This one I dedicate it to any aspiring writer out there (including me) or a writer already, but never been successful to have your articles published by the "media house".you have tried sending your articles to various places and the only response you get is maximum silence.Don't give up yet! just create your own blog and write your heart away.
Worst is,someone actually publishes your article but they never inform you about it.You get into utter excitement and/or surprise when a friend calls to tell you they saw your name in a certain magazine.So you actually buy the publication and its for real.Your very first article ever published!yey!!!. you sit there waiting just perhaps you get a call form the Editor. After along time of waiting,you decide to write an email to them for follow up just incase you will get any pay and you never get to hear from them forever.
That is exactly what happened to me, now a year and some months ago.I remember how much it cost me working on that article.The research I had to get from the internet because it was a topic that required either experience or I be very well informed.I remember going to bed at three O'clock in the morning and not to forget I was supposed to be going to work the next day.Oh,the the next few hours.The painful part is not even that I was never paid,but the fact that this was my first attempt as a writer and very fortunate for that matter to have it published. In return, what did I get?no motivation at all to keep writing. My enthusiasm was exchanged for heartbreak and no eagerness to write more.Yes I understand that the magazine is not doing well in the market but really?
Many thanks to my mum two and mentor,Anne Mbotela for pressuring me(in a good way) to write. As she would always ask me if am writing every single time we meet. Awww...and how she believes in me.God bless her.
Recently, I decided that you know what Jess, am not going to let my dream to be shuttered by someone I don't even know quite well.(by the way am currently working for one of the famous magazines in Kenya,doing something else not writing.and I've never mentioned to anyone about my interest). So, here I am. I decided to create this blog so I can be pouring my heart down and oooh... am having so much fun. First of all its my world :-) and I am the queen/president hehehe. Secondly, I believe its my tool to sharpen my skill on this journey of writing.On that matter,feel free to critique my mistakes any day you come across them because its a learning process. Politely though, I am a lady you know!
I was reading one of the daily newspaper the other day, and this article at the Jobs section caught my attention.The heading read, "Jobless? Be unique,think outside the box''. So, I had to read and see what it was talking about. It talked about this Irish man by the name Feilim Mac An Iomaire. This guy decided to place a billboard reading: "Save me from emigration". For the effect,it had a picture of the 26-year-old towing luggage and facing national landmarks of selected cities across the world."Having tried and failed for months and exhausted all traditional job hunting avenues,I have decided to have one last throw of the dice to remain in Ireland before I am forced to look elsewhere for work and develop myself professionally," he was quoted.
This guy's act of faith managed to secure him a "dream job". Sounds like fiction right? but I thought this is awesome and challenging at the same time in the sense that, determination can sure work wonders.
Just to borrow from this creativity,you don't have to place a bill board literally like him, but hey! why not create your own blog and pour your thoughts down?because this will market as you never know who will read!this is internet. Well,this will work for you if you are like me. Am not reeeaaally (sorry, that's meant to sound like stressing) into writing for money.
May be along the way.... it will fall in place.
Stop waiting to see the day your articles will appear in someone's publication....it's not a bad thing but,if you get what am saying,you can do something before that.You never know where your step of believing in yourself and act of faith will take you.
Happy blogging!!!
