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

JULY
Editor in Residence: LAURA CASTAÑEDA

Laura Castañeda is an Emmy Award-winning bilingual journalist, documentary filmmaker, and media educator whose career spans television newsrooms in Chicago, San Diego, and Tucson. A former deputy opinion editor and editorial board member at The San Diego Union-Tribune, she has worked as a reporter, anchor, producer, and editor, including extensive reporting along the U.S.-Mexico border. A former chair of San Diego City College's Radio, Television and Film Department, she will soon join KPBS-TV as a news editor. Laura is also a Mentor-Editor with The OpEd Project.

Work with LAURA

July 2, 2026 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Pitch for Success

July 9, 2026 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Edit Like a Pro

July 16, 2026 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Pitch for Success

July 23, 2026 at 5 pm ET - Register here: Edit Like a Pro

July 30, 2026 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.