Dear you,
Hello. I just contributed to my first LinkedIn article. Weird!
Did I plan it? No. Have I thought about contributing to others before? Yes. Would I do it again? Who knows. Where does that content go???
So, the article was titled:
‘How can you develop a thick skin when starting a writing career?’
… and now I’ve noticed the byline: ‘Powered by AI and the LinkedIn community’. I promise you, my responses are not AI. From me, you get 100% human writing 100% of the time. I’ll let you know if that changes, but I’m doubtful.
aside: I don’t know how I feel about the thick skin-ness mentioned. I didn’t write the title (maybe AI did, and robots don’t even have skin, or do they? is it shiny? are these tangible or intangible robots …?) … and it wasn’t the title that drew me in. I find that thick skin can be a problematic term, some people find it dismissive. So, do with it what you will. Accept it with open arms. Give it what-for with a red pen. Write a poem or a thesis in response. Whatever floats your spoon.
Ok, so I didn’t add to all the advice points.
Here are the one’s I didn’t contribute to:
Find support.
Practice self care.
Keep Writing.
Yup, I agree with all those.
See:
note: LinkedIn articles do not allow you to add images as a response/contribution. Rude, don’t they know writing comes in many forms *experimental poet’s cheeky eyeroll*
Right, now we’re caught up. Here are the points I did expand on … and the points I made:
Accept feedback
You can learn so much from feedback – from what it is, but also why. Why has your writing been interpreted that way? Maybe it doesn’t say or do what you think it does, good to know, go back and tweak. It can sometimes happen that suggested improvements might feel out of sync or off the mark, but why someone has raised them makes a lot of sense. Or it doesn’t – that happens too, and some feedback is worth discarding, but give it a chance to teach you something before you completely write it off. Be open to feedback. Unpack it. Reflect.
Embrace rejection
Rejection can be a reminder that you braved up and put your work out there. That’s something to celebrate. Don’t take it personally. Learn from it what you can. Keep submitting.
Celebrate your achievements
Celebrate your achievements, even and especially the little ones. What matters to you as a writer? It may not be awards or external recognition. It may be finding your voice, honing your craft, contributing to the community. Celebrate what matters to you.
…
So, that’s it.
Use your brain. Use your sense and senses. Just do writing. Keep calm and always carry a writing (and/or recording) implement.
Ok, now that’s it.
… alright one more: don’t forget to take breaks for lunch and other human essentials.
Gotta go follow my own advice…
Write again soon!
tea and biscuits,
x indi
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