Thursday: We interrupt this day at sea for very exciting news!

Happy Thursday, friends!

And greetings from…somewhere at sea.

First of all, thanks SO SO much to everyone who attending Jill Schildhouse and my pop-up AMA Zoom yesterday afternoon from Coco Cay. We had SUCH a blast and it was so excited to see a packed (virtual) house of so much of our shared community. It felt like a tropical happy hour mixer and we can’t wait to do it again!

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t planning on sending out a Substack today — we have a BUSY day at sea on Icon of the Seas with a packed schedule. But, as will happen, I have exciting news to share that changed all that: Muck Rack released their 2024 list of the top 10 most popular freelance journalists, and I was so excited to be on the list again — and my lovely friend and colleague Alice Dubin is as well!

It’s such an incredibly important time to take a moment to recognize freelance writers, and it’s very appreciated. “Freelance writers have always been an underpinning of the journalism industry,” the Muck Rack announcement begins. “In today’s era of media layoffs and shrinking staff, more and more journalists are making the switch. Many on this list cover topics like culture, food and travel, which paints a pretty idyllic picture of life as a freelancer.”

Of course, those of us in the trenches know that the reality is a whole lot different than said idyllic picture…one that often feels scary and isolating and anxiety-inducing…but it’s moments such as these, being recognized by respected industry comrades, that really does make such a big difference.

This weekend’s Industry insights email dealt with pitching red flags — what they are, and what we can learn from them. You can still check it out here.

My romantic cocktails for Valentine’s Day guide for Forbes is now live - and it’s a big one! I included 40 cocktails, from pitches gathered from this community.

In other news…

It’s been SO exciting to see friends begin to post selfies wearing my headbands and bows on Instagram. If you bought any of the bows or headbands, I’d love to see it - please remember to tag me and RPZL if you share on social.

A week from TODAY is the RPZLxAly capsule collection launch party in NYC. It’ll be the evening of February 1 and at the CUTEST spot — where we will have sweet treats, cocktails, a headband bar, and it’ll just be the most pink, girlie night ever.

We have limited space but I am going to invite 10 readers from this Substack to attend. Please only enter this drawing if you are able to be in NYC and attend the party that night, because these are limited spots!

To enter to attend, please comment below on the piece(s) you are most excited about trying from the new collection. I’ll contact 10 winners by early next week with details so far as specific location.

There’s just a few days left to get 25% off any item from my new RPZL x ALY Valentine’s Day capsule collection with code ALY25.

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!

• RetailMeNot: 5 Superstar Ingredients for Your Meal-Stretching Pantry Starter Pack

• Forbes.com: 40 Romantic Cocktails That Will Add A Little Love On Valentine’s Day

• Today.com: Say goodbye to wrinkles with these expert-approved drugstore creams — starting at $12

• Food Network: Oreo’s New Cookie Will Take You to Outer Space

• Clean Plates: The Healthy Trader Joe’s Sauce I Use in *Everything*

• RetailMeNot: Affordable Valentine’s Day Gifts That Show Lots of Love on a Budget

• Martha Stewart: 8 Storage Mistakes That Are Keeping Your Home From Being Organized

• Forbes.com: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2024: The Most Romantic Kitchen Gifts

• Today.com: 27 healthy fast food items at popular US chains, according to dietitians and doctors

• Southern Living: Can You Freeze Brussels Sprouts?

• Forbes.com: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2024: The Best Heart-Shaped Food Gifts

• Forbes.com: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2024: The Best Bougie Culinary Gifts

• Clean Plates: 12 Weight Loss Strategies That Are Easy To Follow, Say Experts

• Clean Plates: 7 Mediterranean Diet Dinner Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

• Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This One Safety Device

• Forbes.com: Pantone’s 2024 Color Of The Year Is Resulting In Glorious Peach-Hued Cocktails

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.

RetailMeNot

Grocery Saving Tips That Actually Work: I’m working on a detailed guide on ways you can save on groceries. Looking for experts to weigh in with actionable tips, anything from actions to take wherever you shop, to suggestions on particular stores/chains to shop.

Meal Prepping Products That are Actually WORTH It: TikTok and Instagram are full of meal-prepping products (storage, kitchen tools, etc.) But there's always the possibility someone might be inspired, buy a bunch of this stuff, use it once and then let it collect dust. I’m looking for chefs/food writers/grocery shopping influencers to weigh in re: some products you swear by to keep meal prep easy. It can be aspiration stuff, or just simple things that are not glamorous.  If sending thoughts, be sure to include: Why it's a meal-prepping essential: what this thing does and why it helps with meal prepping. Why it's a good value: Maybe it's durable? Multifunctional? A good price? Where to buy it.

Forbes

Just in time for the new Mean Girls release, I’m working on a themed cocktail guide in its honor. It’ll be a roundup of hot pink cocktails. Please send me: name of cocktail, where available (MUST exist on a bar/restaurant menu somewhere), description (not a recipe), and a chef/bartender quote and image (of the drink, with photo credit) by this Friday.

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’m available for PR team virtual meetings to answer questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective.  Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts.

Have a great day!

<3