I Have Always Wanted to Be a Reporter

I've always dreamt of being on location in a war zone reporting from a corner with a camera on my shoulder, peering out a hole behind a dirt wall. I'd stare into the lens with the best angle pointing behind me, so I could see what was happening all around me, 360 degrees.

But circumstances steered me in the direction of data science and later, marketing.

When I started my business almost a decade ago, I never dreamt of getting to report on things. It wasn't the direction I began in any way, shape, or form. But over time, I took note of what I gravitated toward, and it always included travel and telling stories.

My Dad was a Storyteller and a Writer

As an author, my father researched and documented everything. He wrote a book about the Collinsworth and Craddock Feud. There were deep, dark secrets in the family that he was out to uncover, including murders, several of them. He knew he didn't get all the stories, but some were brought forth.

When I went off to college, Dad wrote me letters, long ones. He only wrote on the front, never on the back, because he liked pens that were thick and dark. They would sometimes bleed through. If it wasn't a nice stationery paper, it was on a yellow legal pad. He would clip newspaper articles from the town papers covering The Humboldt Chronicle, The Jackson Sun, and Memphis' The Commercial Appeal.

I poured over his writing, as it was a special connection between us.

I've Been Dropping Unknown Family History on TikTok

Over the last month, I've been telling stories on TikTok relating to my family history and what the laws and societal standards were at the time. Stories of how women weren't allowed to have bank accounts without their husband's permission are getting the most traction.

My account has exploded with tens of thousands of new followers very quickly, and over 1,000 people have signed up for my book's waitlist. I am also running ads that are performing tremendously well.

@shoutyourcause Sneak peek at the photos by John Partipilo. #historicalfiction #southernsecrets @Church of Universal Suffrage ♬ original sound - Sally with a Why

It's Time to Lean Into What I Really Want

Once I got my business to a certain spot, I decided it was time to start telling stories. I'm currently writing my book, Humble Pie (what you don't know about Jim Crow), as a historical fiction novel based on my grandmother Sudie's childhood in the early 1900s juxtaposed against the life of a made-up character named Mabie, who lives in the tenant house across the cotton field. Their forbidden friendship sets the stage, while Jim Crow sets the tone.

It's been a zig-zag line to get here, but it's happening.

As an author, traveler, polyglot, and social media influencer, I can write books, tell stories, edit videos, and make a difference in people's lives. Bringing joy, adventure, and possibility into someone's heart creates healing as they're encouraged to help others do the same.

Now I get to help people turn advocacy into action by inspiring program development and growing a following around a current, relevant topic. And I get to do it while traveling and reporting on the world.

My Next Adventure Includes Reporting from Iceland

So I haven't reported from a war zone, but since I love to travel overseas, I decided that my 2nd trip to Iceland will be an on-location bit as we circle the island, just my husband and I this time. Check out my article Iceland Bound: Off the Beaten Path to find out what we'll be doing. Be sure to follow along on TikTok as well.

Selfie by Sally: Some glacier in Iceland. It wasn't as cold as it looks, just Mars-like. Read the full article.

Need Inspiration for July? Look no further!

You may be old hat at making content, or you may be brand-spanking new! Either way, it never hurts to get a little inspiration from a calendar of funny holidays and events.

With a content calendar in place that is right for your business or influencer status, you can make engaging posts from the hip without overthinking it. Curate ideas with a week-at-a-glance or month-at-a-glance calendar to eliminate stressing over what to post each day.

Here are some ideas to get you going. If you'd like our full Funny Holidays digital calendar for the entire year to add to your online calendar program, sign up at the bottom of this page to get it. It's free!

July Monthly

• Cell Phone Courtesy Month
• Dog Days of Summer Jul 3-Aug 11
• National Blueberry Month
• National Anti-Boredom Month
• Unlucky Month for weddings
• National Cell Phone Courtesy Month
• National Grilling Month
• National Hot Dog Month
• National Ice Cream Month
• National Park and Recreation Month
• National Picnic Month
• National Watermelon Month

July Weekly

• Week 2 Nude Recreation Week
• Week 3 Capture the Sunset Week

Happy Father's Day, y'all!

 

 

 

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