Guest Speakers
PERSONAL ESSAYS
Allison Klein
Washington Post
“Inspired Life” editor
Allison assigns and edits surprising and unusual stories about humanity for The Washington Post’s Inspired Life section. In her 20 years at WaPo, she has covered everything from crime to being a stay-at-home parent. Now she’s all about personal essays—and wants your best ones.
TRAVEL + MORE
Starlight Williams
National Geographic
The “sleep-deprived Scorpio and yogini” wants writers to send “pitches worth reading.” Starlight will detail what that means. She’s seeking “conversation starters.” Timely culture, history, health/wellness, and trend explainers/stories. Lover of all mythology, supernatural, strange history, fitness trend stories. Can’t wait to see what she loves, wants and will buy from attendees.
OPINION
Cornelia Channing
New York Times
Guest Essays editor
In March, Cornelia and I met, improbably, on a midnight horse ride in Uruguay. Turns out she’s not just an equestrian, but a great person and an editor of the Guest Essay (formerly op-ed) section of The New York Times. Before that, she worked with Rebecca Traister at New York Magazine, where she was also editor of the weekly crossword puzzle. We’ll talk guest essays, personal essays and maybe even horses.
❤️ ESSAYS
Marques Harper
Los Angeles Times
L.A. Affairs editor
L.A. Affairs is all about love. The personal essays that run in the Los Angeles Times are all freelance written, and Marques will take your pitches and help shape them into workable essays. A deputy features editor at the paper, Marques previously covered fashion for the Austin American-Statesman and media and culture for the Roanoke Times.
BIG ASSIGNMENTS
John Gravois
Wired
Longform editor
As a senior editor at Wired, John assigns and edits long-form features. Previously he was the deputy editor of Pacific Standard magazine and an editor at Washington Monthly. He also reported for newspapers in Abu Dhabi and Cambodia.
PODCASTING
Holly Millea
#1 Podcaster
+ Elle Magazine
After midnight on July 6th, 2012, three teenage girls walked into the thick Appalachian woods somewhere along the Mason-Dixon line. Hours later, under the glow of a nearly full moon, only two walked out. That is the basis of Holly Millea’s 10-part true-crime podcast series that hit number one on Apple this month. Holly’s been writing for magazines for decades (she’s a longtime columnist at Elle) and we’ll talk about how she pivoted, what goes into podcasting, and also how to build a great life as a creative person at any stage of your career.
FREELANCE SURVIVAL
Ross Barkan
Substack, NYTM
Ross’s Substack article on freelance survival went viral this year. There’s no better person to inspire and guide us through rocky times. Ross is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine with a popular Substack newsletter on national affairs. He is also a contributor to The Nation and a columnist for Crain’s. His latest novel, The Night Burns Bright, was published in 2022.
BOOKS/MEMOIRS
Sarah Phair
Sanford J. Greenburger Agency
Literary Agent
Sarah represents a range of fiction and nonfiction authors. She particularly loves: family sagas, friendship centered stories, complex psychological suspense, campus novels, anti-heroines, and a good love story. In nonfiction, she enjoys progressive politics, popular science, psychology, self-development, gender, pop culture, and food. She is especially interested in projects analyzing the future of media consumption, how and what we eat, agriculture, and housing.
ADVENTURE
Alex Heard
Outside
Editorial Director
Alex is the editorial director of Outside magazine. Before that he wrote and edited at The New York Times Magazine, Slate, Wired, and The New Republic, and is the author of Apocalypse Pretty Soon. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Email davidhochman@mac.com if you have questions.
Refund policy:
A $100 fee will apply for any cancellation before April 1, 2024, as long as a replacement is found.
If no replacement is found, full tuition fee will be charged.
No refunds after April 8, 2024.
Legal disclaimers: These sessions will be recorded and available for purchase after the weekend for those who missed the opportunity. By signing up for the workshop you are granting permission to have your name and likeness appear as part of the video library of speaker sessions. There are no guarantees that your participation will result in publishing your work or even in getting responses from the speakers. Like everything else in the realm of freelance writing, success is determined by your ability to come up with good ideas, pitch well, follow-up, etc.
Questions: davidhochman@mac.com
Watch Upod Academy's past Speaker sessions
Upod Academy's workshops and webinars give you the support and direction to make remarkable things happen in your freelance life.
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Upod Academy
“Freelancer Emergency Kit”
Two-Day Workshop
April 13 and 14, 2024
9:00 am - 4:15 pm Pacific Time
Both days via Zoom
It’s not easy being a freelancer right now. Here’s an immersive weekend to figure out your best way forward now.
Scholarships available for writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color.
Here's what people say about their Upod Academy experience
For writers and other media people, it is challenging out there right now. The advent of technologies like ChatGPT, the collapse of media giants, and the relentless pressure to do more for less have combined to create a perfect storm for freelancers. It's tough, and if you're feeling the squeeze, you're not alone.
This is exactly why I'm inviting you to a special "Freelancer Emergency Kit" workshop at Upod Academy. Think of it as your personal survival guide, a beacon of hope and strategy amidst the chaos. The weekend is designed to pull you through these tough times with practical advice, invaluable connections, and insider tips I've accumulated over three decades in the trenches.
Here's what I'm offering you:
* Blueprint for Traction: I'll share the simple, actionable steps that have helped me make meaningful progress on the projects that matter. You'll learn how to identify and pitch Stories Only You Can Tell, or “SOYCATS” as I call them.
* Direct Access to Gatekeepers: Ask your burning questions to some of the most influential figures in the media world. I'm talking about feedback on your pitches, ideas, and the kind of direct advice that can pivot your career.
* Beyond the Freelance Treadmill: We'll identify paths to more lucrative projects and assignments. This is about breaking free from substandard pay rates and figuring out how to follow the money.
* Your New Support Squad: Seriously the best part of these weekends. Your fellow freelancers will become more than peers—they'll be your motivators, your accountability partners, and perhaps your closest friends, as we navigate this journey together.
* The Credibility Leap: I'll show you how to land major bylines that can transform your career, providing instant recognition and opening doors.
* From Idea to Reality: Whether it's a book, podcast, TED talk, This American Life piece, or some other creative venture, we'll map out the journey from concept to completion. It's time to bring those ideas to life.
* A Much-Needed Push: Sometimes, we all need that kick to get out of a rut. I'm here to offer it, with all the empathy, understanding, and tough love you need.
These workshops are intimate, impactful weekends with a group that will become your support circle for months, if not years. Spaces are limited to 25 max to ensure that everyone gets the attention and pitch guidance they deserve, and these sessions fill up fast.
This is your moment to take control, to equip yourself with the tools and knowledge to weather this storm.
I see this as more than a course; it's a community, a strategy, and perhaps the most important step you'll take this year. Let's navigate these rocky waters together.
Over the course of more than fifty Upod Academy weekends since 2011, hundreds of attendees have sold or placed thousands of articles, opinion pieces, books, TV shows, podcasts, radio segments and more with the cream-of-the-crop of media outlets, including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Esquire, Wired, Slate, Salon, GQ, Travel + Leisure, Food + Wine, Bon Appétit, Politico, AARP, Longreads, the Atavist, McSweeneys, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times (including Modern Love and Tiny Love Stories), National Geographic, Discover, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine, Texas Monthly, This American Life, Netflix, All Things Considered, The Moth Radio Hour, TEDx, Shondaland, Huffpost, Today.com, Insider, and many many MANY more.