June Update
June 2024
I love routine, and when it is disrupted, I feel entirely thrown off.
June tested me with copious amounts of disruption and reminded me of the importance of having an internal schedule.
The month started with a vacation.
Mid-month, our out-of-town family came to visit and stay with us.
And by month’s end, I was dealing with an illness that had me out for about a week.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a great system in place to be ahead of the game and instead found myself falling behind.
I also learned I still have a lot to learn, which set me on a path of consuming more materials rather than writing.
While my path may have looked different than initially planned, I still made strides forward in my writing journey, and that’s what ultimately matters.
Pitch Count
Pitch Sent – 17 pitches sent
Pitches Accepted – One (Business Insider)
Pitches Rejected – Two*
Pitches Ghosted – 13**
*The one rejection I received was also the most encouraging I’ve ever gotten.
I sadly have to pass on this because of our limited budget and bandwidth, but I look forward to reading it when you place it!
It ends with an exclamation mark, for crying out loud. I feel really strongly about this piece and believe it will eventually find a home.
**For anyone adding them up, I am aware that the numbers don’t add up. One of the articles I pitched was a completed draft, and their site stated they would reply within 30 days. Since it has yet to be 30 days, I’m not officially counting it as ghosted.
Money Earned
I was hoping for some good news here, but it looks like the money from the May pieces will not come in until July.
Also, as a freelancer, I’ve heard of invoicing and payment nightmares, so I’m mentally preparing myself for those. My Austin Family Magazine piece is being paid by check, and those always make me nervous—no offense, USPS!
Money Spent
$25 – Pitching Hour*
$5.40 – Book “The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Query Letters That Sell”
*This is a monthly expense but one that I deem essential at this point in my writing journey. I’ll reevaluate in a few months.
So there you go, another month of my expenses outweighing my income. I can almost hear Dave Ramsey’s annoying voice yelling at me.
Successes
The same editor accepted my Business Insider article. I’m hoping this is the beginning of a relationship where I’m proving my chops, and more of my pitches will be accepted.
I officially have a writing FB page. I’m not sure where this is going to lead, but it is another outlet for me to write and connect, which I consider a positive.
Things I Learned
As I mentioned in May, I have a lot to learn. In June, I began my educational journey. I discovered pitching is a lawless game. Just kidding, kinda. There are rules, but they vary from publication to publication and from editor to editor. I realized I needed help delivering the best pitch to accurately represent the value of my idea and why I should be the person to write it.
I started the Pitching Hour, a weekly group call about pitching (along with some other writing nuggets), and read Natasha Khullar Relph’s book towards the end of June. I genuinely believe they will both enhance my July pitches.
Also, the idea-generation aspect of writing is interesting. On one side, you have people saying to write as much as possible about anything you can, and others say to focus on a niche. I like a variety of topics but have found myself leaning toward a few. The more I write, the more I will hone in on my strengths and interests, and I am looking forward to looking back at the end of this year to see where things landed.
For July, I’m considering becoming a member of The Wordling. It’s an expensive proposition, but I think it will be beneficial. I’m still on the fence, and I want to see how I feel in a few weeks. I don’t want to get caught in the cycle of buying courses, but this one seems like a good one. We shall see!
Onward to July…….
