Being One-Dimensional Is Doing Ourselves A Great Disservice
Once upon a time, I use to assume almost everything, the experience gained from this lesson taught me that it’s always best to ask questions. Asking questions doesn’t cost us anything but not doing so, could deny us everything.
When we ask questions one of three things will occur: we’ll be denied an answer, we’ll receive an answer, and if the answer doesn’t align with the situation, we’ll have a start point.
We don’t offer answers to questions for various reasons: we don’t have them, we have them but don't care to share, we feel that our answers aren’t sufficient, etc. Not offering an answer in certain situations is an answer in itself, that’s if you’re off into looking at situations like I am. The bottom line is this, there should never be a reason for assumptions.
I’m a writer/editor for Illumination, so I get to experience the best of both parts of the literary world. As an editor, it’s a must that I read each submission I decide to take on. Seeing that I love reading more than I do writing, my duty as an editor is not a chore, but something I cherish. Not only am I learning something about the creative but once I’m done and publish their effort, I re-read it, which assists them from the financial aspect of things. Now, I’m not obligated to re-read their effort after I’ve published it, but I do so because I understand that it’s in their best interest. The checked box below the publish box means that the creative would like to be eligible to earn money for their effort, we all understand this to be no assumption. Here’s something else we understand that’s no assumption, reading is the only way money will be earned for our efforts. So, here’s a very important question we all need to ask ourselves: “Are our reading and writing really balanced?”
As an editor/writer, I have the privilege of seeing all the submissions that are submitted, via the notification option. I’ve noticed that several people submit numerous submissions at once, one individual literally submitted twenty submissions at one time, I counted. Now, it’s safe to say that if someone is dedicating that much time to writing, their reading is being somewhat neglected. I don’t knock a healthy writing life-style, I have one myself but I also read just as much, if not more. As I’ve said in previous offerings, reading makes me a better writer. When we read, we not only see how others write but more importantly, we get a glimpse into how the creative thinks as well.
So, in conclusion. Let’s practice putting just as much energy into reading, as we do into writing because in doing so, not only do we create a proper balance, but we also help each other in ensuring we’ll receive fruit for our labor. If we all take the time to read each other's offerings, they’ll never be a need for us to come out of pocket to pay our monthly fee to be apart of this Medium platform.
Let’s support each other all the way around the board, and let’s not just read each other's offerings, let’s leave some compelling comments as well. I have grown to understand that comments mean more than anything to a creative, they make us feel as though our effort wasn’t done in vain. If we regard ourselves as family, then let’s begin to do what families do...love and support one another completely.
This is what I wrote for the publication "Illumination," which is on the Medium.com platform, and where I'm a writer/editor.