September
Welcome to the first installment of Lola the Escritora! This monthly newsletter will highlight my recently published articles, upcoming calls for sources, and a snippet into my travels. If you want to support my work, tips are appreciated via Venmo, CashApp, and PayPal. My birthday is October 7th if you want to send a little token of gratitude.
I worked 17.5 hours and filed 13 articles in September. I sent seven pitches; two were commissioned, two were rejected, and three haven't been responded to yet.
Q3 was my 2nd best quarter of the year. I invoiced for $14,338 and worked 65.5 hours. This is why I haven’t accepted a FT staff role. I was considered for the travel editor position at SF Gate, news editor at Remezcla, and deputy editors of Somos at Refinery29, but all three positions offered under $100K. Freelancing much more profitable for me and I can maintain a work life balance that I wouldn’t have if I worked full-time (not to mention, the extreme lifestyle dip that would require). I thought of my pseudo hourly fee as $100/hr but really it was $200/hr in Q3. I’ll be raising my goal fee to $200/hr in 2021.
As a reminder, I offer freelance consultations where I workshop pitches and allow writers to ask me anything. The fee for the contribution will increase in 2022 so lock in the 2021 rate by booking and paying today here: LolaAnnMendez.com/Consultation
My portfolio can be viewed any time at LolaAnnMendez.com. Below are the some of the 14 (too many for one newsletter, apparently) articles I wrote that were published in September. Each image is clickable should you want to read the story. This month I wrote for The Independent and The Vegetarian Times for the first time. Usually, the majority of articles I write in a month aren’t published the same month. I have upcoming pieces in new-to-me publications including Bicycling and the Telegraph.
I always post my calls for sources on Twitter.com/LolaAnnaMendez. Newsletter subscribers get a first look at what I’m working on. PR folks are welcome to go ahead and send relevant pitches for these stories I’m working on in October.
*The benefits of going vegan for better sex
*How Nestlé’s vegan products are greenwashing
*Travel tips for digital nomads
*The realities and expectations of being a digital nomad
*How to become a yoga instructor
*How travel destinations can be more LBGTQ+ inclusive
Press trips are back for this travel writer and I’ve been on the road (with frequent COVID-19 testing) for the last six weeks. I visited Reno, NV and Portland, OR before a last-minute trip to Rwanda focused on wildlife and conservation. I’m back in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for October and moved into my new apartment complete with a swimming pool! This is the first time I’ve signed a 1-year lease in over six years.