You Don’t Have To Be A Professional

But it sure helps to act like one

If you’ve seen the film Cast Away, you’ll remember the pivotal scene where having been stranded for days on a deserted island, Tom Hanks finally creates fire and he dances triumphantly around the beach. This joyous response to his achievement goes far beyond the accomplishment alone. After hours of relentless pursuit rubbing pieces of wood together, Tom’s diligence paid dividends for his future survival.

There are a few takeaways from this movie scene that we can all learn from in pursuit of our own, writer’s dream. If you expect to succeed on Medium or at any other pursuit, you must understand that building the fire is only the first step.

The next step must be a willingness to learn. We all make mistakes. Even seasoned professionals do, and I don’t consider myself anywhere near that yet. Seeking out people who are successful as learning tools is a great place to start. That’s the best thing about Medium because it’s a treasure trove of experienced individuals, many of whom are willing and able to help you on your way.

No one succeeds in a vacuum

When I discovered ILLUMINATION, it was like a door unlocking to the education I craved in becoming a better writer. What I hadn’t considered yet under the leadership of Dr Mehmet Yildiz, was that more opportunities were about to open for me. This could not have occurred if I hadn’t opened myself to the waiting community there.

More importantly, and to return to the analogy of Tom Hank’s fire, future survival depends on fanning the flames and adding logs to the hearth. Lighting the fire is only the beginning of the journey. So with that in mind, here are some helpful suggestions for submitting stories to publications on Medium.

I will restrict my views to experiences I have found as an editor on ILLUMINATION and ILLUMINATION-Curated. I feel very fortunate to be part of this incredible team of dedicated editors and experienced writers.

The Details

I have always used Grammarly to self-edit my work before sending it to a publication. At times, there will be an occasional missed word or a bad phrase, but when I pre-edit my story I know that I project a professional image as possible.

When I started submitting to the publication, I was politely reminded when I had forgotten a small detail like captioning an image on my story. The first thing I did, was to respond to that editor and tell them I was on it. You look a lot more professional by responding quickly to these requests than by ignoring them.

Most editors are working voluntarily, and their time is valuable too

I also know the pain of being rejected by a publication. It doesn’t mean I’m not worthy. It just means the article in question isn’t a good fit, and editors will leave a private note to let you know that.

Here is the one thing I find puzzling about many writers who go on to submit to a different publication. As an editor, I see numerous occasions where a writer has submitted to and been rejected by another publication. What puzzles me is, why would you want the next publication to know that? By simply deleting your private note from another editor, your new editor doesn’t know first, that their publication is not your first choice, and it keeps your story clean of unnecessary material while waiting in the queue.

If you want to be considered favourably, act accordingly with clean submissions

When you do these things diligently, you have no idea how much more respect you gain from hard-working editors. When you make a mistake, and you will, own up to it. There is more strength in admitting when you're wrong than denying it.

Interaction

Communicate with your readers. It only takes a few minutes to respond to comments made on your posts. The benefit paid for making the time to interact is tenfold when those readers know they are being appreciated.

They took time out of their day to read your stuff. That’s huge when you consider the number of options they have on Medium alone.

So, why not respond when they show you they respect your effort? When they ask a question, do your best to provide an answer or at least invite them to chat on another channel. You want these folks to come back and read your stuff, don’t you?

Be mindful that the people who are considering your work are writers as well. They give their time freely in the hopes of improving Medium for everyone. Try to remember, there are thousands of writers on the platform, living around the globe. If they don’t respond to you right away, don’t panic. They might be sleeping.

Genuine Gratitude

I’ve written about this subject before, and I’m constantly amazed how little it’s actually practised. This goes equally for editors as well as followers.

No, editors don’t need your undying love and gratitude to publish your story, but the good ones should be appreciated in some small way. On that rare occasion when I’ve written something that really hits home with a publisher, I make sure that I acknowledge it. Not because I want to gain favour with that editor, but because I genuinely appreciate the thought.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” — William Arthur Ward

You might amaze yourself when you learn that you’ve gained a real friend. Trust me, it happens here if you’re willing to make an effort. Liam Ireland Tree Langdon Britni Pepper Agnes Laurens Terry Mansfield Myriam Ben Salem Terry Trueman Dr Mehmet Yildiz.

These aren’t just friends to me. I consider them all mentors as well.

Which leads me to my final point. When you are open to learning through dialogue, you don’t just gain more opportunity. When you keep the fire of knowledge and understanding burning, you become a better writer.

Keep an open mind and a little kindness in your heart!

Professionalism means treating others with dignity and respect. In return, you will be sure to reap the benefits. Like Tom Hanks’ fire, when you breath more life into the experience, good things happen.

As always, thanks for taking the time.