Outtakes 75

Through the Looking Glass

By Cait Collins

How do you perceive yourself as a writer? More importantly, how do others view you? Do you come off as knowledgeable and confident, or uninformed and unsure? Are you a leader or the flip, unconcerned good-off? Do other writers look to you for advice and value your views? Or do they avoid and ignore you? How does the way you dress affect your image? Are you careless in you appearance or are you neat, properly groomed, and appropriately dressed? Do you really care? If you don’t care, you should.

The image we project as writers has great bearing on acceptance from fellow writers. You attend a workshop. The brochure indicates the dress is “business casual”, but you walk in wearing wrinkled cargo shorts, a tee-shirt sporting a cartoon or political statement, and flip-flops. The other registrants are attired in pressed slacks, skirts, shirts, blazers and polished shoes. You might stand out in the crowd, but not in a positive way. A professional workshop is not an opportunity to express your individuality. If you want to be accepted as a professional, dress the part.

Attitude is another image check. One of my pet peeves is the person who continually interrupts a speaker to insert personal viewpoints or experiences. While an exchange of ideas is valuable, the speaker is the star of the session and should be given an opportunity to present the program. A know-it-all could potentially disrupt the presentation to the point the attendees get nothing out of the session. Both the speaker and the students are frustrated. And sadly, the person who keeps talking comes off as rude and unprofessional.

It’s okay to be shy, but don’t be a wallflower. Take a deep breath, step out, and introduce yourself to others. Seek out the conference planners and offer your assistance. Remember when (never think if) you become successful, you will be required to speak or maybe do book signings. It’s better to take baby steps to becoming more confident than be unprepared later.

What about your speech? Dirty jokes, cursing, political speeches, religious orations, put downs of other attendees or speakers are inappropriate. While I believe in free speech, there are times when it’s best to check your politics and religion at the door. You do not want to lose the good will and support of the writing community due to an over-active mouth.

Writers might be viewed as eccentrics working out of attics or dingy rooms. Few may truly realize the work that goes into creating a poem or short story or novel. That’s okay as long as writers realize they are professionals. We produce an important and viable product. Writers provide a means to enlighten the world on an untold number of subjects. We should be proud of our craft and project that pride and professionalism to our community and our readers.