May 2023 Newsletter
Discover more from Lola the Escritora
Hola desde Puerto Vallarta! I’ve just returned from a road trip here in Mexico to the only round pyramid in the world—somewhere I’ve been eager to see for the last two years of living here. More on my travels in the last section of the newsletter!
Thank you for subscribing to my monthly newsletter that highlights my recently published articles, upcoming calls for sources, and a peek into my travels. If you’d like to support my work, tips are appreciated via Venmo, CashApp, and PayPal. Alternatively, you can subscribe to the paid version of this newsletter for $9.99 a month. You can also buy me a tea here as a token of appreciation.
I offer consultations where I workshop pitches and allow writers to pick my brain about the industry: LolaAnnMendez.com/Consultation
In May, I wrote 18 articles. Seven were pitches editors commissioned and seven were assignments. I wrote about 12,000 words. I earned over $7,000 this month, making May 2023 my highest earning month since April 2021 when I invoiced $10,210. In 2022 I didn't earn over $5,700 in a month. Grieving while being a freelancer is incredibly challenging so I'm celebrating every win—especially financial ones.
I sent 54 pitches this month—two were commissioned, one is being considered, 15 were rejected, and 36 are pending a response.
For the first time ever, I'm a published author! I contributed to my dear friend Sky Fisher's new book "From Dreaming to Doing." I also made my debut in Vogue which feels like a huge career milestone.
My portfolio can be viewed any time at LolaAnnMendez.com. In May, I had eight articles published. I have upcoming pieces in new-to-me publications including National Geographic, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, Roadtrippers, and Vegan Society.
I always post my calls for sources on Twitter.com/LolaAnnaMendez. Newsletter subscribers are privy to the first look at my current work. PR folks (and individuals, when relevant) are welcome to send pitches for the stories on which I’m currently working. I currently have two travel stores I’m working on for June, but I don’t need sources.
For PR folks looking to connect with writers, I recommend the PressHook online platform.
I took a break from press trips last month and spent all of May in Mexico. Over the weekend I went on a road trip with my cousin and boyfriend and we saw the only circular pyramid in the world, mined for opals, tasted tequila, and spent the night in a lake-front pueblo magico! June is taking me back to a country I first visited when I was 19 and to a bucket-list destination that I was meant to visit in March 2020, but we all know how that story ends.