Once Upon a Time as a Freelance Writer

From 2017-2020, I was a freelance writer for entertainment outlets such as The Source Magazine (which was my first writing gig, shoutout to Nicole Duncan-Smith!). I learned so much about the world of writing and most importantly, I learned so much about myself.

After parting ways with The Source Magazine, I moved on to write for other publications. It was during this time that I realized while I loved freelance writing and was grateful for the opportunities and the people I met along the way, it was still a business. And there were parts of the business that I didn't enjoy, including writing stories that didn't align with my core values and interests. I made the decision to walk away from the freelance world. I gained so much clarity and wisdom during those year, and it’s led me to where I am today. And for that, I'm grateful.

For a period of time, I also wrote blog posts on my website for fun. From music reviews, interviews, and features; I was doing it all and enjoying it. One day, I tagged Issa Rae and hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood in a tweet about a blog post (read here!) I wrote celebrating their beautiful hair collaborations, and to my surprise, I got responses from both of them!

It felt so good to have my work be recognized and appreciated. And it meant even more to me that the article I wrote came from my website. My words, my platform. It showed me the power of creating on your own terms and not having to rely other people to "approve" the vision. When creating, it's so important to stay true to your vision. And if you're working with a team, remember to work with people who understand and respect your vision. When you keep those two things in mind, you'll create something beautiful and ever better than you could've ever imagined.

The wonderful thing about life is you get to try things and ultimately decide if you want to keep at it or to pivot. Pivoting is a blessing that makes way for what you're truly meant to be and/or do. I've learned (and still learning) to give myself grace and to learn from my past experiences and mistakes to make the present beautiful, brighter, and wiser not only for myself, but also for others. Every day is a learning lesson and I thank God for that.