Stretchy pants, Tupperware containers, and HomieLoverFriend's famous cornbread are all prepped and ready to go! This is the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday, and I have not one, but two family dinners on tap. Aside from all of the delicious food I'll be consuming, I'm looking forward to taking some time to put the hustle on pause and catch up with family and friends I haven't seen in some time.
It is, however, the hustle that's giving me so many things to be thankful for this holiday. There are some new and exciting things goin' on in the world of Bee, and if you'll allow me this moment to share, I'd be much obliged!
They Said Yes!
I'm relatively new to the world of freelancing, and have already experienced some of the associated ups and downs that come with it. Well, lately it's been more downs than ups. However, all that changed last week when a pitch that I worked REALLY hard on got accepted by Frugivore Magazine! Frugivore is a health & wellness online publication that partners with Clutch Magazine, and I'm so excited to add my voice to their site. While I've gotten other opportunities off the strength of blog posts I've written, this is the first time I had to navigate the pitch method (selling the idea of what I want to write about, and waiting for them to say yay or nay). I'm still a "see it to believe it" kind of gal when it comes to things like this, but I'm still celebrating the win of a successful pitch. You never know if an editor is going to be interested in your idea or if they'll be impressed with your work, so I'm thankful for this validation in my pitch writing.
Bee In Print
Writing online has been my thing as of late, but being printed has always been a goal of mine. I'm old school with my reading - I like the smell of books and flipping through magazines - and I've been slow to catch on to the e-reader movement. Print publications require a different set of game rules versus online pubs, but I've been lucky to find out about a really cool initiative that's helping me realize that goal of seeing my name in print.
The Printed Blog is a Chicago/San Francisco-based publication that curates web-based material into print form. Publishing blog posts and photography that have gone through their submission process, the 11x17 glossy magazine is distributed across the US and to international subscribers. Each issue has a theme, and one of my favourite blog posts was accepted to be printed in the upcoming Intensity issue! I think The Printed Blog is a really cool idea. Aside from being ecstatic that I'll be a part of it, I'm even more thrilled that so many people from all over are going to read about someone so special to me!
'83 To Infinity...Award-Winning Blog?
Soooo..remember my recent post about '83 To Infinity being named a semi-finalist in the Black Weblog Awards? Well, guess what, kids! '83 To Infinity is now a FINALIST in the Best International and Best Writing In A Blog categories! I am over the moon with the recognition, and ready to see if we can make '83 To Infinity a winner!
I'm so happy every time someone comments, subscribes to the blog, likes the Facebook page, hits me up on Twitter, or does the "Oh! I love that blog!" when I tell them I'm behind it. I'm still in awe at how things have played out in the 14 months since I started this site, and I'm so grateful for all of the experiences I've had and people I've met through this outlet. It's amazing to say that '83 To Infinity is a BWA finalist - but it'll be even more amazing to be able to say that it's an award-winning blog! I'm tryin' to take this thing from Charles Barkley to Michael Jordan status, y'all - so I'll need YOU to help me achieve that! Head to the Black Weblog Awards site and look for '83 To Infinity on the finalist ballot under Best International Blog and Best Writing In A Blog, and VOTE! You can only vote once per device - so get on your computer, your mama's computer, your phone, the library, your work laptop (don't get fired though), and support with a vote or two or 5! As always, thank you guys for supporting '83 To Infinity!
So, there you have it - a few things the hustle has brought my way to show me that it's all worth it. I'm so thankful to have made these positive steps, and I'm looking forward to more great leaps and bounds! Because gratitude is something that we should take into consideration daily, let me know what you're thankful for! And for my fellow Canadians, let me know how your Thanksgiving weekend was!