July Writer’s Life: Why I write about alcoholism recovery [#yearofwriting]

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Well, after a very successful first six months of the year in terms of pitching, I am flailing a little bit (as you will see later). Predictably, most of my time these days is taken up by my food editor job and my PT writing gig at Romper. It’s been great the past few months, but I find myself with less and less time to do other work.

However, what made me proudest this past month is the publication of a personal essay that I wrote for Headspace. In case you haven’t heard or read my previous piece about them, Headspace is a mindful meditation app and part of the current trend in that space. Not only have I been a fan of theirs for a while, but I have also been a fan of their blog and hoping to break in there soon. And I have!

My piece on meditation and alcoholism recovery went live this month, though I actually pitched it back in March and turned it in a month later. And it’s FINALLY UP! It was a really special piece to write, and I hope you will read it. As I continue along this journey of recovery, it is important for me to share what works and what doesn’t, plus the daily struggles and the successes, with the ultimate goal of inspiring others who may be dealing with some of these issues.

Anyway, without further ado, here is what I did this month.

What was published: 

• Why meditation was crucial to my recovery from alcohol [Headspace]
• Is The Way You Talk To Your Son Hurting Him? [Mom.me]
• This Genius Device Helps You Be a More Present Parent [Mom.me]
• Mom Unexpectedly Gives Birth in The Backseat of an Uber [Mom.me]
• Is This The Key To Keeping Your Infant Safe While They Sleep? [Mom.me]
• Find out all the pros & cons of marrying each zodiac sign [MamásLatinas]
• 10 Surprising signs your marriage may be in trouble [MamásLatinas]
• 10 Awesome photos of Colombia’s pro-breastfeeding mannequins [MamásLatinas]
• 7 Things you’re definitely doing wrong if you’re struggling to lose weight [MamásLatinas]
• 10 Easy exercises to make your boobs look bigger [MamásLatinas]
• The 16 WORST weight loss tips you should never, ever listen to [MamásLatinas]

Romper, specifically: 

• 14 4th Of July Facebook Statuses For Every Level Of Patriotism
• How Soon Can I Have Oral Sex After A “Natural” Birth? Giving & Receiving Have Different Wait Times
• 18 Marital Habits That Increase Your Chances Of Divorce
• How Soon Can I Get Fingered After A “Natural” Birth? You’re Gonna Be In Pain
• What Happens To Your Vagina When You Stop Having Sex? 7 Things You Need To Know
• Is Kinky Sex Safe After An Episiotomy? Proceed With Caution
• Where Does The Phrase “Pop Your Cherry” Come From? It’s Time For A History Lesson
• 13 Habits You Think Are Signs Of Depression, But Aren’t
• What Happens To Your Vagina After Rough Sex? It Takes A Hit
• What Happens To Your Brain As You Orgasm? Sex Is More Than A Physical Act
• 28 Netflix Movies To Watch When You’re Sad To Lift Your Spirits
• Can You Have Pregnancy Sex In A Bath Tub? Wetter May Not Be Better
• How To Do Doggy Pillow, Which Can Intensify Your Orgasm
• Is Kinky Sex Safe When Pregnant? Here’s What You Need To Know
• 11 Signs You’re Sexually Compatible With Your Significant Other
• If You Can Answer These 25 Questions About Your Partner, Your Relationship Will Last
• What Is High-Functioning Anxiety? It’s Actually Really Dangerous
• 8 Signs Your Pregnancy Nausea Is A Much Bigger Issue
• Why Your Vagina Is Sore After Sex, According To Science
• How To Explain High-Functioning Anxiety, Because It’s Not As Straightforward As It Sounds

As I mentioned above, my month was pretty filled with Romper writing. And that was really fun and great for my word count. Just take a look…

How much I wrote: 33,350 words

How much I made: $2,071

I wrote a lot, and that was phenomenal. But as it turns out, spending all of my days on editing and writing wasn’t good for my pitching game.

Pitches sent out in July: 3*
Pitch rejections: 2
Pitch non-replies: 1
Pitch acceptances: 0
Pitch reply with question: 0

Follow-ups with previous pitches: 0
Pitch rejections: 0
Pitch non-replies: 0
Pitch acceptances: 0

*1 editor received 3 pitches, 1 editor received 4 pitches and 1 editor received 13 pitches… so this could also be 20 instead.

Although you could sort-of say that I send out 20 pitches, the truth is that working with the same editors all the time can be both good and bad. On the one hand, it’s great for my confidence because it (hopefully) means that I am pleasant to work with and that the editor enjoys my writing. On the other hand, it doesn’t fulfill my desire to pitch new publications and get bylines in bigger places. So, you know, both good and bad.

This month wasn’t so great for pitching, but I am hoping that things at Romper will continue to stabilize and that I will be able to make more time next month. Until then, happy writing!

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