Tuesday: Remember that 'first day of school' energy? Here's how we can use facets to be productive today.
PS: Grab the FREE recording of last week's blockbuster Zoom webinar event covering pitching, trends, and all things holiday gift guide season.
Hi, friends!
Welcome back!
I hope everyone’s long weekend served as something of a reset and we’re ready to begin a productive week.
Growing up in New York City, the day after Labor Day always was also the first day of school. And there’s that ‘first day of school’ energy that we all remember so vividly — but I think it’s also something that we can capture now, when school is way past us, as a way to feel productive in our day-to-day tasks.
What is the first day of school energy? It’s the excitement of a new year/class/teacher, of course. But for us, it could be a new project, a new team, a new focus.
When I was in school, to maximize energy and productivity on the first day of school, my mom would always make sure I’d prioritize sleep, have a consistent morning and evening routine, and eat a healthy breakfast, she would be sure to pack me a healthy lunch.
Once we got to school, especially on the first day, there’d be a focus on organization by creating a calendar and to-do lists, asking questions, staying engaged, and taking short, regular breaks to maintain focus and avoid burnout.
….what of that doesn’t apply to our day now, several decades later?
So, here’s an agenda for all of us today:
Create a Calendar and To-Do List:
Use this to organize your deadlines, appointments, tasks, and commitments on a calendar to help you stay on track. This will also help you to manage your time effectively.
Ask Questions:
So much goes wrong when we make wrong assumptions. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something.
Take Regular Breaks:
Incorporate short, regular breaks to refresh your mind and maintain focus, preventing burnout.
Stay Organized:
It’s amazing what a difference that can make in maintaining focus and being productive!
Check out our complete holiday gift guide pitching recording - it’s available right here, right now!
For those who missed out, you can grab the whole recording of our best practices for pitching holiday gift guides this season webinar for free (yes, completely free!) as a benefit for upgraded subscribers - it’s well over an hour of commentary, Q&A, and tons of information you can use this season. Grab the details here.
Upcoming travel: I’ll be in Malibu later this week for Malibu Food & Wine and then next week I’ll be in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood! (Yes, I’ll be in the LA area for over a week and I’m so excited!). I’m still waiting on my final itinerary for much of the trip so that’s why I haven’t responded to any of your emails (and thanks for those!) about my time there - but once I know my agenda more fully, I can respond to all those emails!
I’ll also be in Fort Lauderdale (very briefly) in mid-November (just for about 24 hours or so before a cruise).
Also: Who will be in NY for NYCWFF this fall? I’ll be here, there, everywhere and hope to see you, too!
(And yes, I’ll be in Miami for SOBEWFF this winter as well, of course!)
Book your consulting session!
I still have some space available for September!
I can join your team on Zoom, a phone call, or in-person and do a team Q&A and answer any of your questions about planning events, mailers, trips, pitching, followups, etc — giving you a very necessary media perspective. Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com if you are interested in chatting more and setting something up :)
I’m now contributing to the Yahoo Creators platform, writing a wide range of lifestyles topics: check out my author profile to see some of my most recent pieces! (This is updated daily - usually multiple times daily - so you’ll want to keep checking it out for new content!)
Limited-time deal on ad placement!
I’m 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!
Tools of the trade
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!)
Press Hook is where journalists, newsletter writers, and podcasters source expert quotes, hi-res images, product samples, affiliate info, and brand story angles — all from vetted brands in one searchable hub. It connects journalists and brands in what feels like a really user-friendly, organic way and I use it often to browse for sources and products aligned with my current projects and I’ve often found precisely what I need, when I need. Give it a try!
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.
Yahoo Creators: Check out my author profile (I have several new stories a day across the lifestyles umbrella, so that’s the best way to stay updated!)
Forbes.com: Whiskey Sour Recipes You Can Make At Home Anytime
Southern Living: How To Cook A Perfect Steak Every Time, According To Southern Chefs.
Food Network: Starbucks’ Fall 2025 Menu Starts Now
Food Network: Burger King's Cini Minis Are Finally Coming Back
Travel + Leisure: These $15 Earplugs Relieved My In-flight Ear Pain.
Apartment Therapy,:The $6 Office Supply a Travel Pro Always Puts in Their Suitcase
Southern Living: Southern Bartenders Reveal The Summer Cocktails They Actually Drink Themselves
The Kitchn: This “Brilliant” $10 Le Creuset Storage Gem Is a Game-Changer for Your Pots and Pans
Forbes.com: 15 Delicious And Creative Ways To Enjoy Potatoes
RetailMeNot: 41 Best College Student Discounts
Travel & Leisure: This Portable Door Lock Is Traveler-loved
Food Network: A Beloved KFC Side Is Finally Returning Nationwide!
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and This Seat Cushion Is My Secret to Arriving at Destinations Pain-free
Travel & Leisure: 15 Amazon Business Casual Clothes for Summer Travel.
Southern Living: The One-Pan Cheesy Meal I Make Whenever I'm Too Tired To Cook
Travel & Leisure: 6 Best Business Travel Airplane Outfits, From $12
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet
Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off
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.
Forbes
Before pitching: Please be sure to refer to my photo submission guidelines for help with photo submission best practices!
One of my favorite comfort foods is queso - you’ll always see me ordering it when my soul needs a hug, and National Queso Day is in a few weeks. So, I’m looking for fun queso presentations at bars and restaurants around the country. What fun things are you doing with YOUR queso? Please pitch in this format:
Name of dish
Restaurant, city, state, website
Description of dish
Quote from chef about dish (plus name and title of person quoted)
Image and photo credit (I prefer links to attachments!)
thanks so much, and have the best day <3
aly
Great checklist! Thanks, Aly!