Op-eds | Speeches | Essays | White Papers | Strategic Placement | Multilingual Narratives

Continue your public service and influence

You’ve led in boardrooms, government, and the military. You’ve been at the table or in the field where history is made. Now you need a voice that matches your legacy.

After retirement or transition, many senior leaders still have something to say — but no longer have a policy office, speechwriter, or communications team to help them say it with clarity and impact.

The Strategic Pen exists to fill that gap. We help retired CEOs, ambassadors, generals, ministers, and other senior officials craft public-facing narratives that reflect their experience — and shape what comes next.

Whether you're publishing op-eds, writing keynote speeches, or preparing thought pieces for boards and institutions, we help you sound like you — only sharper. 

What We Write

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Op-Eds & Essays

$1,250/$2,000

We help you draft and place op-eds (700-1,000 words) for commentary, advocacy, and positioning in the national press (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Europe, Singapore, Japan, and the GCC), think tanks, blogs, and LinkedIn.

For intellectual framing and policy influence, we can draft essays (1,500-3,000 words) for journals and policy briefs.

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Keynotes and Speeches

Starting at $2,250

To convey your vision, maintain your presence, and expand your influence we provide keynote and speech-writing services unique to your persona, experience, and objectives - be it a public lecture, an invited speaker event, or as the scene-setting keynote feature.

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White Papers & Studies

Starting at $2,500

For detailed thought leadership, concept development, and in-depth proposals we provide research, drafting, and formatting services for our clients, suitable for the boardroom and advocacy to governments, institutions, academia, and think tanks.

Additional Services

Urgent Delivery (48h): +$500

Amplifier (LinkedIn/Twitter/Substack adaptation): +$250

Amplifier Bundle (all platforms + talking points): +$600

Multilingual Delivery: +$750 (short) / +$1,250 (long)

Strategic Concierge Placement

Get published where it matters.

We offer a concierge-level placement service to help get your op-ed or essay published in a respected media outlet — national, international, or domain-specific.

Includes:

  • Media targeting of 3–5 outlets

  • Custom pitch email

  • Submission handling

  • Follow-up with editors

  • Editorial feedback support

PackageIncludesPrice:

Standard: 1 pitch, submission, and follow-up + $750

Premium: 2–3 outlet pitches, placement strategy, editor follow-up + $1,250

Elite: 3+ outlets, full coaching, editorial negotiation + $2,000

Important Note: We do not guarantee publication. No credible service can. We guarantee a professional, strategic, and persistent process to maximize placement chances. If placement fails, we advise on republishing options (e.g. LinkedIn, Substack, or syndication).

Multilingual Narratives

Speak to the world in its language.

We offer premium human translation of your final deliverable into:

  • Arabic

  • French

  • Spanish

  • German

  • Italian

  • Portuguese

  • Russian

  • Mandarin (on request)

  • Other languages (by arrangement)

We use native-speaking professional translators with expertise in policy, strategy, and public communication.

DeliverableTranslation Rate:

Short form (Op-Ed or Speech) +$750

Long-form (Essay or White Paper) + $1,250

How we help you.

Step 1: Intake
We begin with a 30–45 minute strategy call or voice memo. You talk, we listen. We define your message, tone, and target audience.

Step 2: Draft
We create a first draft using your material and strategic framing.

Step 3: Rewrite & Refine
After your review and feedback, we rewrite the draft for structure, tone, narrative impact, and clarity.

Step 4: Review & Deliver
You receive a polished final version in Word or Google Doc format, with one additional revision round included.

About Us.

The Strategic Pen was founded in 2025 by John Sheldon.

With a professional background in diplomacy, defense and strategic analysis, strategic advising, speechwriting for senior public officials, the aerospace industry, and a published scholar in his own right spanning over 25 years, John brings a wealth of experience from his time working for governments, professional military education institutions, and universities in the United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, and Japan.

John has worked with numerous ministers, policy-makers, senior military officers, ambassadors, and CEO’s. In a profession where discretion, sensitivity to nuance and persona, and framing for particular audiences are valued, John spent his career conveying the thoughts, concepts, and worldviews of senior leaders to a range of audiences across various cultures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take?
A: Most pieces are delivered within 5–7 business days. Studies are delivered in agreement with the client on a case-by-case basis. Rush delivery is available in 48 hours for op-eds and speeches.

Q: Who owns the content?
A: You do. You retain full rights. We do not reuse or resell your material.

Q: Can you guarantee media placement?
A: No one credible can guarantee publication. We guarantee a high-quality process that maximizes your chance of being placed. If unsuccessful, we help you repurpose the piece for maximum visibility.

Q: Can I get this in another language?
A: Yes. We offer premium human translation in multiple languages. See above for pricing.

Maintain Your Influence

Your experience and presence matters. Speak with strategic clarity.

You’ve shaped policy, held command, led institutions, and built companies. Now it’s time to shape your legacy through powerful public words.

Let’s write what matters.

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Contact Us

Interested in working together? Fill out the contact details provided and we will be in touch shortly. Your business is important to us, and all correspondence is treated confidentially and discretely.