I am a “Wounded Mentor”
Who knew?
Gee willikers! Well, it had to happen. I scrambled over to the dark side and am no longer welcome “in the light.”
I wasn’t aware that having an opinion was discouraged over there, but now I know. My using the “c-word,” as in “crap,” in an email to the publication’s owner, sealed the deal for me. My intent was to be helpful and possibly shake him out of his torpor by letting him know that his “baby’s” content was slipping, and drastically.
It didn’t take.
I do feel a twinge of sadness as I’ve written many fine stories for the pub and expected to ride the wave all the way to the Big Time, like everyone else, but if that means watching my work get lost amid a flood of crap stories from crap writers — I just can’t have it, friends.
I don’t want that stink following me around here on Medium as it is so many other talented writers, whether they know it, or not.
In an attempt at honesty, I used the word because the pub’s editorial staff is curating more poop than Medium ever has. And that’s saying something.
Heaping helpings of it, every day. In perusing several recent stories, I couldn’t get past the first paragraph, that’s how horrific they were. And here’s something I’d like to point out that I believe needs to be addressed. I don’t care if English is a writer’s third language, that’s no excuse for publishing a grammatical minefield. If you really want to help a writer, as the owner has pointed out on several occasions — fix that shit.
“Editors, wake up!”
The email was not meant to attack, but merely to suggest that things could turn around if attended to properly. If the publication’s editors actually took the time to thoroughly read what they were sharing with the rest of the world. I don’t know. Maybe there’s just too much work and a staff that’s overworked.
There is a tremendous upside. By being a part of the pub, I met many wonderful folks. Kind, empathetic individuals who give me hope for humanity. And who inspire me to do and be better.
To these people, I say, “You wonderful writers who have my love and admiration, please don’t be offended or take this personally. This is not about you.”
Instead, it’s about delusion and not being truthful to one's self. Are we here to merely exist as writers or to shake things up? I’ll take the latter any day. Because shaking things up is what keeps me going day after quarantined day.
Do we want to be thought of as substandard? As “meh?”
Hell, no. We want to be thought of as great. I do and I’m not ashamed to admit it. It’s not easy, is it? We get tired and despondent. But then we pick ourselves up by our pandemically-frayed bootstraps and write another story. And think, “Maybe this is the one…”
Although it’s not official yet, I’m fairly certain that I will be unceremoniously booted from the publication I’m referencing. That fantastically successful curator of a writer’s hopes and dreams. The same hopes and dreams that will be shot down in the cold light of day. And when the smoke clears, people will get it. They’ll realize that their hard work is getting lost amid a pile of dreck.
Oh, about the title to this piece. In an email to his editors, and without mentioning names, the pub’s owner stated, based on advice from wounded mentors on Medium, any writer or editor calling our writers, publications, or editors as crap will be removed from the publication.
So “opinions” are discouraged. Good to know.
Without question, he was referencing P.G. Barnett and myself as I’m not aware of any other rapscallions mixing things up.
“Mentor?” Hell, yeah. I’ll take it. But “wounded?”
I don’t think so, Doc.
Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.
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