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#WednesdayWisdom
"Your greatest revelations are waiting for you to rest and receive them." — Octavia Raheem
Morning Musings
Thank you all for sending so much love, support and encouragement in responses to last week's newsletter about the book deal! Now that the news is out in the world, it feels a lot more real, which also means ya girl needs to really start writing. In a bit of a panic, I shared the following tweet last week, half joking and half serious:
I was feeling quite overwhelmed as I'd spent a summer procrastinating (and also adulting...I mean, quitting your job, moving across states and prepping for a baby are no small feats) and was finally ready to sit down and write.
Or, rather, I felt panicked because I'd wanted to make a lot more progress before baby arrives and my Feb. 1, 2022 deadline (which has thankfully been moved to Spring 2022). Also, I was tired of staring at a blank Google doc (this was, of course, after I'd prematurely and ambitiously downloaded Scrivener, a fancy word-processing program for longform writing).
So I did what L'Oreal does...I put forth a plan to get my butt in action. The reality is being a full-time freelancer AND an author is not exactly a walk in the park. While, sure, I seemingly have more time to write, I also have to mind the writing that pays me. Although I'd signed a (modest) five-figure book deal, you don't get the entire advance at one time (more on that here). Thus, freelancing is still my bread and butter and those deadlines get top billing when it comes to scheduling said writing time.
When I reflected on when I've been most successful in dedicated book writing time, I remembered how Permission to Write, an online community for writers of color, literally came to my rescue when I was deep in the throes of book proposal edits. Back when I was still juggling a 9-to-5, freelancing and querying, I relied on PTW's weekly Power Hours to prioritize book proposal writing. Every Friday, we meet (virtually) at 12pm ET to work on our respective writing projects. Our fearless leader (and PTW founder) Ashley Coleman Thomas supplies the soundtrack and it's a whole vibe.
But, as I mentioned, those are weekly and one hour a week a book does not make. So I signed up for A Very Important Meeting, a virtual writing community (open to anyone) that has various meeting times throughout the week.
I realize the extrovert and Enneagram 3 in me needs two things when it comes to writing: accountability and community, both of which PTW and A Very Important Meeting provide.
Now, in reality, I also come up wth my best ideas in the shower/right before bed, so I also have a section in my Notes app dedicated to book snippets. And I fully expect I'll be writing (or at least trying to) while nursing/pumping as well because life.
I'd also love to hear what you'd like to see in Trust Your Dopeness, a book about overcoming self-doubt and making your (personal and professional) dreams come true. Hit "reply" and let me know! A more formal survey to come, but I'm trying not to let perfect get in the way of done, so thank you in advance.
Love,
L'Oreal
ICYMI
You may recall the podcast fellowship I did earlier this year with Amelia Hruby of Fifty Feminist States and I'm happy to share the episode I produced is LIVE!
In this conversation, I speak candidly with Regina Townsend of The Broken Brown Egg about what it's like being Black women facing infertility and why reproductive health should be considered a social justice issue. Trust me when I say you want to listen to the end because Regina is preaching here, friends!
Upcoming Events
Sept. 15: LT in the City Fall Book Club. Don't miss our convo with Elayne Fluker, author of Get Over "I Got It." And yes, it's okay if you haven't finished (or started) the book yet. You can still sit with us.
Links I Love
1. Regé-Jean Page: ‘The reason you think history is white is because you’ve been lied to.' Bridgerton's (former) leading man has a lot to say (and yes, there are pics!). (British GQ)
2. This Week's Discussion: It's time we retire the curl typing system. Friends, my girl Ashley Alese Edwards has done it again with yet another opinion piece about Black natural hair. (Needs Discussion)
3. How to ask for more money — and actually get it. This one's for my fellow freelancers in which former New York Times editor Tim Herrera shares how to successfully secure the bag. (Freelancing With Tim)
My Latest Obsession
As I've shared before, I'm not a big fan of podcasts. I attribute it to the writer in me ... I'd rather read than listen. But during my hourlong commute to Columbus for doctor's appointments, I've been bingeing NPR's Life Kit, particularly the pregnancy/motherhood episodes.
Now Hiring
Creative Producer for The Unbothered Network
Editorial Assistant for Freelancing With Tim
Communications Director for The Positive Women’s Network
Marketing and Communications Manager for Habitat for Humanity Chicago
Director of Development for One Million Degrees
Communications Coordinator for The Ohio Environmental Council
Reporter, Styles for The New York Times
Content Manager for The Alliance for Youth Action
Thank You!
Much love and many thanks to Sonja and Gloria for this week's coffee!
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