Less than a year prior, I had just started writing publicly to build my brand.
This was a leap of faith for me because, as a full-time academic, some of my professional colleagues (at least then) frowned upon that kind of thing.
I didn’t really know how to get started to grow my brand, but I knew that I wanted people to know who I was.
One of my earliest attempts at this was with my local newspaper.
I submitted a few op-eds and ended up being published in the local paper 2x.
The second article was about racial tension percolating in my town (this published 7 days before Donald Trump was elected president).
This article was NOT well-received at all.
The article headline:
Whew, the comments. The ANGER. There were, apparently, some complaints made to my employer (or at least threats of it).
I wasn’t ready for the backlash. I wanted people to know who I was, but not like that! This was traumatic, especially because I was only 8 months in.
This experience could have stopped me from putting myself out there. But, instead I licked my wounds, learned some good lessons & moved on.
Since starting that public writing, I’ve been in Fortune, Newsweek, the Washington Post & TIME. And, this has led to a TEDx talk, speaking invitations, and a bunch of other stuff.
One monkey don’t stop no show!
In this Thursday Thoughts episode of the Shontavia Show, I answer a question about overthinking and second-guessing yourself because of concerns about public failure.
My suggestions are to: (1) Start with something low stakes. (2) Use the resources around you, like The OpEd Project, and then (3) Number three, perfect your pitch.
Check out the full episode below for more.
Show Highlights
01:11 – The question: How can I stop overthinking and second-guessing myself when pitching myself to editors?
04:40 – Shontavia’s horrible experience with an article she wrote
06:03 – How to start with a low-stakes article in your local newspaper
09:14 – How The OpEd Project helped Shontavia go from local letters to the editor to TIME, Huffington Post, and the Washington Post
11:13 – The one thing you can do to stop wasting time writing full articles
For more, check out the full episode below.
Show Notes:
 How to Put Yourself Out There: https://www.buzzsprout.com/795392/2444864
The OpEd Project: https://www.theopedproject.org/
How to Pitch, from The OpEd Project: https://www.theopedproject.org/pitching
How to Pitch an Article to a Magazine: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-pitch-an-article-to-a-magazine
3 Mistakes That Make Editors Throw Your Pitch in the Trash: https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-mistakes-that-make-editors-throw-your-pitch-in-the-trash
Questions and Action: Take a small step toward doing that thing you want to do but haven’t done yet
 After you’ve had a chance to watch the video, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!
Please answer the questions relevant to your current situation:
1. What project or idea have you delayed because of overthinking? Which one excites you the most?
2. With the project from #1, what is a low stakes action you can take to move the project or idea forward?
3. If you are a writer, visit The OpEd Proect’s web page about pitching and pitch an article about the project or idea from #1!
Please give as much information as you can in response to these questions. I’d be happy to share more tools and resources that help you get what you want.Â
Thank you so much for joining me on this roller coaster of an experience.
I am eternally grateful that I get to do this work with working professionals who are also creators, entrepreneurs and side hustlers like yourself.
                                                                 Let’s continue to make it happen,
