Girls Write Now Mentee Alum Romaissaa Benzizoune taught a Writing Works craft talk about how to write and pitch op-eds. Romaissaa’s personal essays have appeared in outlets including Buzzfeed, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, and McSweeney’s. Like Romaissaa, other Girls Write Now mentees have gone on to write articles for esteemed publications such as the Washington Post and more. Now it’s your turn.
Check out these 10 places that Romaissaa recommends for pitching op-eds and make your voice heard!
1. ZORA, a Medium publication for women of color
2. POPDUST, a music and culture website
3. The Rumpus, an online literary magazine
4. Guernica, global arts and politics
Personally, I find opinion writing easier than other forms of writing because, most likely, if I’m writing an op-ed I need to get something out of me. Something has usually really rubbed me the wrong way, or feels otherwise super urgent. I hope this is also the case for some of you all.
-ROMAISSAA benzizoune
5. McSweeney’s, for humor and satire
6. Gal-dem, committed to sharing perspectives from women and non-binary people of color
7. Narratively, for “original and untold human stories.”
8. PULP Mag, multimedia sex, sexuality, and reproductive rights publication
9. Huffpost Personal, for personal essays
10. Teen Vogue, a popular site that has published Girls Write Now writers in the past
PRO TIP: Traditional newspapers also accept pitches, including the New York Times and the Washington Post. Be sure to check the submission guidelines for all publications that you submit to, as some editors will not read pitches that do not follow their particular rules.
Romaissaa Benzizoune
Romaissaa Benzizoune is a Girls Write Now mentee alum and recent New York University graduate. Romaissaa’s work has been published by The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, McSweeney’s, and more. Previously, she had led a column writing workshop in April 2018 for Girls Write Now mentees, and was an emcee for our 2020 Girls Write Now Graduation Gala.