You Don’t Have To Land A Book Deal To Get Published

I’ve written three books. A ton of blog posts. And a bunch of other writing pieces too. And while I’ve had some success here and there with writing, at the start of the year I was discouraged about not having any of my books published yet. When I originally envisioned being a “successful writer” I thought that meant I needed a published book to my name.

I reached out to a lot of different publishers, some who showed interest and others who didn’t and was having little to no movement with landing a book deal. Growing frustrated, I strongly considered self-publishing, which would allow me three things: getting published, creative control, and owning the rights to my work. And as the months into this year continued, no deal was on the table yet, so I decided to switch up my strategy and pursue writing opportunities with different online sites with content I enjoy reading.

I could write for the sites I enjoy, I thought. Every time I read different content on the sites I followed, I made a list to connect with them and started reaching out. And guess what? I got plenty of rejections, a handful of feedback and constructive criticism, invites to revise and resubmit different rejected submissions, and then, unexpectedly, I finally got published on two incredible sites:

As Told Over Brunch & Thought Catalog 😊

Getting published isn’t easy, but it’s attainable.

There’s a lot of rejection in the writing and publishing industry, however, having sites whose content you enjoy reading publish yours is an amazing feeling.

Conceiving and birthing stories, and watching them grow, is truly one of the best feelings ever. It’s rewarding and exciting having the opportunity to finally experience something I’ve prayed for and worked hard and relentlessly for, come to life. Plus, I’m actively building my legacy in the process. Piece by piece. Story by story.

For years, I limited myself to just getting published by releasing a book, failing to realize I could get published in other ways too. You don’t have to land a book deal to get published. That’s not to say that I won’t continue pursuing a book deal or be open to being presented with the opportunity, but maintaining my blog, Making Waves, writing for other sites I enjoy, and just waking up every day to do what I love is enough for me.

I’m not entirely sure where writing will lead me, but I’m hoping it takes me beyond anything and everything I could ever have hoped for.

We’ll see.

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut

The Best Relationship Advice I’ve Ever Received

I dislike almost everything about what’s now considered “modern dating.” Dating apps. DM sliding. Exchanging thirst traps. Hookup culture. The talking stage. Lingering indecisiveness in the “what are we doing and where are things going?” conversations. And the mindset that anyone and everyone is technically “fair game” if they’re not married (even if they’re “technically” already spoken for…) I’ve moved through some of the things listed above and have found the modern dating world draining. And while I’ve approached dating the “Christian way,” cried out to God, tried being more open, and out of frustration, jokingly considered having a ho phase for fun ( no worries – I’m way too much of a God-fearing church girl to follow through with that life, but I also don’t judge those who do partake ), one evening as I was nursing some hurt feelings after a guy I’d spent some time with suddenly bailed, I remembered some sound relationship advice my dad gave me when I was 18-years-old. And

Teacher Table Talk: When Parents Attack

As an English teacher, a core belief I’ve held close since the beginning of my career has been the importance of relationship building. I believe that if great relationships between teachers, students, and parents are established at the beginning of the school year, everything else will fall into place. Authentically modeling, practicing, and establishing mutually respectful and professional relationships within my classroom has been the bridge for effective communication, solid classroom management, and creating a safe and effective learning environment that fits each of my student’s needs. And though I’ve seen and experienced the benefits of great relationship building, unfortunately, there have been times when some students and parents have not been receptive or interested in my efforts to establish connections that would best serve all parties involved. I’ve also noticed and shared spaces with other educators, school counselors, and administrators who’ve experienced the same. And

Making Waves