When Nicole and Mallory approached me and invited me to contribute to The Toast, I was absolutely thrilled. I recognized what an amazing opportunity it was, particularly as a woman of color, to be able to run an online publication where I had editorial freedom and the ability to pay writers.
It has been all joy to run The Butter. I was able to publish truly amazing writing filled with wit and heart, humor and intelligence. I worked with columnists that gave me insight into this wonderful world around us, living with a lover, raising a modern family, living with disability, the ways in which music can shape our lives, how beloved literary characters might throw down, and, of course, we had, at the end, a warm, wise advice column.
But now, alas, The Butter is coming to an end. Over the past year, I’ve gotten so many exciting opportunities and it is nearly impossible for me to say no. I always think, “This is too cool to say no to!” Or, “What if this is the last chance I will ever have?” Or, “Who are you to say no?”
The end result of always saying yes is that I am simply stretched too thin. I have loved The Butter and wish I could continue doing it but given my day job and this writing thing I insist on doing and speaking gigs and, and, and, I haven’t had the time to grow The Butter’s readership to where it needs to be for the site to be sustainable. As an ambitious person, I hate failing at anything and I particularly hate letting down the writers who trusted me with their work. All I can say is that next time, and there will be a next time, I will do it better. Until then, all the writing on The Butter is staying up, in perpetuity, thanks to the gracious stewardship of The Toast. There will also be a couple more column posts next week, as those writers bid their own farewells and one last Writer on Fire, so stay tuned!
Thank you so much to Nicole and Mallory for the amazing opportunity, to Nicole Chung for her editorial prowess, to Melissa Moorer, my assistant editor for being a right hand, to the amazing writers who contributed to this project and gave my mind and my heart so many words on which to thrive, and, certainly, to the readers who supported this project. Thank you, all.
Tags: goodbye, the butter, until next time
Aww. Goodbye for now, Roxane!
What queenmondegreen said! Wishing you to always fly high, sing strong and soar, soar, soar!
Auuuuuuuugh so sad about this. Good luck with everything, it’s been a privilege.
I have really enjoyed The Butter and your columns. Wishing you all the best with your next projects.
We love you. I’m excited to see what you do next. There’s always a byline for you here at the Toast, you lovable dummy. Now get out of here. Get! GET, BEFORE I START TEARING UP.
No more Butter?? But what else will I use to complement my Toast?!
D:
I am sad that you’re going but it’s been pretty amazing having you here. Best of luck.
I’ve enjoyed the Butter greatly, and I applaud your decision to not be overstretched. Best wishes.
Thank you for the voices you’ve hosted and the work you’ve put in, and congrats on getting so many opportunities that you’re now able to choose among them! It’s been an honor and a pleasure to follow your work.
We’ll miss the Butter, but of course it’s been amazing having you around here!! Thank you to you and the amazing writers who contributed.
You will be missed Roxane! But I look forward to following what comes next for you 😀 Thanks for being great.
No, thank you for being here, and I’m glad you won’t continue to be scraped over too much bread. Good luck with all of the cool things you’re going to continue to make and do and be!
Roxane, I have to disagree with you, vehemently, about one thing. This is not “failing” — this is being excellent at something for not as long as you would ideally have liked. Thanks for a great run, and all best wishes for everything to come.
Heartily co-signed. This does not sound like failure to me. You’ve touched so many lives with your writing here. That Magic Mike XXL review alone is worthy of an entire career! Thank you for all you’ve shared with us here, and I look forward to all you do next!
I always think, “This is too cool to say no to!”
Roxane, it’s so gratifying, though not surprising to anyone who’s read your work, that you’re in this enviable position. (It’s also weirdly reassuring to know that even the amazing Roxane Gay gets a little overwhelmed; I’ve been wondering how you make it look so easy.)
Thanks for everything you’ve given us here and all the writers’ voices you’ve introduced us to!
SAD!!!
I so appreciate and respect the need to say no to things – hooray you for self-care, and for your integrity in wanting to give each project the effort it deserves. But selfishly, I will miss the crumbs out of the Butter!
Roxane, I have no idea how you’ve found the time to do everything you do and do it all excellently. I look forward to continuing to read everything you write, where ever it’s published.
I am very sad to see The Butter go. Is the Toast going to pick up any of the regular articles from the Butter? Or are they all ending?
Bon voyage, and thanks for all your brought here.
Oh!! My stars!! You will be missed, Roxane. It has been amazing to get to know your writing AND your editorial vision at the same time. My mind is so much richer for your work, and my heart. Wishing you the best. Thank you.
I have so enjoyed your written work here, I am very sorry that you are leaving. Live life, be well.
Good-bye, Butter! Thanks for all the thought-provoking essays, bitingly sharp short stories, and introductions to marvelous writers. You will be missed.
Hail and farewell, sweet Butter! But as much as I will miss it (and you!) I’m glad you’re doing the smart thing and taking care of yourself, Roxane. All the love. Anything you find time to write in the future, I will continue to devour!
Goodbye, The Butter! Very sad to hear this news, but thank you for all that you do.
Such sadness! Any chance of some of my most beloved features moving onto toast proper? Ask Bear is too good to give up! Literary Ladies Cagefight!
That was my first thought too. Those are two of my favorite regular features.
Goodbye, Butter! Goodbye, Roxanne!
So sorry to see you going. This has been wonderful. Catch your work somewhere else though! I’ll always be on the lookout.
Thank you so much for the excellent work you’ve done here, and the voices you’ve brought in. Can’t wait to see what’s next for you!
Thank you for all your hard work and all the amazing writers you brought to Butter up the Toast. I’m especially going to miss Ask Bear and Loco Parentis: those have been YOOGE for me. xoxox for all you do.
Seconding: those are my two fav features on The Butter and I will miss them greatly! Is there any way they could move to The Toast?
I’m so sad that The Butter is ending, but I am more sad that I didn’t do more to support it over the last year. I hope some of the writers still do work here
I will miss your work here, Roxane. And also, I am glad that you are getting so many interesting offers to write / provide commentary. It couldn’t happen to a nicer person!
Here is hoping that one of your future endeavors involves an ongoing discussion of feminism in media with Channing Tatum. I would follow the heck out of that.
I am very sorry to see The Butter go, but I’m also very glad that I was able to read such fine writing while it was here.
Best of luck, Roxane, and thank you for everything.
Thanks for the last year! I’ve genuinely enjoyed being able to get to love your work here and look forward to continuing to love it wherever else it may be.
I love you here but does this mean you’ll have time for the Empire reviews on the WSJ? I loved those
I’m so torn! I’m so happy for all your opportunities, but sad you won’t be here with us so much. So much and many Good Thoughts for you and thanks for all you’ve done.
So sad to see you go…super-excited that you have so many things going on that you must leave! Break a leg and safe travels…will read you wherever you post…
Sad to see you go, Roxane. May your future be full of professional fulfillment and Channing Tatum hangouts.
Oh, I’m really sad to hear this. FWIW I really thought The Butter brought something wonderful to The Toast, and I’m sorry to see it go, and to see you leave. I wish you all the best ♥
Roxanne, I’ll miss your contributions here but I’ll follow your future projects through Twitter. Keep being awesome!
The Toast, why not hire a new editor for The Butter?
You have done so much great work (with The Butter and elsewhere) and introduced me to so many wonderful writers. Thank you.
Loved your work here and so sorry to see you go. I will look for your name EVERYWHERE from now on!!
The Butter has been a terrific magazine. I loved having regular access to essays and stories of such high quality. Thank you for sharing the Butter with us.
I will miss the amazing writing on The Butter. Thanks for so much, Roxane.
Oh no! You will be sorely missed, please don’t be a stranger.
The Butter has been amazing. I want to thank all of the writers who contributed to it, but most of all Roxanne, whose writing and organization made it all come together. I cannot wait to see what wonderful things you do next!
thank you to YOU, roxane. may your next chapter be bliss.
Alas! It was so delightful to hear your voice, and the voice of all of The Butter’s writers. We’ll miss you, and look forward to seeing what you do next!
Congrats on all the exciting things taking place in your career, Roxane. I so appreciate having my work appear in The Butter. Thank you!
So sad to see The Butter go. Thank you, Roxane, Melissa and Nicole for creating this special place. Looking forward to seeing what y’all do next. ♥
So sad to see The Butter go. Thank you, Roxane, Melissa and Nicole for creating this special place. Looking forward to seeing what y'all do next. ♥