Editor-on-Call: Making “The Cut” With Estelle Erasmus and Jen Ortiz

Do you have what it takes to write for The Cut? Whether you have a moving personal essay, a timely essay, or an idea for a reported article, you can start by learning what the publication is looking for, and why certain pieces go viral. In this conversation with Jen Ortiz, deputy editor of The Cut, Estelle Erasmus, NYU SPS Adjunct Instructor will discuss what it takes to pitch, submit and get published there..

Jen Ortiz is deputy editor at New York Magazine’s The Cut. Before that, she was deputy editor at Cosmopolitan. Before that, she worked at Marie Claire and GQ. She is also an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She lives in Brooklyn.

Estelle Erasmus, author of Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published (June 2023), is a writing instructor at New York University, the host of the Freelance Writing Direct podcast, and former “All About the Pitch” columnist for Writer’s Digest where she also teaches classes on pitching, personal essay writing, and getting started in writing. She has written about a variety of subjects (health, beauty, fitness, publishing, business, travel) for numerous publications. Her articles for the New York Times and Washington Post have gone globally viral (with more than 500 comments on her New York Times piece, “How to Bullyproof Your Child”). She has appeared on Good Morning America and has had her articles discussed on The View. She has also taught, coached, and mentored many writers who have gone on to be widely published in top publications. She is the creator of NYU’s popular “Editor-on-Call series, received the 2023 NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award, the 2023 Zibby Award of “Best Book for a Writer” for WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED, is an American Society of Journalists and Authors award winner, and was a cast member in the inaugural New York City production of the Listen to Your Mother storytelling show. Learn more at www.EstelleSErasmus.com and register for her latest classes. Also, follow Estelle on Instagram, TikTok, and X, and sign up for her Substack.