Breaking into the mainstream media dialogue with a feminist story can be a challenge. Fortunately, there’s a whole host of writers and editors working to produce stories relevant to women, and to prove that these stories can be successful. At the 2011 Women, Action and the Media (WAM!) New York City conference, a group of these writers and editors came together for a panel conversation on how to shift the mainstream media dialogue in a more feminist-friendly direction. Moderated by freelance journalist Sarah Seltzer, the panel featured ColorLines blogger Akiba Solomon, Associate Editor of AlterNet Lauren Kelley and Executive Editor of Raw Story Megan Carpentier.

How can writers deal with nasty comment sections? Write effectively for audiences without a background in feminism? And, perhaps most importantly, how can writers make a living covering these issues? The panel tackles these issues and more.

—Sara Jerving