My byline is making its way around world and I couldn’t be happier and more proud!

If you haven’t heard by now — well, that means you’re not following me on instagram…go follow me on instagram…pretty please — I’m officially a contributing writer for not one, but two, highly respected, authoritative, popular and badass online publications;

1. Forbes Travel Guide
2. XONecole

Through all of the congratulations, well wishes and fist bumps, I’ve been flooded by the, “OMG girl, how did you get picked?” question. Even more interesting though, were the comments of, “You’re so lucky!” that caught my attention.

So of course being a blogger I had to;

1. write about these amazing accomplishments

2. spill the tea on how this all happened

3.  share a story of perseverance, determination and favor (not luck).

So, I’ve been a HUGE fan of XONecole since it was Necole Bitchie, the celebrity gossip site, and I’ve always wanted to write for them since they transitioned into a lifestyle brand for the millenial woman. I had pitched to them at least five times in about two years, but never even got a response; it seemed like my emails were falling into a black hole.

It was a Saturday, I was reading their website and decided to put together another pitch; something just told me the timing was right and said to myself, “You can do this!!” I sent off the pitch that day, it was a Saturday and the following Monday I actually got an email back from the managing editor saying they’d love to share one of the stories from my website as well as hire me as a contributing writer. Two days later, on Wednesday, I signed my papers to start my job with XONecole. I was ecstatic!

Sometimes we get so discouraged and distracted by the disappointments and let downs that we tend to push our dreams to the side or separate from them altogether.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t EVER stop shooting your shot…EVER!!!” username=”iamianthia”]

I already have three published pieces on XONecole.com; I Quit My Job 3 Years Ago and Built a Badass Brand with These 5 Steps, which was pulled from this website, 4 Healing Teas That Will Help You Find Your Zen and I Got a Chemical Peel to Help My Acne & Here’s What Happened.

I’ve already submitted a few other pieces that I’m excited to see go live and I recently conducted a phone interview with a very popular reality TV star and I’m so excited to get working on that piece.  I’m constantly brainstorming exclusive content to write for them, pitching article topics and sending in work.

 

I “randomly” got an email one day from the managing editor at Forbes Travel Guide noting that they needed an on-island writer to tour and write a review of The Cove at Atlantis and that they’d done some research and decided that I was great for the assignment.

I’d never pitched to them before, I’d never been on their website, I wasn’t even following them on social media, honestly, I knew nothing about this entity; this was faith! I of course took on the assignment, did the tour and sent in my article.

Days, weeks and months passed. I Googled, searched and refreshed their page for forever hoping to see my story. But never did.

Did they like it?

Was my writing Forbes-ready?

Did it make the cut?

I figured they’d trashed the story since it took so long to be published. I thought being paid made up for not seeing my story go live, but money or not, all creatives want to see their work in a public space.

Luck Favor had it so that, exactly four months after I did the assignment, the post went live on their website for the world to read! I call it favor because of what was said to me in that email. Even when I was getting down and not sure if the story would ever seen the light of day, I read the email several times to remind myself that I was chosen and handpicked for this post.

Phrases like, “skilled writer” and “after a bit of searching online, I believe you’d be a good person for the assignment,” made me know this was destiny, it was faith, it was my hard work coming to fruition that made them find me, it wasn’t luck and with a little more patience I’d see it all come to life.

You can read The Cove; Luxury meets sophistication in The Bahamas here! 

Even with these two amazing additions to my resume…

[bctt tweet=”Now is not the time to get complacent” username=”iamianthia”]

“I have always dreamed of seeing my byline in Essence, in Ebony and I wouldn’t mind it if Oprah’s O magazine gives me a chance either.

“Hey, aunty!” [in my Killmonger voice]

My story was picked up by the newspapers too! You can view those features here and here.

What goals are you looking to smash this month?

Share below in the comments!