Map Your Career

Where do you want to be in a year?

How to Get Away with Publishing ™ is a weekly newsletter and blog that provides emerging writers with practical advice from author Faylita Hicks.

Everyone has been coming face to face with an unprecedented amount of time alone — and everything that comes with that time. For some people, that means they are working more or spending much-needed time with loved ones, while the rest of us are mastering the fine art of cooking on Tik Tok.

Whatever you’re doing with your time, there’s no judgment here. I simply wanted to point out that we have NOT been expected to bow to the expectations of being present for social activities — for the first time in our lifetimes!

This means that the lovely Saturday night you previously used to hit up local open mics can now be set aside as “mapping” times. And trust me when I say dreaming up the future can be just as fun!

2. Unprecedented access to resources and nationwide or global communities.

Have you ever wanted to take one of those infamous essay workshops with Alexander Chee? Cool. Just keep an eye on the website and get a link to the online event.

Thinking about going on a book tour? Perfect timing! Just send an email, set a date, and download the app. Boom. Bookstore reading.

Wanna network with the publishing community? Great! Hop on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram and chat away.

The world is literally at your fingertips right now.

3. Equity, representation, and restitution are at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

As a queer Afro-Latinx writer who has been hanging around the publishing scene for nearly eighteen years, I can say with complete confidence that there has never been a better time for people from underrepresented backgrounds to step to the front and be seen!

From Penguin Randomhouse to indie magazines, the literary field has been interrogated and found wanting. That means that there is an opportunity for…

Related posts:

If you have a friend who is a cat person or dog person, then you should definitely read through this article. It may be tricky to find a gift for the dog lover in your life that they will find…