S3 Bonus 02: Put Yourself Out There

Get the show’s transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to the genius women podcast. I'm your host, Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel photographer and writer with work in some incredible publications like national geographic farm magazine and more. And this year you see my name in places like Conde Nast Traveler. I'm on a mission to help other women who wants to grow their trouble, storytelling, careers, go after their dreams while feeling supported, worthy, and bold. If you're ready to ditch your fear and doubts to the side, step into your brilliance and take action on your dreams. You're in the right place. Let's go.

[00:00:39] Hi, everyone. All throughout September, we're sharing bonus episodes with you. As we're taking a little break in preparation for our upcoming season four of the podcast. In this bonus episode, I'm sharing with you a conversation we have in the circle with our circle member. Now, a published photographer and writer, Vanessa Doosan.

[00:01:00] In this chat, Vanessa says that she hasn't been published yet. Well, since we've had this conversation, she has been published in several wonderful publications.

[00:01:10] Enrollment in the circle is currently closed. As we're getting ready for a one-year anniversary, this sex sober. If he wants to know when we opened the doors back up, visit geniuswomxn.com/circlewaitlist.

[00:01:24] To get on the list. That's geniuswomxn.com/circlewaitlist one word to get on the list. Okay. Let's dive into our conversation with Vanessa. 

[00:01:35] I was in the room on clubhouse.

[00:01:37] Couple of months ago now, and we were talking about how did you first get started with a lot of different content creators? And one guy shared a story that, he recently started content creation. just now getting started.

[00:01:54] And even on social media, he doesn't have that big of a following, I think like less than a thousand people or something. He restyled to a tourism board. one of Florida. , can't remember which one St. Augustine, maybe, or some other, very small tourism ward. He reached out to them. He introduced himself. So, here's what I do.

[00:02:13] Here's my niche. I'd love to work with you. They said yes. And they sent him to St. Augustine and he did a concentration campaign for them. you know, including social media promotion, including, um, giving them the photos at the end and then he used it to put it on his resume to start reaching out to other tourism more it's right.

[00:02:32] You have to get that first one. Yeah. Say yes to you. And then you know, you use that to build your portfolio. And I just love that story so much because he wasn't a. Content creator in any like typical sense of the word, right? Meaning he didn't have a big, huge following at all, but you just never know who, like what kind of needs the people you're reaching out to have and,how it would resonate with you have to offer and how he pitched them.

[00:02:56] It resonated with them. And think that was just such a great story because we often create so many, like, oh, my following is too small for them, so I shouldn't even reach out. Right. I'm not a content creator. I'm not published, so I shouldn't even reach out.

[00:03:10] We just never know. Yeah. and, the more we can. Quiet those voices and keep reaching out and the better, because that was a brilliant story. 

[00:03:18] Yeah. And even hearing, I don't think it was Jessica Vincent, but the podcast before where she just. Like, she just like reached out without knowing.

[00:03:30] I know I was like, wow, great. I know, it doesn't always work that way, but it's nice to hear these stories and, and yeah. I think a lot of people, when they start, if they don't know the process or what is typically done, you just go for it and, and, but yeah, I am glad that.

[00:03:46] I learned kind of your, little, um, tricks of the trade and the inside knowledge, I think is helpful too. So, but yeah, it's fun to hear those stories that when it works out. 

[00:03:56] Yeah. And of course not everyone is going to work out, not right. Not every time you reach out, it's gonna work out, but. At the end of the day, this is a numbers game.

[00:04:04] You know, the more you reach out, the more of those we'll turn over to a yes. You know? 

[00:04:09] Yeah. And I'm, I'm not taking the. The nose personally, like I actually really appreciate when I do get an actual she'll know, as opposed to like total silence. Wow. Yeah. So, so it makes me almost want to pitch to those editors right.

[00:04:24] More because like, I know I'll get a response and eventually I'll probably get it right. Or what they're looking for at that time. whereas yeah, I find the ones that if I don't hear anything back. I'm less kind of anxious to send something new, unless it's a publication that I would really, really like to get into.

[00:04:41] But, yeah. I do appreciate those that respond.

[00:04:44] Yeah. those are very nice. fewer of those people that respond, but you know, we have to take where we have to, we'll say that. Right. It's nice when we get a response for sure. and it's been great to see you sort of follow all the things like that.

[00:05:00] We talk about both in the course, but in the membership, like take that to heart and really, run with it because I think you want to assign particular are good example of, you know, all of this works only if you do the work. That's the only way it's all going to work. I know it's easy to just, Let things slide, you know, life gets busy, I'm doing other things.

[00:05:22] And then it's like, okay, well maybe that was just a pipe dream. because of the membership and knowing that it would help push me along, Yeah, that there's these weekly chats and even the WhatsApp group. And when you post those opportunities, like, oh yeah.

[00:05:38] Okay. I need to get back into the pitching. And I'm, I'm trying to still find, blocks of times where I just focus on them on pitching or on I'm working on what I have to work on, which is nice. yeah. As opposed to just. Trying to squeeze in time or think, oh, I'll do that later. But like to actually block the time, I think is useful.

[00:05:58] Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

[00:06:00] Yeah, that's the strategy that I use is blocking the time because otherwise yeah. Other things that you can find that you can do, and especially if you have, you know, if you're still working through that avoidance of pitching, because you're afraid to get a negative response, then.

[00:06:17] It's a good way to sort of commit to doing it when you have that. they let's call it a date on the calendar, you know? 

[00:06:24] Yeah. I think it's a combination of that. Plus sometimes it's like not having ideas or like, oh, I don't. So, Yeah. So trying to, to make sure that, to give yourself the time to quiet your mind and look for like, and go back to those exercises of trying to find ideas.

[00:06:41] But yeah. Looking at what's available, what people are looking for can sometimes like, cause sometimes you'll post something and okay. That's no, that's not for me. But then later, like, oh wait a minute. like, I pitched the one about, I think you posted because it had Nepal and. for Ashley. And then I thought, well, I've been like, and I have this cool photo essay that has never been published, but I went out to like, follow these fishermen.

[00:07:04] Like, I didn't know. I just took my camera to watch the sunrise on the beach. And then I saw these men go out fishing and come back. And I, like, I went to have breakfast. I came back when they came back. Cause I, I have the whole thing and I, so I pitched it. I haven't heard back, but I thought, yeah, Even if they don't take it, it gave me that idea like this, this is a good, like, there's some good photos.

[00:07:21] It's a good story. I'll try to find somewhere else to pitch it. You had a try. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And it was one of those things that like I even was when I was teaching and teaching, like storytelling through photography. I use those photos as examples. That'll be really nice if I can get it published somewhere to say, see, look, you know, it works, but yeah.

[00:07:45] It'll be in my list now of stories to pitch. 

[00:07:48] Yeah. That's a good strategy too. I have this running document where it's like all the pitches that. I need to play. So I haven't been placed and yeah, exactly. When I find an idea like that, that I remember I added there and this like in my repository of things that I can work with, you know?

[00:08:03] I've been very, happy and proud to see all your progress when ESSA. So yeah, I think you're doing great, great job. And you're an inspiration to others in the circle as well. So. 

[00:08:12] 

[00:08:12] Well, they've, they've inspired me. So I think it kind of pushed me along and seeing their publications, like, okay, I want my name somewhere at sometime.

[00:08:21] And yeah. So it's coming. I'm not officially published yet. I mean, I did get my, the, with the head something last summer where they reached out to me, so that just kind of fell into my lap. But, I think that to the fact that. they wanted to use my photo for the cover of the magazine and, and write it that too was like a push, like, okay, like maybe this is a good time to get into this and I can do this.

[00:08:46] And, you know, I enjoyed doing, I enjoyed writing about how I got that photo. yeah. And then I think I took the course. think I was already in the Facebook group at that point and sort of following along. And then when you announced the course in November, I, I said, okay, let's do it. This is the universe giving you a sign.

[00:09:03] Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. It's like something that I've wanted to do. So I got a little taste of it and it's like, okay, I want more of this. And I honestly like that feeling of excitement, like even when I got the, maybe last week, it's like, Feeling I want to get more of it. So it does Fain when you don't hear back.

[00:09:19] But, yeah. It's like, okay, I got to just get back out there and, and keep pitching and yeah. Reinvigorates you right when you get those. Yeah, and that none of the feedback was. anything that I felt was, you know, questioning my abilities or anything like that, you know, 

[00:09:34] why wouldn't it be your abilities are amazing.

[00:09:37] Why? No, but you know, you sit like, especially it's when it's your first few yeses that it's like, oh wait, okay. figured I had her pitch, but do I know how to write an article? You know, there was, those are two different things and like, I didn't want. You know, again, it's that imposter syndrome where you think like, okay, I faked it and they think I can do this, but when, but not, they're going to see through me now they're going to see.

[00:10:02] So, and it's like, what if I can't, if I can't deliver what I promised in the pitch and all that stuff, but so far it's been, good. So, and good feedback. And I think, you know, you don't always get that if you're just writing a blog for yourself, right. Or your, even your own social media, just to have someone to look at it differently.

[00:10:22] And, like, for some, it's just a question, like, what does this mean? It's like, oh, okay, well, that makes sense to me. Cause I know this subject matter, but if it's not clear, then obviously I need to make it clear. And 

[00:10:32] so for me, this is one of the most valuable. things that an editor brings to this process, because exactly that point, because you know this so well, right.

[00:10:43] You're writing about what you know. And so it's not that you even assume that others know, but it's hard for you to write it. In a way that doesn't assume that the reader doesn't know you, you know, I mean, and that's where the editor comes in because they read it and they're like, well, what does that mean?

[00:10:59] Yeah, that's a really valuable part of the process. And I always loved that part I'm an expert then this, but let me like say, and they probably also know their audience better. Yeah. and so if they know that, okay, this are, you know, like for example, the Intrepid magazine, I did this whole like gear list.

[00:11:18] I'm like, well, you kind of lose people if you're going to get too technical about what kind of camera equipment they need, or like, okay. So that's fair enough. And we can just, I can just do something more generic or general and yeah, but you know, I'm used to also reading a lot of photography magazines that gives you a gear list and.

[00:11:37] Stuff. So, but yeah, it's a different audience. If they're not photographers necessarily. 

[00:11:41] I love that part of the process, like working with an editor together. No, I'm, I'm really happy. And so far I've only worked with women, cool to see. And, you know, I just think we're in a really interesting time, because I think.

[00:11:53] Yes. And no, cause I know for a lot it's, they've had to cut budgets and it's not what it used to be, but I think what it used to be also it was probably tough to be freelancing, when, and you have like staff writers or other people that had more opportunities and, and now it's like, you know, anyone can.

[00:12:12] Have an idea get published, which is great, but kind of even though the playing field, but yeah. You have to hustle probably constantly cause if you sit back too long, someone else who's going to take an opportunity. So, yeah, it's an interesting time, but, but there's so much content that needs like everyone wants, right?

[00:12:31] We have these short attention spans and yeah. Lots of them. 

[00:12:35] would want to just reframe a little bit where you just said about, if you sit back someone else, isn't going to take that opportunity because even though it might be true, that to me sounds like scarcity. That's what you're competing.

[00:12:48] With others for the same opportunity. Whereas I want us to think that we're not competing, 

[00:12:55] not so much competing, but like, I guess you can't expect that even if you have a bunch of stuff published, that people are going to come to you automatically start coming to you, but gonna take time.

[00:13:07] Right. And that again comes back to relationships. Right. Okay. That's good to know. Good to hear. but again, I think. You have to probably be somewhat cautious to not just assume that. Oh, sure. No, no, for sure you can, but that's not like, don't want to say, Hey, you know, sit back and relax. Don't do anything.

[00:13:24] No, of course we have to reach out. We have to keep pitching, but just it's a tiny sort of reframing of, you know, if I don't pitch someone, else's going to take that job. Which again in reality might be true, but it puts you in that mindset of, oh, we're all competing for that same opportunity. And I want to avoid that because do believe that even if there is the same call for pitches, that's all it's for the, one destination or one, you know, idea or whatever they are.

[00:13:52] They're looking for two people can pitch and still get accepted and, and Two absolutely different stories, you know? Oh, that's for sure. That's sort of the mindset that I want to lean towards 

[00:14:03] Thanks again for listening to our bonus episodes today. I hope you found the ideas we discussed here relevant and inspiring. If you're looking for support opportunities and community in the travel media space, consider joining us in the circle and enrollments of the circle is currently closed. As we're getting ready for a one-year anniversary, this sober.

[00:14:24] If you want to know when we opened the doors back up, visit geniuswomxn.com/circlewaitlist to get on the list. Thanks again for listening today and stay tuned for another bonus episode coming your way next Monday, in which we'll talk about imposter syndrome.