Behind the Byline: The Essay I Had to Pitch 27 Times Before Finding a Home

How I landed my first PS (formerly PopSugar) byline

Hi Bleeders!

For the second edition of Behind the Byline, I’m sharing the journey of pitching my essay Sleeping With the "Enemy"? Maybe a Politically Mixed Marriage Is a Good Thing.

I knew this piece had a strong premise: a personal story about navigating a Democrat/Republican relationship in the lead-up to a high-stakes election. It was a hot-button essay—timely, compelling, and a little bit spicy. Some editors wouldn’t want to touch it, while others would want a specific framing to fit their publication’s perspective. Still, I was determined to find it a good home.