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Every time I publish a gift guide (and I just published two in the last few days!), I receive two very different kinds of emails in response.

The first kind says, “Thank you so much for including us.” Love those. Thank you never goes out of style.

Others may say “Would you mind fixing the spelling of our product’s name?” Or, “The product is actually $39, not $49.”

And I want you to send those. Please send those. Seriously. Journalists want our work to be accurate. If something is factually wrong, I want to know about it, and I’ll happily correct it.

But then there’s another kind of follow-up email I will get in response to those gift guides.

“Can you use this photo instead?”

“Can you link to this retailer instead?”

“Can you add this sentence?”

“Can you mention this feature?”

Or my personal favorite...

“We weren’t included. Can you update to squeeze us in?”

Now we’ve crossed into something completely different.

There’s a difference between a correction, an update, and creative direction.

Corrections improve accuracy, updates communicate new information. Creative direction is asking someone else to redo editorial decisions because you would have made different ones.

I'm always happy to fix what's wrong. I'm much less interested in changing what's simply different than you would have done it.

Those are not the same thing.

Look, there’s a lot of directions you can go when pitching gift guides, and all are valid depending on your needs and goals. There’s a lot of sponsored gift guides out there. However, mine are earned media. No one bought placement. That means no one other than me and my editor get to have the final approval over copy, images, links, or product descriptions.

If you want complete control over the copy, the image, the retailer, the wording, and every last detail, that’s what sponsored content is for. And it’s an absolutely valid choice. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with paid placements. They serve a purpose. But earned media just isn’t designed to function that way, and it not functioning that way is actually part of what makes it work.

I also think it’s worth remembering the math. I receive hundreds, often thousands, of pitches for every gift guide. I might include 25 products, tops. Usually less. That doesn’t mean the other hundreds or thousands weren’t good. It means there were only 25 spots.

Getting included is the finish line, but as Susan Lucci told us, even being nominated is great, and there’s always next time. And next time is soon…holiday gift guides are almost here.

Don’t turn it back into the starting line by asking someone to re-edit the story around your preferences. Often, they don’t even have the access to do so after it’s published, especially as freelancers, and you are now creating a whole new chain of editor involvement (and that’s not good for THEIR relationship, either).

To be clear, journalists absolutely make mistakes. We misspell names. We grab the wrong image. We transpose a number. We accidentally link to the wrong product. We are human, and when that happens, please tell us. We want to get it right.

Help us fix what’s wrong. Trust us on what’s editorial. That’s how great relationships between journalists and PR professionals are built.

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Upcoming travel: I’ll be in Dallas for a few days in October. If you want to try to meet up for a drink or coffee or have a client you are hoping I can check out (or general recommendations) - drop me a line! (Note: Thanks so much but where I’m staying is all set!) I’ll also BRIEFLY be in Fort Lauderdale in November (just for about 24 hours!), KYP when I know more!

My fab friends at KLG PR are looking for a Senior Account Executive and a Account Manager who is truly passionate about PR and the world of spirits. View job details here and here and be sure to tell them you heard about the job lead in Aly Walansky’s newsletter!

Work with some of my dearest of dear friends! BrandBomb PR is hiring a full-time PR Coordinator to join their award-winning agency. If you’re ready to gain hands-on experience pitching local and national media, supporting red carpet events and working with an exciting mix of clients across hospitality, entertainment, healthcare, lifestyle and more, they’d love to hear from you. Candidates must have 1-2 years of PR experience and either live in Las Vegas or be willing to relocate. (Side note: I love these ladies so much and anyone who work with them will have a THRILLING experience.)

I still have some space available the remainder of 2026!

I can join your team on Zoom, a phone call, or in-person and do a team Q&A and answer any of your questions about planning events, mailers, trips, pitching, followups, etc — giving you a very necessary media perspective. Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com if you are interested in chatting more and setting something up :)

We can switch it up in any way you or your team needs. While most of my calls do end up being virtual, I just did one where we did our session over a martini lunch! I’m available for whatever your team prefers. Lets chat.

Take a second to follow me on the Yahoo Creators platform. I’m writing a wide range of lifestyles topics: check out my author profile to see some of my most recent pieces! (This is updated daily - usually multiple times daily - so you’ll want to keep checking it out for new content!) — and there’s lots of gift guides published there, too!

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The Recipe for Press Media Directory is an essential and affordable database that targets the right magazine editors and freelance writers for pitching products and projects in food, fashion, interiors, travel, business and lifestyle. Created by former editor, Amy Flurry, the directory features emails, titles, active social media addresses, and a notes section with submission guidelines for each contact. This is why leading publicists, editors, and entrepreneurs across the country, including me, widely use and recommend it! Annual subscription price is just $195 and absolutely packed with value. Another perk of the subscription: you receive a Pitch Tip newsletter once a month highlighting the updates and newly added editors and serves as a reminder of the movement and shifts happening in the industry. This is PR gold for publicists!

I partnered with Pitchcraft to be able to share a special offer just for my readers: Use code ALY200: new users will get $200 off their first month of the monthly PR Membership or code ALY400: This one offers new users $400 off their first year of the annual PR Membership. This is a great network to join because it’s a community of both PR professionals and journalists working together to find better ways to work together and share opportunities, and you know how much I believe in all of that

Exciting news from our friend Sarah Karger (who you’ve seen as the star expert panelist for several of our gift guide pitching workshops!) - she launched her new course, Affiliate Marketing & Performance-Based PR for Publicists - It’s built specifically to help PR pros and agencies add affiliate management as a core capability, something we all know is completely essential in today’s media landscape.

Since people are often asking about the status of stories from a while ago, and I only share stories in this newsletter that were published or updated in the current week, I have created a list of my author pages at various publications to which I contribute. Bookmark it and make your life a bit easier.

Yahoo Creators: Check out my author profile (I have several new stories a day across the lifestyles umbrella, so that’s the best way to stay updated!)
Yahoo: These 23 summer essentials help me to keep cool and comfortable during seasonal heat waves
Yahoo: Headed to college this year? The 20 most crucial back-to-school dorm essentials
Southern Living: I Tried Trader Joe’s New $2 Seasoning—And Now I’m Putting It On Everything
Forbes.com: 25 Delicious Ways To Enjoy Oysters While Celebrating National Oyster Day
Yahoo: A legendary Nashville hotel just opened up the city’s first music-inspired spa, and I’m obsessed.
Forbes.com: 11 Delicious Ways To Enjoy Chicken Wings
Forbes.com: 30 Delectable Ways To Appreciate Caviar
Southern Living: 5 Store-Bought Salad Dressings Chefs Always Keep In Their Kitchens
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Frequent Business Traveler, and I Found 6 Comfy Airplane Outfits That Still Look Put Together—From $8
Apartment Therapy:The 18 Best Prime Day Travel Deals, Vetted by Pro Travelers (Starting at $8!)
Travel & Leisure: This Plane Seat Cushion Is My Secret to Arriving at Destinations Pain-free
Food Network: 25 Little Treats You Can Score for Free on Your Birthday
Travel & Leisure: I Travel for Work, and These Are the 5 Genius Hacks That Save Me From Luggage Messes and Spills—From $4
Travel & Leisure: I’ve Been Solo Traveling for 25 Years—12 Mistakes That Cause the Biggest Headaches, and How to Prevent Them
Forbes.com: 20 Great Variations On The Classic Martini
Southern Living: I Tried Trader Joe’s New Marinated Mozzarella Balls—Now I’m Using Them In Nearly Every Meal
Southern Living: I’m A Travel Writer, And This Cruise Hack Gets Me An Empty Pool, No Buffet Lines, And A Better Vacation
Southern Living: I’ve Tried Every Way To Bake A Potato—This 1 Wins Every Time
Travel & Leisure: Frequent Fliers Say This Genius Hack Makes It Feel Like They’ve Upgraded Their Seat—and It’s Only $35
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Frequent Solo Traveler, and This Genius Safety Device Gives Me Peace of Mind in Every Airbnb
Yahoo: The best cooling fans of 2026, tested and reviewed
Southern Living: I’m A Travel Writer, And My Friends And I Are Obsessed With This App For Tracking Each Other’s Flights
Travel & Leisure: I Fly Around the Country for Work, and This Roomy Tote Is My No. 1 Airport Essential for Looking Put Together.
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Solo Traveler of 25 Years, and These Are the 18 Products I Swear By for Personal Safety in 2026
Travel & Leisure: Traveling Alone Can Be Expensive—Here Are 15 Budget-friendly Hacks That Save Me Money
Southern Living: The One-Pan Cheesy Meal I Make Whenever I'm Too Tired To Cook

If you or your client are featured in any of these stories, I super appreciate any social media shares! Please remember to tag @alywalansky and the outlet.

Tuesday: There's a difference between a correction and a preference

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