!