My 2018 Writing Roundup
It’s never easy to find time for freelance work but it’s even more taxing with a full-time job and two young kids in tow. Thinking up ideas, pitching, emailing back and forth with editors, and writing is all incredibly time consuming. Still, freelancing is my source for the most fulfilling work.
Inspired by all the 2018 roundups I saw online, I thought it was a good way to tally up what I did over the year, in addition to the day-to-day.
The bulk of my freelance work continues to be for the AP, my former employer. I did manage, however, to break into a new publication and land a second essay in the Washington Post. The latter was a huge win in that the piece did quite well.
It’s worth mentioning that I had a couple of near misses with my dream pub this year (New York Times) and a national magazine (for a story that I hope to land in 2019). As of now, I’ve nothing on deck for next year so need to proverbial fire under my ass.
OK, so, in 2018 I wrote:
- Seven book reviews
- Eight lifestyle features
- Two news articles for the AP Boston bureau
- Two personal essays
- Interviewed the CEO of State Street Global Advisors for a college alumni magazine
This all totals $3,975 in extra income. Not bad… but I hope, obviously, I can outdo it next year. Speaking of goals, I still want to land something in the NYT and sign with a literary agent. I’ve almost finished my book proposal. Yet, so close feels really far away at the moment!
January:
Reviews of The Wedding Date and Mothers of Sparta
February:
Easy pretty and cool: Terrariums are back in style — AP
March:
This was a favorite story of the year (and maybe ever?) I love books so it was a pleasure to write about them. Books placed backward: art or nonsense? –AP
Book review: Raw by Wu-Tang’s U-God….who could resist??
April:
Review of On Motherhood Before I was Ready
May:
Beyond the plastic gate. Baby-proofing in style — AP
I got to shake hands with U.S. Rep John Lewis for this one. Civil rights icon, Trump critic to speaks at BU commencement — AP
June:
Ah, my crown jewel of the year. To my surprise the editor left it untouched. The morning after this went live, I got an email from surprise my 1st cousin, which lead to finding the identity of my birth father.
My mother Abandoned me as a child — Washington Post
Book review on Famous Father Girl
A cat is terrorizing this family. Can a cat whisperer help? (Unfortunately we had to re-home this cat).
July:
August:
Indoor greenhouses — AP
My second personal essay of the year: How a DNA kit shed light on my family’s dark secrets — The Week
September:
Two book reviews: The Most Dangerous Branch and Namaste the Hard Way
Silly old bear: New exhibition celebrates Winnie-the-Pooh — AP
Living in a 17th Century House has Tradeoffs — AP
October:
Traveling abroad with kids? Tips for an easier trip — AP
November:
December:
What should you do about your drafty windows –AP