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I’m a self-taught independent journalist with work published in many top-tier publications including CNN, Oprah, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Refinery29, Business Insider, and more. I cover a variety of beats including travel, sustainability, wellness, veganism, social justice, food/drink, health/fitness, fashion/beauty, and more. My pitch acceptance rate is 36 percent (as of June 2020). I’ve been told the industry average is 12 percent.

Through my freelance writing consultation service, I share sage advice with other writers who are breaking into the field, want to improve their pitches, crystalize story ideas, or whatever else you may need to enhance your journalism career. When you book a consultation, you’ll be added to my private Facebook community where writers share calls for pitches, editorial contacts, and brainstorm pitching ideas. Within the group, you’ll find an editorial contact list of 1,900 publishers that pay writers, which is updated weekly. With this tool, you can easily earn back the fee you invested in the freelance writing consultation service.

To book a consultation, please send $300 via Venmo, PayPal (you must pay any fees), GooglePay (lolaannmendez@gmail.com), or CashApp. Then email lolaannmendez@gmail.com with 3-5 dates/times that suit your schedule for a one-hour voice call and your Whatsapp number or Skype username.

Once you’ve paid and we’ve scheduled a meeting, please send me a link to a Google Doc with questions you may have about journalism, drafts of 1-3 pitches (not articles), and target outlets in order for me to edit them before our meeting. In addition, you may send 3-5 additional ideas (1-3 sentences, not full pitches) you’d like to brainstorm together on our call. If you’re not ready to draft pitches, then I can share sample successful pitches with you before the call. I will review the materials, workshop your pitches, and develop answers to your questions prior to our meeting (about one hour of work on my end).

FREEBIES

If you can’t afford a consultation, I have an array of free resources available. I gave Business Insider the scoop on how I earned $12,000 from freelance writing in September 2020 and a piece for Business Insider on how to take a vacation as a freelance writer. I wrote about how to file late fee invoices for OutVoice and interviewed editors about how freelance writers can make their pitches stand out. I shared the importance of keeping a feedback file for The Muse, and how to negotiate your rates for Indy which also published my pre-pitch checklist. I was interviewed on the Talking Travel Writing newsletter about how I pitch foreign publications, for Indy about how I manage to work less than 10 hours a week, and by Welcome to the Jungle about how I’ve managed to make a successful career via remote work for the last six years. I shared with OutVoice what I wish I had known my first year as a full-time freelance writer and with Underpinned details of how I detach my self-worth from my work.

I was invited to speak to the Columbia Journalism Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists who have made the 50-minute long webinar free to view. You can also check out this hour-long webinar, this 40-minute webinar, this 50-minute webinar, this 54-minute podcast, this 70-minute podcast, and this 50-minute podcast—all of which are about how to make a living as a freelance journalist. That’s over five hours of absolutely free sage intel.

TESTIMONIES

I’ve conducted freelance writing consultations with writers from across the globe: The United States, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, The United Kingdom, and many others. I’ve helped these writers land stories in various publications including Elite Daily, Vice, Good Housekeeping, Boston Globe, Business Insider, and many more major outlets.

“After one session with Lola, I had a far better understanding of how to make my pitches stand out–and how to successfully follow up. Within a few weeks, I had a new client. This would not have happened without Lola’s guidance. Not only did I use Lola’s recommendations—I actually found out about the opportunity in her Facebook community. Anyone who’s considering freelance writing should hire Lola. There are other people out there who talk a big game–I sought coaching from one before finding Lola, and it was a mess–but Lola is the real deal. A professional godsend, honestly.”—Victoria Bekiempis

“Lola’s session helped clarify the steps on how to freelance. I was at a point where I had several ideas, but it was overwhelming, and I didn’t know where to start. Lola provides a helping hand to those who need a push into the freelancing world. She provided so many tips and tricks on how to put more effort into the art of pitching. Her encouragement has helped me expand my portfolio to other publications. I also feel more confident pitching to my dream publications.”—Amina Khan

“From honing my pitches to asking thoughtful questions, working with Lola gave me confidence. Lola thought of things I wouldn’t have thought of. She also explained ideas clearly and was very friendly and approachable. I recommend working with Lola to sharpen your skills and grow your portfolio!”—Alicia Ramírez

“Lola played a pivotal role in my evolving from an unpaid writer to a paid writer. For years I would write for publications without pay, mainly because I thought the competition was too steep and I was desperate to get my work out. Lola showed me that my work, my words, and my effort are worth being paid for. She inspired me to seek out paid opportunities, shared paid writing gigs with me, and encouraged me to aim for higher-paying opportunities. She has also linked me with editors who I still have a good relationship with, and gain writing opportunities on a regular basis.”—Bianca Caruana

“Lola was a great help to me, first teaching how to pitch and what to include, then helping me with replies to editors. She also went through my first draft with me and always have encouraging words and great tips. I have since written for National Geographic, Matador Network, and Culture Trip, and become more confident in the worth of my writing. If you are not sure where to start out and need support, Lola would definitely be able to help.”—Nam Cheah

“I was unsure how to pitch, what I needed in my tool kit, and how to negotiate my own rates. Lola mentored me throughout the entire process. I’m now a full-time freelancer with work published for Elite Daily, Matador Network, and Culture Trip. I feel increasingly confident in my abilities thanks to her encouragement.”—Tara Tadlock

“Thanks to Lola’s experience, expertise, and guidance, I’ve learned how and where to pitch story ideas, as well as best practices for communicating and negotiating with editors. Lola’s exclusive freelance writing Facebook group, where we share writing opportunities, is a treasure chest of publications, editor contacts, and calls for pitches. Since connecting with Lola, I’ve had features published in several publications, including VICE, HuffPost, Elite Daily, Fodor’s, Matador Network, and more!”—Lena Papadopoulos

“Lola has been such a fantastic coach as I’ve broken into the writing world. From the start, she trusted in my abilities and guided me in all aspects of the process, from sourcing leads to crafting the perfect pitch and negotiating salaries. Her own successes in travel writing have inspired me that anything’s possible! Lola is patient, supportive, and professional. I would recommend her to anyone!”—Rose Munday

“After networking with Lola, I’ve written for countless publications. I’ll be forever grateful for her enthusiasm about my work when I was unsure about myself, her dedication to looking over pieces for me before submitting to my editor, and her overall support in helping me become a published and successful writer. She is an amazing writer and if you work with her, you’ll be well on your way to becoming successful, as well.”—Kelly Ivers