Sunday, September 20, 2026

One-day Zoom seminar, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM / New York (EDT): 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM / London (BST): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Fran Ayala is an award-winning brand strategist, international stand-up comedian, and the founder of Bitches in Stitches, a global all-femme stand-up comedy group that has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New Feminist, Tatler, Lifestyle Asia, The South China Morning Post, Missing Perspectives, and more. Her op-eds about inclusivity in stand-up have been published in Vogue and Londonist.com.

An ex-journalist, Fran has been published by Agence France-Presse and CNN. Her personal essays have also been published by Spill Stories in two anthologies — Leaving & Healing and Powerful Asian Moms.

Who is this class for?

This online writing class is for writers at any stage who want to promote their work but don't have the budget to hire a PR agency. Whether you're a debut author, an essayist building your platform, or a working writer looking to expand your media presence, this introductory seminar will give you the practical tools you need to start generating coverage on your own.

What to expect:

In this one-day online writing workshop, you'll get a comprehensive introduction to how PR works in the publishing and media landscape — and how to use it to your advantage. Instructor Fran Ayala draws on her background as a former journalist and international PR strategist to demystify the media world and show writers exactly how to get their work in front of the right people.

The seminar is structured as a series of guided, hands-on exercises. You'll examine how editors, journalists, and producers decide what stories to cover, and learn how to position your writing for feature articles, podcast interviews, book reviews, and other editorial opportunities. Fran will walk you through the core building blocks of a media pitch — from identifying your angle to constructing your key messages — and you'll leave with a press release and pitch draft you can actually send the same week.

Fran is able to offer live critique of 1–2 draft press releases during the session, giving participants a chance to receive direct, in-the-moment feedback on their work.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will write story angles, build a message house, and draft a press release and pitch note. By the end of the seminar, participants will have a clearer understanding of how PR works in the publishing and media landscape, along with practical, press-ready materials they can use immediately to begin promoting their work.

Readings

Readings may include excerpts from:

• Get Featured by Rosie Taylor
• Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller

COURSE OUTLINE

Segment 1: What PR Really Is — and Why It Matters

Segment 2: What the Media Want (and Why They'll Want You) 

Segment 3: Build Your Narrative and Message House

Segment 4: How to Write a Press Release Segment 5: Pitching to Media Targets

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A clear understanding of how PR works in the publishing and media landscape
• A compelling brand narrative you can use across platforms and pitches
• A press-ready pitch you can send the same week as the seminar
• A drafted press release, story angle, key messages, and pitch note
• Greater confidence to show up online and claim space for your work

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $99 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Fran Ayala
• Sunday, September 20, 2026
• One-day Zoom seminar, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM BST (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT)
• Tuition is $99 USD.