Buh-Bye 2019

Dec 16, 2019

This hasn’t been the best year from a macro perspective. The world is a hot mess. A quick scroll through Twitter or peek at the news is enough to make one want to hide in a cave for the next century.

But for me, 2019 has been a good year. This was my first full year working as a full-time freelance writer. Let me be clear: It has not been easy. There have been many lows with the few highs. But I’ve learned a ton about myself, what I value, and the importance of embracing change.

A few highlights…

Medium Has Been Good to Me

I will always credit Medium for giving me my start as a writer. I wouldn’t have had the courage to pitch to other publications if I hadn’t published on Medium first. And the fact that I’ve made money from my writing — even if the dollar amount is not substantial — still blows my mind. (You mean, people will read stuff I’ve written? And I’ll get paid, too?!? Shut up!!)

And sure, the new Medium Partner Program system — the one everyone seems to hate — has definitely been hard on me. I’m not making as much money from Medium as I used to. But I said way back in January that the site isn’t a reliable revenue stream:

“…eventually you have to publish elsewhere. Start moving those eggs around and let Medium be just one of many baskets you use.”

So, my main goal in 2019 was to pitch to non-Medium publications, and I was honored to have my work appear in some great outlets:

The literary journal Brevity published my humorous essay on my internal writer monologue.

The Boston Globe Magazine published my essay on what I learned while watching my son at his baseball game. It appeared online and in print (an enormous honor, given that the Globe is a paper from my hometown).
The micro-fiction site 50-Word Stories published my piece “Anger Management.”
The parenting site Scary Mommy republished one of my Medium essays (under a new title).
Folks, A Pillpack Magazine published my essay about my son’s struggle with headaches — an ailment he’s inherited from me.
Motherfigure, a site for new moms, published my essay on the advice I received from my doula.
AARP’s The Girlfriend published an essay I wrote about my four-decade relationship with migraine.
The humorous parenting site Sammiches & Psych Meds republished my Medium essay on the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon.
FLOOD Magazine published my first researched article (vs. personal essay) on the 20th anniversary of Ani DiFranco’s still-timely song “To the Teeth.”

These pieces required a lot of pitching, following up, and rejection — of the 112 non-Medium pieces I pitched or submitted this year, only 11 were accepted. If I hadn’t spent so many months writing and publishing on Medium in 2018, I wouldn’t have had the courage to pitch to the above publications this year. And the more I’ve pitched, the easier it’s been. The rejections still sting sometimes, but the high of seeing my byline makes the struggle worth it.

In the coming months I’ll have pieces on Greatist, Motherfigure, the Submittable Blog, and, of course, Medium. (I’ll never forget you, boo.)

Speaking of Medium, one thing I learned this year:

People Love to Read ABOUT Medium…

Some of my most successful posts have been about Medium itself:

And They Enjoy a Good Rant…

Angry at a family member? Want to complain about a neighbor? Pissed off about world affairs? Take your frustrations to Medium!

I’ve found the platform to be a fantastic place to let off steam. This year I complained about another writer’s take on grammar, an editor who butchered my essay, Yahoo’s crappy customer service, Twitter, things I dislike, a fallout with another writer, requests from strangers to write for free, and attacks on women’s reproductive health. It feels good to rant and rave now and then; it’s certainly healthier than taking it out on my loved ones!

And People Really, REALLY Love Lists and Resources

I always appreciate it when other writers provide tips on how to navigate this crazy freelancing world, so I try to do the same. I’ve received kind comments from writers on the lists of resources I’ve put together this year:

I’m happy these posts have helped other writers and I appreciate the positive feedback I’ve received on them. That said…

Medium Giveth Accolades, Then Taketh Away

Medium is damn fickle with praise. In early January, I received the “Top Writer in Parenting” tag; it was ironic, but I was flattered. Then, eight days later, Medium awarded me with the elusive “Top Writer in Writing” tag — one I’d been after for a long while. In February I became “Top Writer in Reading,” which was followed a month later with “Top Writer in Social Media.” But within weeks of receiving each title, they were rescinded. Apparently, you’re only Tops if you continue to publish popular stories with that particular tag. Now I’m not a Top Writer in anything, as far as Medium is concerned.

That said, my ego has remained (mostly) intact thanks to the kindness of (most) readers…

Readers Can Be Kind, Cruel, and Sometimes, Just Random

I’ve been lucky when it comes to trolls. Most of the comments I’ve received were positive. I had one woman criticize my parenting skills based on my 650-word essay in The Boston Globe, but that was just weird:

*Clearly this person has no idea how little I make as a freelancer…*

Otherwise, the trolls have ignored me. I learned my piece “A Thank You to Stephen King’s Assistant” was shared on Reddit and the StephenKing.com message board, which was cool. And Eve Plumb (aka Jan Brady) “liked” my Brady Bunch piece on Twitter. That alone made my year.

A Year to Remember

All in all, 2019 was good to me. No, I’m not making big bucks. I haven’t received any awards. Twitter still confuses the hell out of me. But I’m doing work I really want to do and slowly garnering bylines. I’m connecting with other writers. I’m developing a thicker skin. And most importantly, after years of working in a 9–5 office setting, I’m embracing the flexibility, freedom, and even the unknowns that come with a freelance career.

I’m going to spend the next week focusing on goals for the upcoming twelve months — which publications to target, which essays to write, how to organize my time — and I look forward to this time next year, when I can look back and see how much further I’ve come.

Thanks, 2019, for all you’ve done for me. Let’s hope 2020 is even better.

A version of this post also appears on Medium