Impact of One's Mindset on Potential for Success in Scribing Endeavors
In the world of writing, balance is key. Meg Dowell, a successful freelance writer whose work has been published in Teen Ink, Success Story, Lifehack, and USA TODAY College, among others, understands this well. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining a professional attitude when working with editors and other publishing professionals.
Dowell stresses that a writer's past accomplishments and skills become irrelevant once they are hired. Instead, it's the writer's attitude that matters most. A bad attitude can lead to a writer being dropped from a publication, not because they are a bad writer, but because they are exhausting to work with.
Writing is a business, and everyone starts at the bottom, answering to others. As such, writers should be willing to learn and prove themselves through hard work and dedication. Dowell advises that a writer should be proud of their work but should not expect privilege based on it. They are still a representative of someone else and should know their place.
Dowell also warns about inappropriate behavior of some writers towards editors. Unsolicited comments about the editor's editorial process are not appreciated. Instead, writers should focus on following submission rules precisely, writing concise, polished, and personalized cover letters, and responding gracefully to feedback.
Moreover, Dowell differentiates between necessary self-promotion and conceit. She encourages writers to promote their work, but not in a way that comes across as boastful or arrogant.
Despite being terrified of people, Dowell stresses the need to find something one loves and let passion drive charisma and optimism. Regardless of the kind of writing, working with others is inevitable, and expecting people to bow down is not acceptable.
In conclusion, to advance in the publishing industry, a writer should be a good person, willing to learn, and prove themselves through hard work and dedication. They should treat all professionals with courtesy and respect, maintain polite, professional language and behavior, and be open to constructive criticism. Adopting these attitudes helps foster trust, improves collaboration, and enhances a writer's professional standing.
[1] Source: Novelty Revisions [2] Source: Unspecified
- A successful writer like Meg Dowell, who has made a career in the competitive world of publishing, recognizes that finance and business are as crucial in writing as they are in any other career, emphasizing the importance of humility, hard work, and respect for others to advance.
- Meg Dowell, a recognized freelance writer, points out the significance of balance in her career, underscoring the importance of professionalism, courtesy, and respect in business interactions, which extends from crafting polished cover letters and adhering to submission rules to handling feedback with grace, just as it does in the financial sector.
