Keith Ecker: Essayist, Journalist, Comedian

Get Your Learn On: PR and Comedy Writing Classes

Keith Ecker — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:51:24 +0000

I’m teaching a handful of classes in February through Dabble.co. My last classes in January were so successful that I’ve added a MEDIA RELATIONS class and a JOKE WRITING LAB. These classes have received amazing feedback from students, plus they are only $20. You can’t go wrong with that. Tell your friends or sign up yourself.

PR 101: Press Release Writing Basics teaches students how to format, write and distribute a press release.

PR 201: Media Relations Basics teaches students how to follow up with a press release, prepare to be interviewed and, in general, interact with the media.

Comedy Writing 101: The Basics of Joke Writing teaches students the nuts and bolts of putting together a zinger. You’ll receive a comprehensive overview of comedic genres as well as an in-depth list of tools and tips to help you craft your own jokes.

Comedy Writing 201: The Joke Writing Lab provides students with a workshop environment to test and refine material in a supportive. This highly interactive class focuses on instructor-facilitated peer critique.

Writer’s Corner: What the F*$%? Is Cursing OK?

Keith Ecker — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:35:37 +0000

Reblogged from Essay Fiesta:

At Essay Fiesta, we have a set of guidelines that we provide all of our readers. One of the most contentious guidelines is our suggested limited cursing policy. It’s also one of our most misunderstood policies. Allow me to explain. First, we abide by the rules of our generous partner, the Book Cellar, which has graciously lent us their space for use to host our little show. And because the Book Cellar is a family-friendly retail environment, it is their request that readers be mindful of their language. …

I just published a piece about cursing on the Essay Fiesta blog. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Least Consumer-Friendly Lawsuits of 2011

Keith Ecker — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:57:24 +0000

I’m very proud of this piece I wrote and researched on the least consumer-friendly lawsuits (and legal issues) of 2011. Also, if you get the chance to see Hot Coffee, by God watch it! You’ll never make a McDonald’s coffee-spilling joke again.

Here’s that story on the least consumer-friendly lawsuits of 2011.

Here’s some info on Hot Coffee.

Press Release Writing Basics This Thursday

Keith Ecker — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:39:38 +0000

Have you ever wondered how to get your name in the news? Are you trying to drum up more clients for your business? Do you need more individual donors for your organization? Then you need to learn to market yourself to the public. And one of the best ways to do this is through press releases.

I am teaching a class through the wonderful site Dabble.co called Press Release Writing Basics. It’s a 2-hour workshop held this Thursday at Noble Tree in Lincoln Park. I do not mess around when I teach. YOU WILL LEARN! And if possible, I’ll even provide some personally tailored advice to give you some ideas of how you can get the coverage you desire. And for only $20! Sign up today!

Here’s what you’ll leave with:

1) Format – What are all those little details that you should include in your press release, from a dateline to those little hash marks at the bottom. You need your press release to look like a press release.

2) Content – Pitching your business to the media is a nuanced skill. Merely saying your product is worth writing about is not enough. You need to be clever and think like an editor in order to create a press release that will actually get media attention.

3) Distribution – So how do you find media contacts to reach out to? And how do you alert them to your press release? What’s the protocol on follow-ups? This class will touch on each one of these critical points regarding press release distribution.

I Thought of an Amazing New Idea

Keith Ecker — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:02:42 +0000

I just thought of an amazing new idea. Here’s a hint…

IT’S A BLOG!

What I Do: A Succinct Description

Keith Ecker — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:53:42 +0000

When I tell people that I am a professional writer, one of the most common questions I get is, “What do you write?” I know what this question implies. They want to know if I’m a novelist, a columnist, a screenplay writer or some other fun and zany writing professional. What these people don’t realize is that I am a working writer, which means the work is much less glamorous than penning the next Oscar winner. I largely stick to the income-generating forms of writing, like press releases, marketing collateral, SEO Web copy, custom publications, articles and the like. I also do some reporting, such as my work with Lawyers.com, the A.V. Club and the Huffington Post. And of course there’s that whole creative streak I have with Essay Fiesta and comedy writing, which has evolved into a labor of love instead of a pursuit of riches.

When I tell people this, they usually only perk up by the time I mention Huffington Post. And that doesn’t even pay. So what I’ve realized is that the general public has a very skewed idea of what it means to be a professional writer, particularly how writers actually make money. Likewise, some prospective clients/employers have a very limited view of what a writer like me does. They think I merely set copy to paper. In actuality, because I operate my own agency, I also am skilled in business development, client services, B2B communications, marketing and PR strategizing, media relations and project management.

So calling myself a “writer” maybe isn’t really doing me justice. I’ve been trying to think of a better title that more accurately describes what it is I do. I’m a editorial, marketing and PR copywriter, editor and project manager with business development, client services and media relations experience. Perhaps I’m a media professional? A marketing consultant? An agency founder/president/principal?

Groupon Morale Shifts and TSA Settles HIV Discrimination Claim

Keith Ecker — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:30:55 +0000

I’ve got two pieces bouncing around the Internet this week (with a couple more huge pieces coming up).

The first piece is published on the Huffington Post and looks at what appears to be a shifting corporate culture at Groupon. As the start-up darling gears up for its IPO, its sales staff has been griping extra loudly on GlassDoor.com. Take a look for yourself.

The second piece covers an ACLU case where an HIV-positive job applicant alleged the TSA denied him a job in violation of the ADA and the agency’s own policies. The article looks at the workplace protections that are afforded those in the HIV/AIDS community. Read it here.

I’m a Writing Fool

Keith Ecker — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:07:48 +0000

It’s been too long since I’ve updated this blog. And so I thought I’d let you all in on what has been keeping away from my precious little patch of Internet for the last several weeks.

These tired hands...

Besides weddings galore because the entire population of my heterosexual social sphere is coupling, I have been writing as if I was on fire and words were water. I have problem written enough articles in the last several weeks to constitute a volume somewhere between a novella and a full-fledged novel. Here’s a rundown of some of the things I have done (links lead to my work):

Essay Fiesta: I’m gearing up for our two-year anniversary! Can you believe it?
Huffington Post: I absolutely love writing for this site. I mainly write about Chicago’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene, but occasionally I get riled up enough about something else to state my opinion (often something gay).
Lawyers.com: I am now a regular contributor to this legal portal. It’s a really fun job. I know. Law = fun? For me it does. I’ve been a legal reporter now for nearly my entire professional career, and it’s one of my favorite subjects to write about. I’m currently working on a huge feature on tort reform and campaign financing, which required some of my old-school investigative skills.
The Onion A.V. Club: I just started writing for the Chicago section of this well-known A&E publication. My first piece (see link) was a labor of love, and it’s already insanely popular. I’m currently working on a second piece slated for some time in November.
RE:COM: I just put the finishing touches on a piece I’m doing for RE:COM, a national comedy magazine. I’m pretty proud of the outcome.
Loyola University Center for Digital Ethics & Policy: I wrote a piece for this site questioning the ethics of sites like Demand Studios, which coincidentally recently undertook a large overhaul in light of changes to Google’s algorithm.
DePaul’s Dialogue Magazine: I love writing for DePaul Law School’s alumni magazine. I just got an assignment for their upcoming Winter 2011 issue.
Chicago Theater Beat: I’m still reviewing on average four plays a month. That’s one a week. That means I’ve seen more than 100 plays in the last two years.
Legal technology vendors: Still doing stuff for them, too.

The Dog Pack

Keith Ecker — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:59:25 +0000

Sorry for my lack of consistent writing, but I’ve been busy being a father. My boyfriend and I recently adopted a 1-year-old chiweenie (chihuahua/daschund mix). His name is Lucky, and he’s quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. It also helps that he is a major cuddler (except in the mornings when he enjoys pouncing on my face to wake me up).

My boyfriend and I don’t live together, so Lucky stays with him most of the time. It’s a nontraditional setup for what some would call a nontraditional family. But, frankly, I think it’s as traditional of a family as you can get: two consenting adults in a loving relationship working together to raise a dependent.

Collectively I call my 21st century nuclear family “The Pack.” There’s a lot of testosterone between the three of us (a little less for Lucky since he had his balls snipped off). But there’s also a lot of fraternity. In fact, my favorite time of the day is “Pack Time.” That’s when we all gather on the couch under a big blanket and watch things on the Internet together. Lucky loves it because it gives him a chance to cuddle up between his two daddies. It’s really fucking adorable.

Anyway, I plan on blogging somewhat more regularly soon. But for now, I have to tend to my fatherly duties.

Monetize My Life, Please!

Keith Ecker — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:06:58 +0000

Hey all you genius entrepreneurs! I’m talking to you. You inventors of ideas. You exploiters of imagination. You information superhighwaymen. I want you to use that brain power of yours to monetize my life.

Stock photo of an "entrepreneurial genius"

Here’s the dilemma. Like you, I have many interests. I am insanely driven. I love to work, and I enjoy a challenge. I am a patron of the arts. I am a fiddler of technology. I’m a marketer extraordinaire, and I’m a sponge for knowledge. But I am at an utter loss as to how to capitalize on these traits and turn them into food and shelter.

Oh, don’t think I haven’t tried. I have been a freelance writer and marketing consultant for a while now. And I’m proud of all I’ve accomplished. I attempted to start my own marketing agency for the publishing industry. I tried to convert my reading series into a touring show. But alas, I always seem to be just getting by rather than building a scalable enterprise.

Maybe I have too many interests. Is such a thing possible? I wear a ton of hats (figuratively speaking since my head is actually too big for normal people hats). Let’s just take a look at all I do:

Marketing and editorial consultant for the legal technology industry
Producer and host of Essay Fiesta
Theater critic for the Chicago Theater Beat
Co-chair of the Chicago Literary Alliance’s subcommittee on readings and performances
Contributor to the Huffington Post, specifically covering Chicago entrepreneurs, artists and GLBT issues
Creative writer and essayist
Managing Editor of Snackpot, a start-up webzine covering all things snack related
Contributor to the A.V. Club
Comedy writer and performer
GLBT activist

This is an insane list of stuff. For the love of God, can one of you smart people help me consolidate my life and turn my skills into cash…or at least a turkey sandwich?

Deliciously rewarding

Of course, I’m being facetious. But then again, I’m not. I’m not looking to strike out and build my own tech start-up at the moment, though that is something I may invest in down the line. I’m just looking for opportunities to use the skills I love and combine my interests in a way that can allow me to make a living. Any advice from those who came before me would be most welcome.