ASK A JOURNALIST OFFICE HOURS

with a journalist who’s rooting for you!

Every Thursday we host a 45-minute working session—open to all—in which an Editor in Residence discusses ideas, live edits a few op-ed drafts submitted by participants (like you), offers strategic advice on pitching, and answers questions. You can come with an idea or draft you’re working on, or just listen.

The focus of office hours alternates between editing and pitching. If you’d like to receive feedback, submit an op-ed draft and/or pitch by Thursday 8:00 am ET to be considered for that day’s session. Whether or not your work is selected for live editing, you’ll get valuable insight into how a professional editor works and thinks that will be immediately applicable. There is a small fee (waived for anyone who needs it) to help estimate attendance.

Upcoming Schedule

March
Editor in Residence: Melissa A. Sullivan

Melissa A. Sullivan is a queer Latina, military spouse, and survivor of rape and sexual assault. She most recently managed communications for the world’s largest environmental cleanup in the office of Environmental Management for the U.S. Department of Energy. Melissa previously spent 4 years as a spokesperson for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She is a proud AmeriCorps member, having served in her hometown of Miami, and worked in the U.S. Senate. Her writing has been featured in The WaPo, The Military Times, USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, and The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Melissa has been a Mentor-Editor with The OpEd Project since 2024.

Work with Melissa

March 6, 2025 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Edit Like a Pro

March 13, 2025 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Pitch for Success

March 20, 2025 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Edit Like a Pro

March 27, 2025 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Pitch for Success

  • Get invaluable feedback on how to make your op-ed drafts extra powerful and persuasive. Our  Editor in Residence reviews the structural elements of an op-ed, live edits a few drafts and answers your questions about form, content, and anything else writing-related. Our Editor in Residence also offers strategic thinking on where and how they might pitch each piece.

  • Capture an editor’s attention by crafting an irresistible pitch. Our Editor in Residence live-edits pitches (chosen from among those you submit), makes recommendations about improvements and answers your questions about everything from the best opening line to pitching etiquette.

  • “Ask A Journalist” office hours are short working sessions in which we review ideas and draft op-eds, focus on tactics, and answer live questions. There is no set curriculum and the weekly structure is informal. Our “Write To Change The World” workshops are a deep dive into changing hearts and minds, based on our internationally recognized core curriculum (7-8-hour journey, usually broken up over multiple days). They are designed to lead participants to new understandings of their knowledge, and concrete results—such as a new idea or op-ed draft. Participants can access follow-up support as desired from our “Ask a Journalist” office hours.

  • We welcome people of all identities, backgrounds, genders, and positions. We seek to overrepresent the underrepresented, including (but not limited to) women of all backgrounds. Office hours are a chance to expand our thinking as well as hone our ideas and writing at every level, and are designed to meet participants where they are, regardless of publishing experience.