It’s New Year’s Eve. My partner is suggesting that we get drunk, don headlamps, and spend the night chucking and stacking the rest of our firewood. We ordered our supply late this year and are attempting to transform the four chaotic cords of wood in our driveway into a semi-orderly stack. Our neighbors are heavy into fireworks. There will probably be a show in the sky tonight. It is nice to be entertained while performing manual labor (even though stacking wood remains wildly entertaining and satisfying by itself, in my books). We’re not really drinkers so we probably won’t follow through with this idea even though it is a good one.

I found out a few days ago that my story about the Mount Waldo quarry was among Down East’s top ten most read/shared stories of 2022.1 I’ve never made it on a list before but I’m not surprised this story appears here (because of the subject matter, that is—it’s a curious story). When I surveyed the public to see what they thought was in the quarry, my website traffic jumped from one to two visitors a day to 800.2 Nevertheless, it’s fun to be on a list, especially for a publication like Down East.

Some New Work in the World

For Maine Farmland Trust’s Maine Farms Annual Journal, I interviewed seven heavy hitters of Maine’s food and farming scene to accompany a photo essay by Tara Rice.3

In commissioning the piece, Ellen Sabina noted both the whiteness and the cis-femmeness of the group of people I was asked to interview. As this piece was focused on leadership, the lack of certain types of diversity surely stood out. That said, I was heartened to hear about the work each of these people and the entities they work with are doing to further diversify/shift power, authority, and resources as they tackle issues of climate resiliency, food insecurity, race, class, and inequity.

As always, I’m impressed by the quality of the content in this journal, featuring stunning photography by Molly Haley, Kelsey Kobick, Greta Rybus, Tara Rice, and others. As a nonprofit publication, Maine Farms stands out for its commitment to high-quality visuals and writing (and supporting Maine farms and Maine artists at the same time). To receive a copy, become a member of Maine Farmland Trust. It is a worthwhile cause, imho.

Some Numbers

10

Story ideas pitched or submitted

21

Pitches submitted

6

Pieces published. Three of those were commissioned, three, I initiated.

$3,232

How much I made from writing in 2022 (including $929 from paid subscriptions to Hells Bells!). I am telling you this because I want to tell you this but also because I have no idea how much money freelancers make, how sustainable a path it is, how hard one has to hustle, what it all depends upon, etc. There were times this year when all my free time was taken up by working on stories, times when I felt more free.

$0.15-0.70

The range of how much I got paid per word. Fifteen cents a word is not a lot, especially considering how much time it takes to put words together but I was willing to do it because I’m trying to get more clips and build my portfolio. I don’t regret it but will not be doing the same in 2023. 🤞

10%

Remember how I said I was going to donate 10% of my writing profits? I did, and it felt really good. A not-insignificant portion of these funds came from you, readers of this publication—thank you.

8%

Eight percent went to Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective, a collective of Indigenous people restoring the spiritual foundation of our livelihoods through regenerative food systems.

2%

Two percent went to Out in the Open, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting rural LGBTQ people to build community, visibility, knowledge, and power.

???

I have no idea how many hours I put into any of this as time is something I’m terrible at keeping track of even though I have an innate knack for knowing almost exactly what time it is. Half of writing is thinking and it’s impossible to track that dance.

Some Learning

Fact-checking is humbling and integral. If a publication you’re writing for doesn’t have a designated fact checker, it’s on you, the writer. Sloppiness has repercussions. Don’t be sloppy.

If the fact-checking is on you, make sure that’s accounted for in the rate you’re being paid as it can be time-consuming. The pay-off is worth it—knowing you’ve published a piece that has been thoroughly fact-checked alleviates a lot of stress, worry, and doubt.

If resources allow, invest in tools and training. For me this year, that was Tape-A-Call, Otter, my website, a writing workshop with Kerri Arsenault, and a freelance writing business class with Paulette Perchance.

When one has been broke, setting aside money to pay taxes is hard. Sources say to set aside a third of one’s pay for taxes, to be safe. I did not do this. Time to start saving.

Setting an intention to devote myself to writing this year, and then following through on it was, and continues to be, elating. I may sound twee as hell but I f*cking love writing. Cheers to attempting to re-arrange our lives in such a way that we are more able to do the things that make us happy, healthy, and alive.

Currents

Pig Years by Ellyn Gaydos What sentences!

Moon of Hyldemoer Herbal CSA The closest to magic I get in waking life, with offerings like “The stars guiding one’s way in the darkest nights” (Solomon’s Seal essence within Black Cohosh extract).

99 Years podcast A Black exploration of the deliberate creation of the whitest state in the nation (“Maine”)

Interview with “Tree Thieves: Crime and Survival in North America’s Woods” author Lyndsie Bourgon

Stacking firewood

Thank you for reading hells bells! Happy New Year to you and yours.