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.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

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...

Twenty Pieces Of Advice & Wisdom For The Twenty-Something Women Of The World

Years ago, a friend of mine asked me for advice regarding a life change she was considering. She explained her situation and shared, “I wanted to talk to you because you give really good advice.” I was flattered and surprised by her statement. Mostly because while I’ve been approached by family, friends, colleagues, different students I teach, and sometimes even strangers who have asked me for advice regarding whatever it was they happened to bring my way, some haven’t always listened and then proceeded to make regretful decisions that could have been avoided if they had listened to what I shared in the first place. And lately, a group that’s heavily been on my heart and mind are women in their twenties. I’m only 33 but I remember what it was like for my friends and me moving through our twenties. It wasn’t the easiest decade to navigate, and it certainly had its ups and downs, but armed with the experiences, advice, and wisdom I have now, there are definitely things I believe we ...

Making Waves