Simon Says... No More Main Character Energy In 2022
We're going for supporting role, low-impact vibes, ok?
Welcome to Simon Says, a weekly newsletter from Rachel Simon all about freelance life—from the inside scoop on just-published stories to advice on how to pitch to what it’s *really* like to leave a cozy full-time gig for the chaotic, unpredictable world of invoicing (jk, freelancing, but IYKYK).
We made it, folks! This is my last newsletter of 2021, which is not particularly meaningful since I re-started this thing like, three weeks ago, but still. Woohoo!
I know I said last week that I’m trying to enter the new year with very minimal expectations, but truth is, I’m pumped for 2022. There’s our wedding, and eight (!) other weddings to attend, and big career stuff happening I can’t talk about just yet (hehe), and lots more. Bring it on, 2022, but in a nice, low-key, still-have-time-for-naps way, you know?
Same. Anyhow, here’s what’s been going on recently:
Some Stories I Wrote Last Week
A story I wrote a month ago for Teen Vogue went live yesterday! It’s about how to know when it’s time to end therapy, featuring expert quotes and advice on when not to call it quits just yet.
Over on the ecomm side, I had a bunch of stories come out this past week, including:
An InStyle piece on the DVF-designed Echo Dot on sale right now.
A Travel & Leisure roundup of ultra-cozy slippers under $50 on Amazon.
Speaking of Amazon—a People spotlight on the retailer’s cool Made for You feature, which lets you customize your ideal T-shirt or long-sleeve.
And two dog-focused stories, the first for Daily Paws on the best chew-proof dog beds and the other for People on a ridiculously soft, supportive orthopedic dog bed.
The Inside Scoop
Each week, I’ll pick one story I’ve written (new or old, if needed) and explain how it got from pitch/assignment to publication. This week, it’s the Teen Vogue story on ending therapy.
After my own recent experience choosing to quit therapy, I thought a lot about how hard it can be to know when you’ve gotten what you need out of your sessions vs. when you just want to call it quits. I pitched the idea to an editor at TV I’d worked with a few years ago, with the angle of the story being less of a personal essay and more a feature with expert advice on how to make the decision, when not to do it, etc. She was immediately on-board, and I got to work interviewing sources, transcribing quotes, and incorporating my own experience into the narrative!
Other Work/Life Stuff Of Note
I’ve been trying to take it easy-ish for the last week to give myself an actual vacation pre-New Years, but I still ended up writing three articles, doing four 1:1 consulting sessions, and making two puzzles. Oops.
But I did force myself to do basically nothing yesterday, which resulted in me watching the distinctly bad yet fairly entertaining Don’t Look Up, and now I’ll never be able to erase the image of Jennifer Lawrence’s haircut from my memory.
Coming Up…
I have a few fun stories set to come out in the next week or so, and I have some other news I’m sitting on that I’ll share as soon as I can! ~Suspenseful~
Happy New Year, all! Thanks for reading, and I look forward to chatting with all of you come January.
Stay safe/happy/etc.,
Rachel