writing An Explainer
ObjectivES
Plan and pitch a short, explanatory piece of public-facing writing about a topic within your expertise!
TO Do
Listen to the “Writing an Explainer” podcast (either here on the website or through the Storyboard app) or read the transcript
Check out the slideshow, which walks you through the basics of writing in this genre and how to translate a twitter thread into an explainer
Draft your pitch and upload by 7 July
Workshop your pitch with your podmates by 9 July
Send your pitch to the editors by 16 July
Editors will offer feedback on your pitches via email by
30 July
Review the additional resources as your schedule and bandwidth allow
important dates
(7 July)
Upload Pitch
(9 July)
workshop pitch w/ pod
(16 July)
submit Pitch to editors
Podcast
Ask an expert: Kalpana Jain
Not a podcast person? Read the transcript!
Slideshow
password: S@credWr1tes!
ACTIVITY: EXPLAIN(ER) YOURSELF
Use your twitter thread from our social media unit to pitch an explainer!
REVIEW
Your twitter thread from the last unit. You already have your topic, your argument, and most of your sources ready to go! Good job, you. You don’t have to use your thread to springboard your pitch, but it might save you some time and help you gauge interest (yours and your readers’) in the topic.
WRITE
Check out Kalpana Jain’s guide to writing an explainer before you start.
You should also review the pitch guides from our Writing for the Public unit and pitch with a publication in mind — you’ll want to be sure that your tone matches that of your goal publication. If you’re affiliated with a university, The Conversation has the highest circulation of the publications listed in our pitching guides; their tone tends to be straightforward and academic-adjacent. Religion Dispatches tends to be snarkier (Megan has done a fair amount of writing for them, for example) and is always looking for explainers tied to the news cycle — no university affiliation necessary. Contingent’s “Mail Bag” option might be of interest to our historians.
Once you’ve selected the publication you want to pitch, review their archive to see what they’ve already published on your topic.
Be sure your pitch includes:
What kind of explainer you’re pitching (news hook, anniversary/festival, religious literacy, “curiosity question”)
What topic you’re addressing
How you’re helping readers better understand the topic (3-5 points)
Why this topic matters
Why you’re the person to write about it
Your pitch should be no longer than 300 words
SHARE
Upload your pitch by 7 July.
REVIEW & RESPOND
Check out your podmates’ explainer pitches.
Workshop your pitches together by 9 July.
Be sure your pitches include:
What kind of explainer you’re pitching (news hook, anniversary/festival, religious literacy, “curiosity question”)
What topic you’re addressing
How you’re helping readers better understand the topic (3-5 points)
Why this topic matters
Why you’re the person to write about it
Submit Your Pitch
TEAM BLUE JEANS
Email your pitch to Kali Handelman of The Revealer, subject line: SW pitch + [Working Title Here], by 16 July
Kali will provide feedback on your pitch, after which you should consider pitching it for publication! Kali is happy to review pitches for whichever publication you have in mind, not just ones intended for The Revealer.
TEAM OVERALLS
Email your pitch to Nicola Menzie of Faithfully Magazine, subject line: SW pitch + [Working Title Here], by 16 July
Nicola will provide feedback on your pitch, after which you should consider pitching it for publication! Nicola is happy to review pitches for whichever publication you have in mind, not just ones intended for Faithfully.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have questions! Can’t wait to read your pitches.
Additional Resources
If/as you have time, check out these resources before moving on to the next unit. Let us know what you think on twitter (#SmartInPublic)!
Bucar, “Three things we can learn from contemporary Muslim women’s fashion,” (5 November 2018)
Moore, “The brainwashing myth,” (18 July 2018)
Cadge and Olson, “Why does congress have a chaplain?” (4 May 2018)
Renaud, “Who are Yemen’s Houthis?” (14 December 2018)
Renaud, “Thirty years on, why ‘The Satanic Verses’ remains so controversial,” (24 September 2018)