Angry and Elitist Writer?…Nah, Just a Bitch

Yo recently started a firestorm by tackling some issues writers and bloggers face head on. Her post on Jenn’s blog called out some of the illogical things writers and bloggers say to each other, and I posted a trite response initially before delving into the issues more thoroughly. Then I realized I’d do better to post the rather lengthy reply here than add more pages of responses to the comments.

Am I angry and elitist? Nope. I’m a bitch. In Texas, that’s almost a good thing.

Okay, that’s not really all there is to it, although I am rather proud every time someone calls me a bitch – I figure it means they are somehow threatened by me, why else resort to crude names?

But in regard to the original message, being elitist and angry, at least in my humble opinion, tends to be counterproductive. In fact, I work very hard to not get angry about much of anything, least of all someone else’s business or thoughts. In my other role teaching alternative high schoolers, being angry is the same as giving students something of a show and is a huge waste of energy and resources. Fortunately, I have the right personality to avoid that sort of thing regardless.

As far as being elitist, I will absolutely own that one. I don’t know many people who can do what I do – and I don’t just mean cranking out some written materials. That being said, I have a great deal of respect for people who are dedicated to a chosen field or practice and have a lot to show for it. I love a good web designer as much as I love a good kindergarten teacher. Personally I couldn’t do either very well and am 100% okay with that.

I also love writers who crank out cheap articles. The articles have a purpose for a lot of people and the writers have their own reason for charging those rates. They aren’t helping or hurting me in any way as I offer a very different service. Granted the disillusioned writer is another story, but there is a lot of help out there and most know what they should do after a time but can’t bring themselves to do it.

I’ve had clients very frankly tell me they have “worker bees” on one level cranking out that sort of low cost thing while giving me something else entirely to work on at a much higher level. As a businesswoman, I understand that and encourage it. I don’t really want to write 150 articles on colon cleansing anyhow.

As far as talking down to people who don’t operate at the same level I do, I’m afraid it happens quite a bit. I know the value of what I do and I reach out to help others when I can, but as my post on Jenn’s blog next week will actually describe in some detail, I’m not a touchy-feely kind of girl. My purpose is not to make other writers feel good about themselves necessarily or try and train the populace to do what I do. I’m running a business that does not specialize in career counseling.

One comment in the thread struck a chord regarding a work-at-home mom earning a full-time living with a content mill. I’m not in a position to say if it’s best for that mom or any other, but I can say that for someone who is not a competent marketer and is just easing into the industry looking for a way to supplement her income that was likely just annihilated by staying home for the first time, it might be a great option. Or it might be a horrible one. I really just don’t know.

I make my personal elitist position an easy one.

I make the bold assumption that everyone else knows their own abilities and preferences far better than I ever would.

Will I provide information to get to the next level? Sure.

Will I give tips and tricks of the trade? Absolutely.

Will I tell someone what to do with their career and choices? Eh, probably not. I already get paid to do that with surly teens and have my own kids to deal with. I’m just not that interested in what others want to write or how much they charge for it. I trust them to take care of their own business to the best of their abilities.

I guess I am rather bitchy after all. Go figure.