From PR Pro to Publisher: Meet Kellie Walton, the Storyteller Behind Modern South
At OnePitch, we believe the most valuable part of our industry is the connection between PR pros and journalists. That’s why we’re introducing Pitch Flip—a new series designed exclusively for our private Slack community, the Pitch Posse. It’s a chance to connect authentically and intentionally with journalists, learn what they’re working on, and get the inside scoop on how to pitch them effectively.
(Not in the Pitch Posse yet? What are you waiting for? Apply to join here.)
We recently sat down with Kellie Walton, the force behind Modern South, a new digital publication rooted in storytelling that merges Southern heritage with contemporary culture. In our Q&A, Kellie shares what inspired her to make the leap from PR to publishing, her take on standout pitches, what PR pros should really include in their emails, and what she's most excited to cover—from buzzy new restaurant openings to overlooked moments in Southern history… and even a love for train travel.
Read on to discover Kellie’s journey and why Modern South is the platform the evolving South has been waiting for.
For a bit of my background – I started my career in PR, first at a local firm representing clients from hospital systems to cowboy boots. Travel was always a passion of mine, and I explored side hustles as a travel agent and content creator for a few years. I then moved positions to a PR firm that specialized primarily in hospitality, which further solidified my passion for the travel and tourism industry. Writing and content creation was always my passion, and working with so many talented industry writers fueled my fire to start writing myself. I began freelancing for local publications and my hometown tourism department, and slowly started pitching stories to national editors. I landed dream bylines, including a Tennessee travel guide for National Geographic, a hotel guide for AFAR, and a romantic cities roundup for Veranda, among many others.
Throughout my time in PR, freelancing, and traveling around the world, I found myself drawn to the place I knew best: the American South. I have uncovered so many lovely stories from around the region that I struggled to find a home for, yet I knew they needed to be told. So I built the home 😊
Modern South’s mission is to merge Southern tradition with all the great things we bring to the table in modern America: we’re proud of where we’re rooted—and excited about where we’re growing.
Personally, I’m most excited about telling stories about history. There are so many incredible people that shaped Southern communities, and their stories deserve to be told right alongside the brand new buzzy restaurant openings. An example of this is our recent story on Samuel Claybrook Locke – a constable during prohibition that was murdered by moonshiners for being too good at his job. This story has a really fun twist, too.
Of course, I’m excited to cover all that’s new and noteworthy in the region, without overlooking longstanding staples that have shaped their communities.
Oh and, I’m obsessed with trains. I cannot wait to dive deep into train travel… because I can!
My biggest piece of pitching advice is to give your pitch the SEO treatment. I treat my inbox like a search engine – if I have a tight deadline or a last-minute opportunity, I’m going straight to my inbox and pulling from what’s readily available. This means PLEASE include things like a photo link, about blurb or boilerplate, bios, a slew of topics or trends that are applicable, and location. An aside: you would be shocked how many times I receive a pitch for a hotel/restaurant with no location. And while on my soapbox: stick with government names only… no trendy neighborhood names, because if I didn’t live in Nashville, I wouldn’t know what SoBro is.
I don’t have strong preferences around pitching – I think personal connections and relationship building is extremely important above all, but it’s my responsibility to organize my inbox to filter what is and isn’t a fit. I do get discouraged when I see writers complaining about receiving pitches outside of their beat, or even berating PRs for irrelevant pitches. While yes, mass pitches and tons of follow ups are annoying, it’s been my experience that unless you have an extremely specific beat like gaming or crime, you never know what kind of story will pop up next, or what ideas a pitch may inspire.
I would love to spread the word about Modern South and what we’re working on! In addition, I hope my combined PR and media background provides a helpful perspective.
Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Instagram! We’re telling fun stories and sharing positive, entertaining content all the time, and we hope to continue building a community of like-minded folks ready to experience today’s South.
In addition to Modern South, I do still freelance for a few trade (bourbon, specifically) and local publications in and around Nashville. I post pitch calls and lots of food recommendations on my personal Instagram, too.
How OnePitch Helps You Get it Right
At OnePitch, we’ve taken these insights from journalists and woven them into everything we do. From crafting the perfect pitch templates to ensuring our users have the tools they need to connect meaningfully with journalists, our approach is rooted in real conversations with the people who receive pitches every day. When you work with OnePitch, you’re not just guessing what journalists want—you’re backed by the insights of over 200+ interviews with industry leaders.
________
Become a member of our Pitch Posse by filling out the registration form below to submit your application!
Within this group, you can expect invites to helpful events, impactful conversations, and access to a group of PRos to bounce ideas off of and get your questions answered.
Here's more of a breakdown:
If you'd like to be a part of this community, fill out the below form to register (pending approval from us 😊):