Frequently Asked Questions

Will you appear on my podcast?

Perhaps! Feel free to write me asking.

Will you speak for my organization or event?

Probably yes, depending! Please see this page for more about hiring me to speak.

If our organization etc. is a nonprofit, will you speak for free?

Maybe! Please reach out to discuss.

Will you edit my [book/essay/etc.]?

I offer nonfiction manuscript consultations via The Workroom. See this page to learn more about working with me in this way.

What’s another way to get your feedback on my written work?

I do teach occasional classes, also via The Workroom (like this one on pitching, taking place over two Saturdays this fall).

Will you advise our news organization as we update our standards and practices/style guide regarding reporting on trans people and/or mental health-related topics?

Yes! Please reach out.

Will you work with our (mental) health practice related to how to best work with trans patients, for example?

Probably yes! I do offer consulting to (mental) health professionals. Please reach out to discuss. Note I offer a free fifteen minutes to such potential inquiries.

I’m a publicist or someone else trying to get media attention regarding our latest [new project/release/research, etc.]. Can I send you more?

Candidly I get so many of these sorts of inquiries and I tend to ignore them all. I am unaffiliated with any outlet and don’t publish book reviews on my own newsletter.

Will you review or blurb my book?

Being honest, unlikely! But you can contact me this way to say more about the project if you really like. If I am interested in reading more, I will probably ask to be sent a physical copy. But again I’m unaffiliated and don’t publish reviews myself. (Note: The Lit Hub LGBTQ reviews project was a one-off that I guest co-edited and it already published).

Can I ask you for advice about something else? Can I ‘pick your brain’?

The best / only way to consult with me (besides everything else I’ve mentioned): I have an occasional advice column on my newsletter, called Dear Sandy. You’re encouraged to write in if you want to ask me something for me to publicly answer, potentially.

Do you accept submissions for your own newsletter?

I do not, no.

Will you potentially write for our [unpaid] project / ‘just the exposure’?

No thanks!

Will you promote [our thing] on your social media / newsletter?

Probably not!

I am someone trying to contact the media about some story I want covered (that I am related to or not); will you please help?

I’d first encourage you to familiarize yourself with my work if you haven’t already, for example via these Starter Packs. But I’d caution it’s extremely unlikely I’ll cover whatever you wish to alert me about, even if it’s my beat and I do want to. This is because I’m usually at capacity when it comes to my own bandwidth, stories-wise. I’m again unaffiliated with any outlet / freelance, meaning I have to sell whatever pieces one-by-one. I mostly write features and longer essays, so I work on few pieces at a time, overall.

tl;dr you can try writing me if you really want but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

Can I interview you and/or will you appear on my podcast to discuss something Harry Potter-related?

Unlikely! I boycott all things HP and think that everyone else should too! Yes, people still ask me this, even though I have this question and answer here. (ICYMI: here’s my essay reckoning with being a trans, former fan of the series.)