If I could bottle yesterday, I’d seal it tight and bury it under several layers of rock, dirt, silt, and anything else that would hold it down. Too many deadlines, too much work. Today, I woke up with the expected headache. Today will be a lot like yesterday. But I’m taking tomorrow off. I need it. I feel like I’ve been running through my week and sleeping through my weekends. Time for a mental health day.
Yesterday, wordvixen commented that she’d love to write for magazines, but hates to interview. I know a few other writers who just can’t pick up the phone. The fear is that they’re going to turn to blubbering mush. Fact is if you can’t, you can’t. No amount of sucking it up and trying is going to make you any more sure of yourself.
So play to your strengths. If you don’t do well on the phone, consider doing better via email. While it’s unorthodox, it’s not out of the question to conduct interviews over the Internet. I’ve done it, and so far everyone who’s responded that way appreciates the chance to reread and rephrase. There were a few who gave one-sentence or one-word responses, so it’s not always going to work.
But if there’s something you just can’t do or can’t bring yourself to do, either find a suitable work-around or avoid those kinds of situations.
My point is there are things we aren’t good at. We may not want to write press releases, or we may hate research. If so, we simply don’t take those types of jobs no matter how much they pay.
There are things we are good at. They’re usually things we enjoy doing or subjects or areas that fascinate us.
What are you good at?
As shy as I am, I love interviewing. And my interview subjects usually love the interviews, too, because I ask unusual questions.
I’m good at fiction.
I’m good a press releases, speechwriting (the playwrighting experience makes it a snap), event scripting, radio spots, newsletters, articles, and stuff like that.
If it’s meant to engage someone, I can do it.
And, to my surprise, I discovered I’m a good teacher. AND I enjoy it.
I hate doing ANYTHING over the phone. I interview via email or in person. I hate the telephone.
I avoid the phone except for interviews. I LOVE engaging people when I know my job isn’t to impress them but to hear their opinions. But I do NOT like marketing over the phone – period.
I love meeting people in person too, Devon. Makes for a much nicer interview and stronger ongoing connection.
Mental health days are underrated, under-appreciated, and under-taken! Enjoy yours!
So glad I’m not the only one who hates phones! Like Devon, I like to interview in person. If I can’t do it that way, I prefer email.
As for what I’m good at… Well, writing. :o)
What I’m NOT good at is deadlines. I kick my butt into shape and do my best, but I’m still late from time to time. :o(
How weird – I hate the phone, too. It sounds like a common thing for writers. As much as I hate interviewing over the phone, I don’t mind it as much as I used to. I just try to remember that the key to an interview is to get THEM talking – if I ask the right questions, I barely have to say anything at all.
Btw, there’s a good post today on Men With Pens all about this same topic:
http://menwithpens.ca/are-you-doing-what-you-do-best
Wow!!!Loved the first sentence. It is so strong though I wonder now if I would love to do the same myself. Some times, I just feel that whatever goes is better than whatever is coming.
I think you can be a good writer without necessarily being a good interviewer.
But I think you need to be a good interviewer to be a good journalist…that is, to write stories and articles that incorporate real people’s voices and stories. But the good news is…you can improve your interviewing skills by practicing. I’d say that some people are naturally better at it than others, but everyone can improve with practice and attention.
Come to think of it, I am good at many things but I hate to admit it. I am scared of being called “overconfident and pompous”
Do you understand where I am going with this?
I believe, I am knowledgeable in many subjects and can be expressive both in writing and speech.
I am one of the persons who finds strength in expressing my thoughts with my pen rather than with my mouth. I tried marketing for my husband last year and I found it to be the hardest thing to do. I couldn’t continue with it at all.