What Inspired this Outlet
In case you didn’t know, I stumbled into writing for plant-based media outlets with no journalism background whatsoever. In fact, back in school, I abhorred writing assignments, following prompts, and writing reports on things I couldn’t care less about. Maybe that was the issue. They were topics that didn’t spark my curiosity. There was ZERO passion behind what I was writing, written solely for a good grade.
Anyway, now that we’ve established that I wasn’t an avid writer, the pandemic somewhat undid that. With nothing much to do and grad school on lockdown, I became more immersed in the plant-based food space, scrolling through recipes, listening to podcasts about plant-based food innovation, founder stories, and plenty more. I realized I loved the storytelling element of it, whether it was what inspired a founder to create a product to fill a void in the market, how chefs use their talents to intrigue our palates, or ways in which restaurateurs use food as a powerful form of activism to change hearts and minds through what’s served on the plate. So I shot my shot and pitched an article to VegNews, one of the most renowned plant-based outlets known in the space. And they said yes! That was a thrill in and of itself, but nothing could prepare me for how elated I was to see “By Shriya Swaminathan” under the title.
The editor I worked with even encouraged me to contribute more, which, of course, I did. So I kept going and pitched more, wrote more… pieces for VegOut, Planetly Travel, VEGWORLD. Each one was a new conversation, a new corner of the Vegan world to explore, a new byline to add to a growing list. Along the way, several folks whom I interviewed told me they enjoyed talking with me. That I had a natural way of drawing things out, of making conversations feel easy and honest. Many of them encouraged me to do my own thing… have my own platform. The thing is, I never felt like I had it in me to do it on my own. It was much easier to hide behind the perceived credibility of an established outlet. Their name did the work that mine hadn't earned, and I felt like it never would. I knew I was leaning into that a bit too much. I wasn’t getting paid, barely did if ever, but I justified that with the freebies and comped meals I could enjoy.
Funnily enough, it took my dad to convince me to go for it. As a stubborn first-born, I don’t have the best track record when it comes to heeding my parents’ words (in some instances, rightfully so…IYKYK 😛), but in this instance, he was telling me what I already knew, what my gut instinct was SCREAMING for me to listen. “You are talented,” “you are sincere in your writing,” “you enjoy making content… BUT you don’t take these projects seriously in a way that allows your worth to shine.” Now, THIS is the kind of parental guilt-tripping I can subscribe to, ha!
But in all seriousness, it’s what I wanted AND needed to hear, and it came at a time when I was ready to accept it. For the longest time, I was stuck under the confines of what was considered “palatable topics” in the plant-based space.
Unless spoken by a celebrity, the term “animal rights” was avoided at all costs as it was considered to be “too heavy” and would shun readers. While I completely understand the concern, I don’t want to limit the scope of what I’m able to write about. Now I’m on my journey of becoming unstuck, and maybe this will help any reader who has gotten this far to find parallels and possibly resonate with the process. If you find even the slightest motivation to break free from being their own barrier, that’s a win!
I will always be grateful for the opportunities that writing for various outlets brought. I learned so much, and it certainly helped get my name out, especially as someone with ZERO journalism knowledge. I discovered a hidden potential in me, and that’s truly special.
I had so many profound opportunities, including interviewing THE Venus Williams!
However, I know there’s more I can offer outside the confines of the mainstream, on my own terms, and out there for folks to follow along if they choose to.
Cheers to getting unstuck together.
Welcome back to Planted with Shriya. If you missed the first post about why I went Vegan and the foodie who was always waiting to emerge, you can read it here.
I write about animal-free cuisine, ethical travel, personal stories, and the honest conversations the Vegan space isn't always willing to have. Stick around — it's going to get interesting.
