Tim Denning, you’re helping me see writers from the perspective of editors, and pushing my buttons in the process. I like the idea of making life easier for editors, but feel shocked by your seeing writers like used cars that you can trade in for other models.
Buttons pushed likely because my dad was a rabbi, the rabbi of Las Vegas, and I’d listened to his sermons from the time I was a baby. As he was so busy, he requested quiet in our house. My voice has been bubbling within me for years and comes out in force. It is a newish voice on Medium, perhaps shaky and not sure of its impact. Your statement confronts my insecurity.
What was helpful was your suggestion to ask for a zoom with an editor to get to know each other better. With synchronicity, an editor just invited me to a one-on-one zoom. Also, you caution writers to be considerate so as not to drain editors of the precious energy left after all the work they do. I think you’ve made me more sensitive to editors’ overload.
“You Are Replaceable”?
You said it, not me, “You are replaceable.“ “A publication can always find another writer just like you”. I like to think each voice is truly unique (says my half confident half insecure writer self). Last night I read a piece on Medium.com from a person named Olya Aman that was simply poetic. It had this amazing, beautiful vibe.
Have you seen “The First Solution”? Have you ever heard that particular passion and research rich-voice of Sarah Towle AKA @historyteller in articles? Does anyone write naturally and distinctly like Dr. Yildiz? I think that each of us is unique, DNA stamped. ancestor-inspired, education tested, trauma run-over, conviction powered, learning curve climbing, one-of-a-kind being. Each has a combination of qualities/virtues, stories and callings that are not like anyone else’s exactly, in all the universes, in all the times humans have been on this planet.
Yet we have faculties, feelings, aspirations in common. We all want love. We want to be seen, heard, and appreciated. We hope to contribute to make this planet or the person beside us more comfortable and happy.
We put all of ourselves into the writing
As a clinical social worker, I’d like to hear a bit of empathy for the writer who has worked their mind and soul off, maybe over weeks. Maybe she has tumbled a story around in different versions for months and — submits it with hope and uncertainty. She may never hear back from a pub, delaying the story’s release when it is timely. Or the pub that publishes it may not put energy into promoting it. (I’m starting to see my responsibility in promoting stories).
When you wrote about the “neediness” of writers, I felt uneasy. Human needs are what social workers and other empathic people care about. Yet, not schlepping them in a burdensome way to editors makes sense. At the same time, having the courage to speak up in an assertive yet kind and tactful way is important. For women, getting our voices out there is necessary.
Thank you for listening to my sparks of response, I hope they can be like fireflies.
Regarding your saying that writers are “replaceable”, Tim Denning, my soul is fuming, yet my mind is appreciating your article’s lessons. From the fuming part: Tell me, could you write: “If Ducks Can Fly — So Can I”, or “It’s Not Your Shame”? (Those are pieces I wrote.) Could anyone write like Olya Aman? Sarah Towle? Dr. Yildiz?
I invite you to a challenge. We can explore your “replaceable”, “A publication can always find another writer just like you” statements. We can have four writers write from a prompt given by a randomly chosen Medium.com publication, and see how the same or unique we all are. I would be up for that challenge and would certainly invite you, Olya Aman, Dr. Yildiz, and Sarah Towle to participate. Any four writers can be selected, but ones who write on different types of topics, for example marketing, poetry, human illness, child development, and immigration.
Finally, thank you for the helpful impression you made on me for making editors’ jobs easier. I imagine I will think of your article many times in the future as I grow my relationship with editors.
Claudia AKA Penofgold
